Category: Florida Life

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Aventura Brickell/Downtown Miami Florida Life Miami Beach Miami Design District Neighborhood News Things To Do

6 Places To See Free Art In Miami – North

The art starts on the outside of ICA MIAMI
The art starts on the outside of ICA MIAMI

With cooler weather and Miami’s “in” season almost here, I thought it might be appropriate to give us all a jump start on Miami Art Week, by listing some places where we can see art.  Year round.  In our own back yard.  Without crowds. For FREE!

Other than the obvious Wynwood, there are so many places to see art in Miami.  Thanks to Miami-Dade County Art in Public Places and astute business owners who also happen to be art aficionados, there are plenty of places to see art in Miami.  In no particular order, and by no means all inclusive, here are a few of my favorites:

Aventura Mall art collection – Better known for world class shopping, Aventura Mall has an extensive and impressive art collection

Institute of Contemporary Art – In the Miami Design District, this museum is ALWAYS free.  The art installations are sometimes trippy, but always thought provoking.

Miami Beach – I think the ocean and colorful life guard stands on the beach are art enough, but Miami Beach Art in public spaces include sea inspired as well as modern and art deco pieces.

Miami Design District Art Tours – In addition to being able to see great, fun architecture for free as you stroll through the MDD, they have regular art tours in conjunction with Arts Encounters.

PAMM – Perez Art Museum Miami free second Saturdays.  The second Saturday of each month you get to see their art exhibits for FREE!

Is your favorite free art space in the northern part of Miami-Dade not on the list?  Please share it with us!

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Coconut Grove Commercial Real Estate Coral Gables Florida Life Luxury Real Estate Miami Design District Neighborhood News Selling South Miami

5 Ways Retailers Can Engage Consumers At Brick and Mortar Stores

Instagram Worthy – Miami Design District

 

  1. Make it easy for consumers to find what they are looking for. In a recent blog Is Veganism Going Mainstream, I discussed how Marshalls was making it easier for vegan shoppers to identify purses that coincide with the shopper’s values.  In addition to Marshalls highlighting vegan purses, Whole Foods also makes it easy for consumers following specific dietary guidelines, such as Paleo, Whole 30, Gluten Free etc., to find products that meet their requirements without them having to read every label.
  2. Make it experiential.  Whether you own or operate an individual store, a chain of them or a shopping center, the consumer has to experience something beyond the shopping itself.  Retailtainment was first used back in 1999 by sociologist and author George Ritzer
  3.  Make it interactive.  Books and Books, the independently owned local bookstore is amazing at interacting with their customers.  In addition to having knowledgeable staff, they have a cafe with great food, spaces for getting together and socializing and they offer book signings and readings by authors.  Patrons come early have dinner or a cocktail, socialize, buy the book, and interact with the author.  You can’t get that from online shopping and, in spite of technology (or maybe because of it) people want to have places where the can interact.
  4. Make it Instagram and Pinterest worthy:  Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and the rest of social media has made it essential that whether it is food, clothing, real estate, spaces and places, whatever it is you are selling has to be Instagram and Pinterest worthy.  Two places in Miami do that extremely well.  Miami Design District and Wynwood.  Don’t believe me?  Go into Instagram and #miamidesigndistrict to view 158,000 posts or #wynwood to view over 2.4 million posts.
  5. Make it about community.   Several of the places already discussed such as Books and Books, the Miami Design District, and Wynwood are great examples.  FootWorks in South Miami has running clubs and helps train you for half and full marathons, Dharma Studio in Coconut Grove offers free yoga classes three times a week in the Grove, and Aventura Mall has all sorts of events scheduled throughout the year.  If you are in an area that has one, check with your local Business Improvement District and see how you can get involved to bring more traffic to your store.

 

 

 

 

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Florida Life

Miami and Chicago: Both Great International Cities

Chicago's Navy Pier
Chicago’s Navy Pier

 

After a long two days of brushing up on leadership skills at the National Association of Realtor’s in Chicago, I decided to get to know this beautiful city a little better by taking a Chicago River architectural tour.  In addition to being extremely informative from a historical standpoint, the tour made me realize how much Miami and Chicago have in common.

