Beautiful place to dock your boat and have lunch in the park…read more No Name Harbor is a natural harbor on Key Biscayne, Florida. It is located within the boundaries of Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. In the 19th century, the site served as a food-rich rookery for herons, egrets, and other species of wildlife. Originally, the site was privately owned prior to the creation of the state park. Several development plans indicated the land was slated for the construction of condominiums and residential homes. The surrounding land was cleared for development in the 1950s, and charts identified the body of water as "No Name Harbor". The plans failed, and the harbor's name was retained.

Beautiful park and water. HOWEVER...we are moored here on our friend's sailboat and the music from…read moreother boats is so loud that we cannot talk over it. Not just an hour...all day and late into the night. No one observes the rules here. People swim even though very large boats are in and out of the harbor and it is posted that there is no swimming. What started out as a great time turned sour quickly.

This is actually for part of the Pub Crawl, as I joined in a little more than halfway through…read more (Sorry the intro isn't as elaborate as my usual reviews, as I am still recovering from the food coma :) I heard about the Croqueta Crawl through the talk threads and on Twitter. There was a little bit of confusion about the RSVP, but our hostess Liza W. was great in keeping those of us interested that there was enough space. I met up with the group at El Brazo Fuerte. Besides meeting up with Tom W., Vanessa S., Will and Jax, and George, I tasted a "meh" ham croquette. So in the words of the great Sean Carter, "On to the Next One". ..which was Ricky Bakery. Although unassuming from the outside, the interior of the bakery si a cozy spot with wood framed ceilings, little tables and a dessert selection as well. My tasting consisted of both ham and chicken croquettes. I had two of each since it was hard to decide between the two. In the end, both were 5 stars along with a passion fruit mousse I got for myself. The owner (Ricky) also came out to talk to the group and from what I hear was a hit with the ladies. Gilbert's was also 5-star worthy. The owner socialized with us as well, but at least for me the "Bocadito" (bread with ham spread) was better than the croquertas. Certainly a fun Sunday alt-brunch, and a great way to absorb last night's "grown up grape juice"!

I've got to start this review by congratulating Liza Walton (http://twitter.com/lizawalton) for…read moreputting this whole thing together after her, my wife and a few other instigators started a debate on Twitter, "Who has the best croquetas in Miami?". We embarked on a mission to try them all; or at least the big hitters starting in Little Havana. We've been promised a Part Deux to explore some bakeries in Hialeah but I'm sure that Isla Canarias will still take the croqueta. We've even had a convert who came into this stating that a particular place in Hialeah had the best croqueta's around. Once he bit into a jamon piece of heaven from Islas Canarias, he retracted his previous statement. Starting at Versailles (http://www.yelp.com/biz/versailles-bakery-miami) we were provided with traditional jamon, pollo and bacalao croquetas which were served with tartar sauce. What? Yeah, tartar sauce, WEIRD. I've heard Versailles is the place to be in MIA for all things Cuban and while I thought their offerings were good it was definitely over-rated. So we all piled into our GM sponsored Escalades, Regals, Malibus, Denalis and Cruzes and OnStar locked us onto our next stop, Islas Canarias (http://www.yelp.com/biz/islas-canarias-restaurant-miami-2). Their only offering was jamon (you've gotta venture out west to their main location [http://www.yelp.com/biz/islas-canarias-restaurant-miami] to get the full spread [and I *LOVE* the full spread!]). In my book, Islas rocked it and won best croqueta of all the bakeries we invaded. Their meat pastries are obviously handmade, HUGE and tasted friggin' perfect. They even gave us lime, crackers and Tabasco to bathe in, I mean enjoy them with; just the way a croqueta is supposed to be enjoyed! Next stop was at the massively underwhelming El Brazo Fuerte (http://www.yelp.com/biz/el-brazo-fuerte-bakery-miami). I think there is something wrong with a bakery that also sells knock-off Power Rangers (Who even still makes those? Didn't Power Rangers go out of style in like 1995???). Just how authentic can your croquetas be when you're touting Official Twilight Eclipse cupcakes in the same display? I won't even get into how disappointing these blatantly machine made, perfectly round, probably frozen croquetas were that they tried to pass off on us. Ricky's Bakery (http://www.yelp.com/biz/rickys-bakery-miami) saved us from El Brazo Fuerte by serving up delicious pollo, jamon, spinach, bacalao, and cheese versions of (can you guess what?) CROQUETAS (Good guess! Next time you're riding in the short yellow Escalade!)! By this point my gut was asking me how many more of these I was planning on stuffing down my fat mouth and I told it to STFU or else I was going to start over at the beginning again. Ricky's took second place in my book. A *very* close second to Islas, but second place none the less. My favs at Ricky's were the jamon (because who doesn't like tasty dead pig), spinach because it was über tasty and a cool variety I've never had before, and bacalao which was delicious without being overly fishy *looking at you Versailles*. Our final resting place, post croqueta heart failure, was Gilbert's (http://www.yelp.com/biz/gilberts-bakery-miami). I give them the prize for most unique offerings as they pumped out quite interesting versions of jamon, romesco and piquillo treats. I liked that the romesco had a little capsaicin bite and was served with a delicious aioli sauce but the croquetas were really small, kind of weird and a little soft. So soft in fact that I couldn't even pick up the jamon with my hands as they would just fall apart. Gilbert's and Brazo Fuerte are still arguing about who gets 4th place because neither of them wants to be last. The people were amazing, our GM rides were sweet and the croquetas were colon-clogging. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to go try out this enema before I hit the box for a solid WOD (http://www.yelp.com/biz/crossfit-coral-gables-coral-gables).

