Named after Davie Jones' Locker and Davie Crockett, this is an eclectic and fun area of the greater…read moreMiami Ft Laud region, and one of the fun, multi-ethnic parts of FTL. Maybe it's one of my favourite areas of Miami even though it has some crazy traffic and some angry people and a lot of rough-ish areas with some crime, mostly petty, and some people being kind of aggressive. It's not as worn down and worn out, infrastructure and roadway wise, as a lot of Miami, and it has a couple of excellent Boba shops including my favorite one in the region. It also has a few of the best Cuban restaurants in the whole area, so it's impossible for me not to love Davie and I'm looking forward to coming back here with Barbie soon. Oh and the boba shop is Hanji, so try it. Or if you don't like boba then Hanji, my dear, I don't give a damn. 4 City of Clearwater https://www.yelp.com/biz/city-of-clearwater-clearwater?osq=city+of 5 City Gate Shell https://www.yelp.com/biz/city-gate-shell-naples-2 4 Ghost Tour https://www.yelp.com/biz/ghost-walk-charleston 5 Little Havana https://www.yelp.com/biz/little-havana-miami-3 My Havana is not all that little, but that's beside the point. Miami is full of vibrant electric amazing and unique districts which are nothing like the vast majority of the United States, and Little Havana is right at the top of the list of neighbourhoods that you should check out when you are down here in Miami. It might even be #1 on the list, all things considered. Come and see for yourself how the wonderful Cuban flavour and all of the great food and drinks and desserts and nightlife and just the atmosphere here all combine into a truly amazing experience, which really does feel more like Cuba than Florida - and for that reason I love it.

The Town of Davie - is intriguing as it is very old school and in the country and basically horse…read moreland! It has the Bergeron rodeo arena here after all. So it seemed fitting for me to go and check out Davie's Town hall. Their town hall - does not look like any other town hall that's for sure. This is made of wood, and looks quite old and unique - see my pictures for a peak! I could not find out the age of this building - maybe you can, and if you find out, please lmk! ____________________________________________________________________ Some history about Davie - The first permanent settlers of the Town of Davie arrived in 1909 from the Panama Canal Zone and later from states such as Illinois, Michigan, and Kentucky. They were drawn to the area because of the efforts by the State of Florida to drain the swamp land; the land was cheap with an ideal climate, and the richness of the soil. Many of these settlers arrived by way of train and boat. Travel was very slow because of the lack of roads from established towns and villages. The northern settlers traveled via railroad to Jacksonville, by the Florida East Coast Railroad to Fort Lauderdale. Once in Fort Lauderdale, the travelers would have to travel by boat to reach the Davie area, known in that time as "Zona." The first settlers elected to name this area "Zona" because of the influence of the settlers from the Panamanian Canal Zone. By 1914, approximately 250 people called Davie home. Originally, the Davie Farm at Zona, Florida consisted of 2,000 acres purchased from the State by Everglades Sugar and Land, Co., and subdivided into smaller acreages. The land had not been thoroughly drained resulting in the early settlers having to contend with persistent flooding and local wildlife. The first homes were constructed of lumber and tar paper and could not withstand the rain and thunderstorms. The hurricanes and storms of September 1926 were pivotal in the development of Davie as most of the homes were lost that year. By the end of 1926, most homes were constructed of concrete block to better withstand inclement weather. The Town of Davie's proud culture stems from of its most recognizable landmarks, the Old Davie School and the Rodeo Arena. Old Davie School is the oldest existing school in Broward County. The school was opened in 1918 with 90 students. The school is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Davie Rodeo Arena was constructed by 17 residents in 1946. In 1925, Zona was renamed in R.P. Davie's honor as the Town of Davie, having purchase a significant amount land in the area. Davie was originally incorporated in 1925, but later dissolved during the following legislative session to avoid taxation resulting from the incorporation. The Town was again incorporated in 1961 with less than 2,000 residents. By the mid 1970s, the Town of Davie had over 12,000 residents. By the 1990s, the Town population exploded to over 47,217 residents. Today, Davie boasts a population of over 92,000 residents.

