Beautiful sculptures open to the public, a great short walk in the park. Recommend to all audiences.read more

I love it. Is a beautiful way to remind the land where I was born. Felt like going to Medellin. It…read morewas great. Loved it

The Florida Nature and Culture Center (FNCC), located in the peaceful Everglades, opened in 1996 as…read morea facility for SGI-USA members to refresh their spirit and determination to practice Nichiren Buddhism. The FNCC is located on 125 acres of restored wetlands surrounding Toda Lake. Here amid the Live Oak trees and Sabal Palms native to the Florida landscape, discussions on Buddhism, philosophy and everyday life take place in a relaxing atmosphere. Introduction to Buddhism classes are held weekly and there is also a bookstore on site. Call for current schedules and upcoming events!

A Buddhism center! To create peaceful sharing and encouragements. People come from 192 different…read morecountries.

As a fan of public art, I was delighted to discover this gorgeous wildlife themed mural on the side…read moreof World of Beer in Miramar Park Place. It features one of my favorite artistic subjects, native wildlife. Curiosity is by artist Ernesto Maranje. I recognized his style because he also painted another mural I admire, Rebirth in downtown Ft. Lauderdale. Maranje is a Cuban-American artist born in Chicago, Illinois in 1983 and raised in Miami, Florida. He discovered his interest in art at 27 while serving in the Coast Guard. The subjects of his murals focus on flora and fauna, biological evolution, and plant and animal relationships. Maranje has created murals all over the United States and abroad. Curiousity features a native Florida panther and Monarch and Zebra Longing butterflies. The mural takes its name from the curiosity the panther has for the butterfly. The mural also represents the fascination we have for the wildlife around us. Native firebush which attracts zebra longwings and tickseed surround the panther. I loved finding the Monarch on the panther' neck in the mural because I plant milkweed at my house to help them on their journey. This beautifully rendered mural really brightens up an otherwise unused space in the plaza.

Las Olas Boulevard has to be one of the most fun streets to visit while in Fort Lauderdale. Filled…read morewith everything from the best cocktail bars, foody haunts, some gorgeous little boutiques and a few museum spots, too. It's one of those areas that's amazing to visit in the early evening (after a long day of exploring). it is one of Fort Lauderdale's main shopping, dining, and entertainment hubs. This space has morphed into a massive coastal space encompassing many of Fort Lauderdale's best-known businesses. Las Olas is divided into four distinct areas: the modern business district, its shops, the village, and Millionaires' Row Cars drive up and down the popular shopping street but speed bumps and pedestrian crossings make it safe for those exploring on foot. There are plenty of parking lots one block behind the boulevard.

It's not often you check in at a street but when you're as iconic and memorable as Las Olas…read moreBoulevard, you get that privilege! Truly, there is no Fort Lauderdale without Las Olas. This boulevard has it all, shops, restaurants, parks, bars, cozy sitting areas, and dessert spots. There is something for everyone to enjoy. It's the perfect place to spend a few hours just wandering. On this beautiful Sunday, we had lunch at Louie Bossi, grabbed coffee at Ann's Florist & Coffee Bar, and strolled through the art festival. Such a fun way to spend an afternoon! It's very walkable, though the street isn't always closed to traffic like it was for the festival , which made it even more enjoyable today. Whether you're planning a full day out or just popping in for one stop, Las Olas never disappoints.

George Merrick is the founder of the City of Coral Gables. His family came to Miami from PA two…read moreyears after Henry Flagler brought the railroad to Florida. It was the dawn of the development of Florida. George Merrick attended Rollins College in Winter Park and in 1922 he meticulously planned Coral Gables. The houses were so well made that they survived hurricanes before there were building codes and his architecture was so charming that Coral gables is called the city beautiful. He also created the University of Miami. At first he wanted his buildings to be strictly Spanish and later Mediterranean style. Eventually he expanded his vision to include seven unique villages inspired by different international influences. The villages were built during the land boom years in the 1920's. It was a joint venture between Merrick, The American Building Company and former Ohio Governor Myers Cooper. The original plan was for more 1,000 residences in a series of villages based on architecture from around the world. The plan was never fully realized when the housing boom crashed from two hurricanes followed by the Great Depression. In the end only seven villages were built including this Italian Village. By 1928 George Merrick was forced out of the city he founded and ended up in the Keys. He returned to the city two years before he died to serve as postmaster. You can learn more about George Merrick by taking a tour of his family home in Coral Gables. The Italian Village was designed by architects Frank Wyatt Woods, Pierson, Skinner, Alfred L. Klingbeil, R.F. Ware, and Robert Law Weed who took their inspiration from 17th century Italian farmhouses. This is the largest of Merrick's villages. The homes have street facing entrances, walled gardens and exterior stairways. There are seventeen buildings located within San Antonio Avenue, San Esteban, Segovia Street and Monserrate Streets. All are private residences so you can only view them from the street but there are some interior pictures online from when they come up for sale. I love how the outside themes are carried throughout the interior of the houses. The homes in the villages are some of the most sought after residences in the Gables. Today there 80 homes left. Expect to pay well over a million for an Italian village house. They rarely go up for sale and are always in high demand. Once you see them you can easily understand why they are so popular.

Coral Gables has quite a few "Villages", that depict different architectural styles from around the…read moreworld (see my other reviews) for example here in Coral Gables - we have Chinese, French, Italian and Dutch. This review is about the Italian village - see below for some more information regarding it. Please look a the pictures I managed to capture of one of the Italian style homes I saw from my car during the covid. Italian Village Generally bounded by San Antonio Avenue, San Esteban, Segovia Street and Monserrate Street, are seventeen homes inspired by the Italian farm houses. Architects Alfred L. Klingbeil, John and Coulton Skinner, R. F. Ware, and Robert Law Weed designed these residences from 1925-1927.