Super cute and a nice photo op too. This 120 year old Banyan tree is a central inside the cute and…read morelush Upper Buena Vista, a sanctuary that offers local independent shops, and cute restaurants. This tree is known as is "the Bodhi Wish tree." Adorned in colourful ribbons. This tree is reputed to have special magnetic and spiritual values. An ancestral Asian tradition suggests that writing a wish on a ribbon and tying it to the tree could lead to eternal blessings. If you look closely at the ribbons, you'll find that each one carries a special wish! Upper Buena Vista partners with non-profit One Tree Planted, which plants trees in North America, Latin America, Africa, Asia, Europe and the Pacific to support reforestation and preservation of nature. So, purchase a ribbon, write your wish and there will be a tree planted in your honour.

I love a historic tree so much that I even have a collection on Yelp. I discovered the Bodhi…read moreWishtree on a recent visit to Upper Buena Vista. The Bodhi Wishtree is a 120 year old banyan tree located in Upper Buena Vista retail and dining development which was actually designed around it. The tree is said to have spiritual and magnetic properties. According to Asian tradition you can write a wish on a ribbon, tie it to the tree, and receive eternal blessings. Ribbons used to be sold by the The House of Findings for a $1 donation given to the non profit One Tree Planted foundation that seeks to support reforestation in four continents. The House of Findings is currently closed except for appointments so I'm not sure how they are handling ribbon sales now. The tree is the centerpiece of the Upper Buena Vista complex providing shade, shelter, and positive energy to visitors. Beneath the tree is a giant colorful Pinocchio sculpture. Tons of people were getting their picture taken in front of the tree and it is the perfect backdrop for an Instagram shot of one of the amazing drinks from Amazonica.. Upper Buena Vista is such a cool place and the Bodhi Wishtree is front and center of all of the fun.

While driving through Wynwood, this colorful, large scale mural of a baroque alligator caught my…read moreeye. It is located at the front gates to Mana Wynwood a culture, arts. and events center. Artist Miguel Ángel Sánchez also known ad SATURNO was invited to paint the Tea Gator mural by Superchief Gallery based out of Los Angeles, New York, and Miami. The gallery was tasked with finding artists to paint the walls of Wynwood for the prestigious art festival in 2019 . SATURNO was already part of a gallery exhibit when they asked him to paint one of the walls. SATURNO is a Spanish artist who was born near Barcelona. He started off as a graffiti artist in the mid 1990's in Europe and has since gone on to create art featuring illustrated monsters and characters with exaggerated proportions. I love the details in the mural. The regal alligator is dressed in the finest and dripping in Jewels. There is a teapot on his back billowing colorful steam. SATURNO chose to use an alligator as the subject because of their connection to Florida. The rough skin contrasts with the porcelain of the teapot and the delicate feathers and flowers. The teapot represents the mind. always boiling with new ideas while the gold armor represents the subconscious which holds our most precious family, goals and experiences under protection just below the surface. It is hard to photograph the entire mural because the building bends. You have to see Tea Gator in person to fully appreciate the majesty of the artwork.

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 French City 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. Built in 1925, the French City Village is inspired by 18th-century French town homes. The village is bounded by Maggiore Street, San Vicente Street, Caligula Avenue, and Barbarossa Avenue. The homes are characterized by stately entrance halls, enclosed courtyards, walled kitchen gardens, open-air porches, French doors, and ornate moldings. Two architects designed the homes in this village. Philip L. Goodwin, the Beaux Arts architect designed the homes on the south side of Hardee Road. They are more rustic but still have a formal and classical design. Architect Mott B. Schmidt known for his work with American Georgian Classicism, designed the homes on the north side of Hardee Road. He took his inspiration from the Renaissance architecture of Italy. Fourteen years after Goodwin designed the houses in Coral Gables, he worked with modernist Edward Durell Stone to design the original, Museum of Modern Art in New York. If you are interested in one of these homes expect to pay north of two million. The largest home, on the largest lot in the French City Village at 1030 Hardee Road was listed for four million. Absolutely gorgeous architecture. C'est magnifique!