Chicago was incorporated in 1837, and though it started out as a small trading post at the mouth of the Chicago River, it has since grown to become a diverse, global city, where international trade and commerce thrive.

The City of Miami was incorporated in 1896, the same year that Julia Tuttle convinced Henry Flagler to bring his railroad down to Miami, based at the mouth of the Miami River.  It too has grown into a diverse, international city where trade and commerce thrive and continue to grow.

Chicago, like Miami, is going through a building boom and each city has a building that will be the new tallest.

In Chicago, One Grant Park, at 800+ feet, this 76-story building will be the tallest skyscraper in the city.  It is a 792 rental apartment project owned by Crescent Heights, a Florida based company.

Panorama Tower, at 865 feet, this 85-story building is the tallest skyscraper in Miami, actually the tallest building south of NYC.  It is a mixed-use building with 821 apartments and 100,000 square feet of amenities including restaurants, pools and lounges.

Although I really enjoy visiting Chicago in the summer, I am glad I live in Miami where we don’t have those brutal winters!

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Florida Life Miami Beach Things To Do

5 Reasons to Take Advantage of Miami Spa Month Before August 31

Tierra Santa Spa - Faena Hotel- Miami Beach
Tierra Santa Spa – Faena Hotel- Miami Beach

 

Okay, do you really need any reason to take advantage of discounts on some of Miami’s best spas other than the discounts themselves?  Probably not but, since lists are in, here are my top 5:

  • Kids are back in school
  • It has been a long, hot summer, especially if you have school age children
  • You deserve pampering
  • Miami’s high season is just around the corner so it will be harder to make an appointment
  • Bonding with spouse or friends through experience vs technology is important and more enjoyable.
  • Miami spa month ends August 31 and then you will be paying regular price

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Florida Life Things To Do

Miami Attributes Contribute To A Healthy Lifestyle

One of the many great attributes that Miami offers residents and visitors alike is the opportunity to live a healthy lifestyle.   Our wonderful weather, scenic parks, flat terrain, and extensive offering of races, yoga, golf, tennis, swimming, rowing, and many more events allow us to exercise year round.  If you want to avoid summer humidity, there are also gyms for every person at any fitness level.

But how can we design the built environment to contribute to a healthy lifestyle by offering more opportunities for physical activity and healthy eating?  That is what this year’s Fit City 5 explores.  Join the AIA  and Miami Center for Architecture and Design tomorrow to discuss Age Friendly Active Design with a focus on public places.

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Florida Life Things To Do

Happy Valentine’s Day! Need A Last Minute Unique Gift Idea?

Bar at Audi & Ramsa

Did Valentine’s Day sneak up on you?  If so, here is one of my favorite new spots with a different gift idea…Ice Cream!  This one isn’t for the kids – 21 years and older please!  My favorite is the Dark Chocolate Fudge, but I am still working my way down the menu.  No matter which flavor you pick, you will not be disappointed and their packaging is beautiful.  Go ahead and use their beautiful Instagram photo to complete your last minute Valentine’s Day gift.

Aubi & Ramsa

https://www.instagram.com/p/Be_iawNAcdg/?taken-by=aubiramsa

 

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Florida Life Things To Do

Get Ready for A Busy Two Weeks In South Florida!

Photo credit - Katie Lopez Photography
Photo credit – Katie Lopez Photography

Not only is February Miami Romance Month, full of special pricing and packages at hotels, spas, shops, restaurants, and events, but it is also the height of Miami’s Winter Season.  The next two weeks are full of events that will be sure to either keep you busy or running out of town!  Next weekend is President’s Weekend and we will have more visitors for the Miami International Boat Show and two art festivals than we had when we hosted the Super Bowl!