When the Town of Homestead was incorporated on January 27, 1913, there wasn't a town hall where…read morecity officials could meet. The newly formed town decided to use Sistrunk Hall, a wooden building located just west of the 1911 Bank of Homestead. It became the first Homestead Town Hall but it burned down on September 7, 1916. After the fire the Town Council decided to build their own town hall. Miami architect Harold Hastings Mundy was hired to design the building. Mundy was born in 1878 in Ontario, Canada. He worked as the architect for the Dade County School district where he designed Coconut Grove Elementary School, Robert E. Lee Junior High School, and Miami Edison High School. John F. Umphrey who had built a number of buildings in the area was awarded the contract to build the town hall for $4,418.00, doors excluded. He completed the building in 90 days. The lower floor near the front of the building housed the city fire department, fire trucks and a hose-drying room. The rear area held the police station and jail cells. There were four jail cells for men while the jail cells for female prisoners were in a separate building located in back of the Town Hall. Municipal offices, the city's clerk office, mayor's office, and the city council chambers were on the second floor. A small one story addition to the south, at 41 N. Krome Ave., is now used as an entrance to the museum. It was added in 1924 as offices for the County Agricultural Agent and the Redland District Chamber of Commerce. The police and fire departments eventually moved out and the town hall was remodeled in 1956. The jail cells were removed and the bottom floor was turned into office space for the growing city government. The building served as the Town Hall for almost 60 years before it was deemed too small. In 1975, a new city hall designed by Edward M. Ghezzi , was built at 790 N. Homestead Boulevard. The new city hall dedication took place on November 23, 1975. The old town hall was used as a Senior Citizens Center and a State of Florida Department of Corrections, Bureau of Probation and Parole, office. In 1980, the town considered demolishing the building in order to make more room for parking. City council members Irving Peskoe and Ruth Campbell opposed the demolition. Through the efforts of Peskoe and Campbell, $61,000 was donated from members of the community and a State grant of $173,363 was obtained for the restoration of the building. Anyone who donate $250 or more was honored on an "Above and Beyond the Call" plaque mounted on the wall on the left side of the entrance to the Museum. The museum was founded in 1994 through the efforts of Ruth Campbell who had deep ties to Homestead. Her husband was Harold "Pete" Campbell, who was a grandson of Thomas Alexander Campbell, who Campbell Drive is named after. Ruth was a Homestead city councilperson and a vice-mayor. On November 7, 1997, the historic Homestead Town Hall was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. After 23 years of serving on the town council Ruth retired in June of 2017. She passed away on May 7, 2019. The museum contains displays of historical artifacts, copies of photographs of early families and places, a library, and archives open to researchers. There are books by local historians for research and for sale. One of the most popular exhibit is the City of Homestead's original 1924 American LaFrance fire truck, which was restored by private citizens in Tampa Bay. The truck is now back home in it's original building. I love how this historic building was saved and repurposed into a history museum. If you are interested in the history of Homestead, the resources offered here are a great place to start. The museum is open Tuesday-Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Admission is free.

What a charming and quaint museum. Loved learning about Homestead's history. Certainly informative.read more

Just found this great resource. The yoga class is great. Looking forward to trying other offerings…read more Folks here are warm and friendly.