I wanted to thank Farah for setting up this "sweet suprise" at San Gines on the beach to try their…read moreworld famous churros. From what I understand, this restaurant chain has been open since 1850 and is the best Churro spot in Spain. Me being a dessert fiend, I was definitely looking forward to checking them out and comparing them to the Miami legacy spots. Handmade and fresh right at the store, the churros had a light crisp and not as loaded with sugar as some other places I've tried them. Both the chocolate and dulce de leche dipping sauces gave them a nice boost of flavor. The space is bright and airy inside with a lot of photos of celebrities who've eaten there. The prosciutto croquettes that came with our special were also yummy . All in all, it's a nice spot for a quick pre night out bite on Lincoln Road.

I almost gave up in visiting due to the difficult parking, but luckily things worked out & was able…read moreto make it! The place is super cute, perfect for an afternoon iced late + baked snacks. Their display of croissants, sandwiches & cookies makes you want to try everything, i got a sandwich to go because I could not resist! Out of all the items, i think the tortilla espanola was my fave! Staff was nice & friendly! Menu items tried: Churros, enjoyed the most with dulce de leche sauce Tortilla espanola w/aioli Bolitas de queso Proscuito empanadas Iced caramel late Caprese Croissant sandwich- to go, i have not enjoyed yet, but looks amazing! Do not visit if you're on a diet...

Worthy of a stop, if you pass by. I was in the area and was surprised to pass it. I therefore…read morepulled over as being English I miss historical buildings, especially as Miami is so modern. You can find this historic fountain, which is called Fulford-By-The-Sea Monument in North Miami Beach, Florida. It was built in 1925 as part of the development project by the Fulford-by-the-Sea Company. The fountain was one of the largest built in South Florida in the 1920s. There were intended to be 4 other similar fountains at other access points to the development. However, the Great Miami Hurricane of 1926 and the end of the Florida land boom prevented their construction. The fountain is a Dade Historical Site and its image is part of the North Miami Beach city logo. On November 29, 2010, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places as Fulford by the Sea Entrance.

The historic Fulford-by-the-Sea fountain is located in North Miami Beach. It was built in 1925 by…read moreMerle C. Tebbetts and Edgar C. Linn of the Florida Cities Finance Company during Florida's land boom years when ornate Mediterranean Revival and Neoclassical Revival architecture like you see in this fountain were the fashion. At 32 feet it is one of the tallest fountains in South Florida and was built of cast stone. It was placed at the main entrance to the development. The plan had been to create four fountains and put them at the other entrances to the Fulford-by-the-Sea development which began selling lots in 1922. The Great Miami Hurricane in 1926 followed by the Great Depression put an end to the fortunes of Florida and the other fountains were never built. Features of the fountain include four triumphal arches on a circular base that contains a shallow pool. My favorite part of the fountain are the four unicorn busts around the mosaic tile dome. I never would have thought that I could find a unicorn let alone four of them in Miami. The fountain it still in operation today and pretty much in its original condition. It was designated a Dade Historical Site in 1983 and it is featured on the North Miami Beach city logo. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 29, 2010. In 2017. Florida marker F-952, detailing the history of the fountain was placed next to it by the City of North Miami Beach and the Florida Department of State. In 2016 the fountain received a 5 month restoration by RLA Conservation of Art + Architecture that cost $100,000. It was paid for by state funding and donations to the city and the city had a dedication ceremony when it was completed. I love when I find a piece of architecture from the 1920's in Florida. Not a lot of it was preserved and unlike in Coral Gables, there is very little left in North Miami. It was a real treat stumbling on this exquisite fountain. It is worth a stop and a picture if you are in the area.

Great House !!! Swimming pool, on the water, fishing off the porch, boatdock, beautiful landscape…read moregrounds, Rolls-Royce in the carport

Built in 1971, the Moreth House is not a business, it's a private residence and neither it nor its…read moregrounds are open to the public. What it is, is an amazing point of visual design architecture as well as a matter of local flavor. Located next to the extreme northwest corner of Hugh Taylor Birch State Park it actually extends out over the Intracoastal Waterway. Being so unusual and unique, it abounds with all sorts of rumor and gossip. Any young local child will tell you it is the home of the legendary Captain Nemo while some tour guides claim it to have been the "playhouse" of Burt Reynolds while others say it was that of Hugh Heffner; all of which I believe to be hogwash. Some claim it as being a Bill Bigamy design in which every other floorboard is glass to watch the water underneath. The same architect that built 17th street bridge But I think the most credible statement is that of Dan Duckham, the architect who said: "The client was a bachelor and a general contractor who owned a unique lot on a very wide section of the Intracoastal Waterway. The unique part was that a portion of the lot was actually under water as indicated on the legal survey. The design proceeded with the bold assumption that we could actually do it, and amazingly it was approved by the Corp of Engineers. Part of the structure is on dry land but overhangs the seawall and the main living/dining/kitchen is suspended over the water, supported on two large pile caps. Columns and long span concrete beams were formed and poured on the site and lifted in place by crane. The landside part contains the owner's office, Master Bedroom and Guest Bedroom, and is connected by the Foyer. Miraculously, it's still there." But no matter, it's a site of local flavor and architecture not to be missed.