Valentine’s Day February 14

Miami International Boat Show February 15-19  Note:  get $5 off of ticket with code HERALD18

Art Wynwood February 15-19

Miami Design District Watches & Wonders February 16-19

Coconut Grove Art Festival February 17-19

South Beach Wine and Food Festival February 21-25

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Coconut Grove Commercial Real Estate Florida Life Investment Real Estate Luxury Real Estate Neighborhood News Selling Things To Do

If You Love Downtown Coconut Grove, Thank the Commercial Property Owners

Popular Spill Over Restaurant
Ritz Carlton and Grove at Grand Bay

 

Coconut Grove has been experiencing yet another revitalization.  It has been through at least three cycles of boom to gloom since I moved here in the early 1990’s but, thanks to the commercial property owners, who formed the Coconut Grove Business Improvement District and agreed to tax themselves, this boom feels different.  Why?  Because the Coconut Grove BID has worked hard to create a community by taking on projects and neighborhood improvements that the City of Miami was not able or was unwilling to.  From fixing sidewalks, trimming trees, and sponsoring three free community yoga classes a week through Dharma Studio, the BID has made the Grove a hangout for locals and tourists alike.

Popular Spill Over Restaurant

Since the BID formed in 2009, new restaurants such as Lokal and Spill Over, both by Matthew Kushner, Glass and Vine by Giorgio Rapicavoli, Strada, and Atchana’s to mention a few have moved in and prospered.  SapientRazorfish, one of the largest interactive advertising companies in the world, moved into the Shops at Mayfair and Cocowalk is getting a much needed redesign and tenant mix.   Any evening or weekend you can stroll through the shops, parks and restaurants and see the vibrant diversity of this popular neighborhood.  If you like what you see, thank the commercial property owners and their BID!

 

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Florida Life

Should Port Miami Keep Their Cranes Or Make Them Flamingos?

Flamingos or Cranes?

Port Miami is the world’s busiest cruise port, surpassing 5.3 million passengers in fiscal year 2016-2017, and a major cargo port.  As such, the port has 260 foot gantry cranes to load and unload ships.  I see the cranes towering over Government Cut every time I drive to and from Miami Beach.  In his book All About Them, branding expert Bruce Turkel states that he made a recommendation to the mayor and County Commission to paint all of the cranes pink and black, thereby creating a flock of 260 foot flamingos.  I love the idea.  I think it would make for yet more photo ops of Miami.  What do you think, cranes or flamingos?

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Commercial Real Estate Florida Life Investment Real Estate Luxury Real Estate Miami Design District Neighborhood News Things To Do

5 Reasons To Visit The Miami Design District

Carole Feuerman Sculpture

If you haven’t been to the Miami Design District lately and still need a 2018 New Year’s resolution, here is an easy one.  Go visit the Miami Design District.  It is so Miami!  In case you need more reasons than that, here are 5:

  1. Interesting architecture – Okay, between Miami Beach’s art deco district and an abundance of starchitect buildings Miami is full of interesting architecture.  However, in the Miami Design District just about every single building is interesting.  Some have textured exteriors, others vivid colors or geometric designs.  No two buildings are alike and unlike some areas of South Florida that crave and even demand uniformity, the Miami Design District is definitely outside of that box.
    Christian Louboutin– Miami Design District
  2. Plenty of public art – If the architecture isn’t enough to keep you entertained as you explore, there are public art installations sprinkled throughout the district.
    Carole Feuerman Sculpture – photo credit: House & Hive
  3. Unique stores, shops, and restaurants in addition to the luxury brand names.  If small, local, independent shops appeal to you, don’t let the concentration of luxury, brand name designer shops fool you.  There are plenty of small delightful stores and restaurants with a variety of products that you won’t find elsewhere.  The spaces themselves are inviting and the people that I met manning them were helpful, charming and friendly.
    Roses et Pivoines
  4. Institute of Contemporary Art It is free! A generous gift to Miami’s entire community by Miami Design District Associates, who donated the majority of the land, and Norman and Irma Braman, ICA is a bright, open space with installations sure to get you thinking and an outside sculpture garden perfect for selfies.
    The art starts on the outside of ICA MIAMI
  5. Great public spaces to sit and chat, people watch, or enjoy our beautiful weather – the sculpture garden at ICA, the walls around the various planters and water fountains and the meeting bowls are just a few places to grab a seat.  If sitting around is not active enough for you, come up with creative videos to post on #MeetingBowls.  For inspiration, click on the link below.
    Meeting Bowls – A Public Art Project (and meeting space!) by mmmm…