Having visited Miami numerous times throughout the years, I can safely say that it is one of my…read morefavorite places. Miami has gorgeous weather, beautifully lit dowtown areas, fantastic energy & cool vibes. Miami also has trendy shops / hang-out spots. There have been so many things enjoyable to see, view, & experience in Miami. Here are some of the highlights: Miami Beach is beautiful. Sun, fun & views along the beach, & in the neighboring South Beach area are phenomenal. Pier 5 has shops, boat tours & fabulous restaurants and live music. Museums like the Institute of Contemporary Art Miami and the Haitian Heritage Museum are fantastic. Miami also has marvelous walkways, murals / artwork in various places, including Wynwood, as well as in Midtown Miami & in Miami's Design District. The Wolfsonian -FIU & The Bass Museums have had great art exhibits. Eden Roc has a gorgeous lobby area & equally lovely comfortable beds & nice bathrooms. Gabriel Miami South Beach Hotel has a lobby pool & a rooftop pool that Goodtime Hotel patrons can utilize as an alternative during Goodtime Pool Party Events. The Kimpton Epic Hotel is beautiful and has Area 31, a cool rooftop restaurant & lounge. One can go to Jungle Island to visit various animals, including flamingos, birds, etc. They also allow you the opportunity to get the admission package that includes interacting with some of the animals. Strawberry Moon is my favorite restaurant thus far & it is in the Goodtime Hotel. Strawberry Moon Pool Parties are so much fun! Strawberry has the best Chicken Schwarma & a wonderful Happy Hour Menu. Komma is a Mediterranean restaurant that also has a great Happy Hour Menu. Strawberry Moon & Komma have good staff that have provided good customer service. Bacon Bitch sells a decent breakfast & Pura Vida sells fresh-tasting healthy food items. Cecconi's Miami is in Soho Beach House and has good, fresh-tasting cuisine. Kuba Cabana has delicious Cuban Cusine, cool laid-back vibes, and good music. Kuba Cabana Staffpersons Renzo & Naomi provide wonderful customer service! There are so many familiar & new places to visit in Miami!

Miami has always been a very popular vacation spot in the world. There is so much to do and see…read more The restaurants, the shopping, the cruise ships, South Beach, Coconut Grove, Wynwood, the nightclubs, the Design District, the Miami Heat arena, Bayside Markrtplace, Little Havana, Zoo Miani, and Miami Beach. I could name many more attractions! You should visit once in your lifetime. We loved it so much that we moved here in 2006. It is like Paradise to us. Except for the horrible traffic in the morning and late afternoon! The only reason I took 1 star away.

The most beautiful Spanish city in miami. Olds houses with Spanish architecture, are stunning…read more Merrick Park it's too apéndice but so nice to take a picture there. So many fabulous restaurants there too

The City of Coral Gables was founded by George Merrick. On February 5, 1916 Merrick married Eunice…read moreIsabella Peacock a daughter of the Miami pioneer family, the Peacocks. In 1921 he attended Rollins College in Winter Park. Shortly after he started planning the City of Coral Gables. It was one of the first planned communities in the United States. He took his inspiration from the City Beautiful movement that was popular in the 1900's. In 1925 Merrick's family moved to Miami from Pennsylvania to join him. It was two years after Henry Flagler brought the railroad to Florida and it was the dawn of the development of Florida. Merrick started selling lots in the city in 1921. He marketed the city as having 40 miles of waterfront property. He wanted all of the city landmarks to be connected by water. He offered gondola rides from the Biltmore to the Cocoplum neighborhood to prospective home buyers. Coral Gables was designed tp have four entry arches. They are reminiscent of the medieval gates in Europe and were meant to show that Coral Gables is separate from the surrounding city. At first Merrick planned on developing the Country Club Prado section as the city's downtown. In the end he decided to move it east to be closer to the already established towns of Miami, Coconut Grove, and Brickell. Merrick wanted his buildings to be strictly Spanish and later the Mediterranean style that was popular during Florida's land boom years in the 1920's. Eventually he expanded his vision to include seven unique villages inspired by different international influences. Today they are some of the most sought after addresses in the city. The buildings in Coral Gables were so well made that they survived hurricanes before there were building codes. Among his many accomplishments, George Merrick also created the University of Miami. Thanks to George Merrick's meticulous planning many of Coral Gables historic landmarks survive today including the Venetian Pool, the Alhambra Water Tower, and the Miami Biltmore Hotel. One of his last projects was Coral Gables City Hall. Please check out my separate reviews for these Coral Gables landmarks. The later years were not kind to George Merrick. The Florida land boom went bust due to two hurricanes followed by the Great Depression. By 1928 George Merrick was forced out of the city he founded and ended up in the Keys. He went bankrupt in 1929. He returned to the city two years before he died to serve as postmaster. He died in 1942 at the young age of 55. He and Eunice are buried under a very simple marker in Woodlawn North. You can learn more about George Merrick by taking a tour of his family home in Coral Gables. Today Coral Gables has a population of 50,000 people. It's nickname is "the city beautiful." The University of Miami is a major educational institution. Giralda Plaza and Miracle Mile are popular dining and shopping destinations. The Historic Preservation Association of Coral Gables was founded in 1973 and they have been very successful in saving the historic landmarks in the city that make it so charming. Coral Gables is filled with ornate Mediterranean architecture and beautiful parks. Fairchild Botanical Gardens is a popular tourist destination for plant and nature lovers. Books and Books hosts a literary festival every November that attract authors and book lovers from around the country. The city is very pedestrian friendly. Learn more about all that makes Coral Gables special at the Coral Gables Museum. I could go on and on about my love of this city. If you haven't been in awhile it is time to rediscover the crown jewel of Miami.

This is the City of Miami Lakes fairly new Town Hall. Now that election is nearing a forum for was…read moreheld for candidates seeking election or reelection. This is where council meetings are held and where you can go for permitting applications or other public concerns for the city. In front you will see a beautiful Veterans Memorial by Stephanie Jaffe Werner. In the lobby you will find a calendar posting with upcoming functions. This is walking distance to the shops on Main Street and many popular restaurants.

The city of Opa Locka was built during Florida's land boom years in the 1920's. During this time,…read morethe Middle East was a cultural fad thanks to movies like The Sheik and The Thief of Baghdad. When famous aviator Glenn Curtiss developed Opa Locka he designed it in an Arabian Nights theme. He first named the new development Opa-tisha-wocka-locka, meaning a big island covered with many trees and swamps, but it was later shortened to Opa-locka. Architect Bernhardt Emil Muller was hired to design the town and the streets were given names like Ali Baba Avenue and Sabur Lane. Eight six buildings were built in a Moorish Revival style. Curtiss boasted that he had built the "Baghdad of Dade County." The Hurricane of 1926 destroyed many of the Moorish style buildings but some survived and were added to the National Register of Historic Places. On March 22, 1982, the old city hall known as the Opa-locka Company administration building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places along with the nineteen Moorish Revival style buildings that still survived. The crown jewel of the buildings was the Opa-locka Company administration building whose design was inspired by the palace of Emperor Kosroushah in One Thousand and One Nights. Glenn Curtiss used it as the headquarters for his company, the Opa-locka Company which was the headquarters for the development and sale of land in Opa- locka. He designed it to be the anchor of his new city. later on it became the town hall. By the 1950's the buildings had begun to lose their thematic cohesiveness. The city is now a shadow of it's former glory and has one of the highest crime rates in the nation. The city hall was boarded up as of October 2017 and is in an advanced state of decay. It's a shame that Glenn Curtiss's dream died with his death and a building that was once so beautiful has been allowed to rot away. While I was trying to photograph it a man walked up next to me and started peeing on the vase near my feet. That was my cue to leave.

I came here to have a look at the unusual Pueblo revival style architecture before this sad…read morebuilding demolishes even more. It probably once was a very majestic building, such a crying shame it was allowed to get into such disrepair. I won't tell you all about the history as someone else has kindly told it (thank you). I did look on the internet though, and it would seem that there has been movement to restore it, although no evidence so far from what I saw. Fingers crossed this does happen as Opa Locka certainly needs a revamp!

Nice quiet town . Had fun with the family . Thinking about going back soon .. found some cool…read morerestaurants also .. definitely going back

Great place to live. You can't beat the proximity to everything there is to love about Miami.read more