The French City Village is across the street(s) from the French Country Village. These houses were…read moreinspired by a formal and classical style of 18th century French city architecture. So interesting to stroll around the block and compare the two styles. The French Country Village draws on two distinct 18th century French building styles: rural farmsteads designed by architect Frank Forster and rustic chateaux designed by Edgar Albright and Phillip L Goodwin. Architectural elements of the twelve properties include French mansard roofs, rounded towers, wrought iron balconies and red brick. If you can peak into the gardens. Such an interesting part of community's history

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 French Normandy 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 French Normandy village is based on a 15th century French Village. It is one of three of Merrick's villages that showcases different periods of French architecture. Architects John and Coulton Skinner built the eleven townhouses that make up this village between 1926 and 1927. The townhouses are characterized by hollow tile, poured concrete, and white stucco are crisscrossed with half timbering and topped by flat, shingled, gabled roofs. The grounds have traditional kitchen gardens, enclosed courtyards, and open-air porches. The village is bounded by LeJeune Road, Viscaya Court, Viscaya Avenue, and Alesio Avenue. In 1935 all of the French Normandy townhouses were purchased by the University of Miami to use as men's dormitories. During World War II, they were used as barracks for soldiers. Today they are all privately owned. The homes in the villages are some of the most sought after residences in the Gables. They rarely go up for sale and are always in high demand. Today there are 80 homes left. Expect to pay close to a million for a French Normandy residence. Once you see these beautiful homes you can easily understand why they are so coveted.

Another great excursion during your staycation or if you're visiting something other than the…read morebeach! This "village" was built in 1926-1927, and was designed by architects John and Coulton Skinner. They are supposed to resemble a 15th century French village. It's difficult to see much beyond the white stuccoed walls as you walk around the block. However, the profusion of flowers is amazing with wisteria and bougainvillea. The connected houses were not always privately owned. In 1935, the Village was sold to nearby University of Miami and served as homes to five fraternities. Next, during World War II like most of the iconic Art Deco hotels in South Beach, they were used to house soldiers here for training.

I always love discovering public art pieces. Since its inception in 1973, Miami-Dade Art in Public…read morePlaces has commissioned works of public art for civic spaces. Works are chosen that celebrate the diversity of the community and which capture the uniqueness of Miami-Dade County. There are more than 1,000 works of art in the collection by local and world wide artists. I discovered this piece in historic Overtown in front of the Culmer Place Community Center. Play Forms (1977) is three concrete painted sculptures by Miami Beach artist Gary Kleiman (1953-2004). Kleiman was diagnosed with diabetes at the age of 6 but he refused to let the disease define him despite diminishing eye sight and only 1/3 vision in one eye. He wrote a poetry book, No Time to Lose and created sculptures. He also counseled young children with diabetes before passing away in 2004. Even though Kleiman is no longer with us, his art and a legacy of advocate work for diabetes lives on.

The Miami Design District is so much fun to explore and there are exciting discoveries around every…read morecorner. Nestled in between high end stores like Christian Louboutin and Louis Vuitton are exciting pieces of public art. It is impossible to miss this large scale art piece holding court in the center of the Palms Court. The unusual name of this art piece comes from its creator Buckminster Fuller who was an architect, systems theorist, author, designer, inventor, and futurist. In 1965 Fuller patented his design called the Fly's Eye Dome which he called "autonomous dwelling machines." The geodesic bubbles were comprised of a series of transparent domed windows across a fiberglass partial sphere. Fuller was a forerunner of the green living movement and he intended the domes to be affordable and portable housing for people in the future. He envisioned the openings to hold solar panels and water collection systems in some of its openings, making for a self-sufficient residence. Unfortunately Fuller passed away in 1983 after only three prototypes had made been handmade. In 2011 Craig Robbins, co-founder and co-owner of the Miami Design District, obtained one of Fuller's prototypes 24 foot prototypes and planned to use it for an element of the Design District. The Buckminter Fuller Design institute was commissioned to produce this 24 foot piece in 2014 and it is now on the ground floor of the Palm Court. They were able to create the dome with materials that were not available when Fuller was making them in 1970's. The inspiration for the shape was from the compound eye's of flies but it looks like a hamster ball to me. I get a futuristic vibe from it. The dome is surrounded by a fountain and you can actually go inside and there are stairs that take you down to parking. The Fly's Eye Dome is a favorite spot for Instagram photos and selfies.

Super cool location with surrounding restaurants and sleek architectural buildings. You have to…read morevisit here when in the design district. In 1965 Buckminster Fuller designed and patented the Fly's Eye Dome, which he called an "autonomous dwelling machine". Prototypes began to be built by hand in 1977, and by 1983 three of the fiberglass spheres in various sizes (12-foot, 24-foot, 50-foot) had been produced. Fuller died before he was able to realize his vision for the structure. However, almost 50 years later, the design, a Monohex variation of the geodesic dome, can clearly be seen as a forerunner of today's green building movement. In 2011, collector Craig Robins acquired the 24-foot prototype to exhibit it and use it as inspiration for a key element of the Miami Design District. The following year, The Buckminster Fuller Institute, in partnership with Goetz Composites, ConformLab, and DRDesign, began the development of a program to complete Fuller's vision, using advanced technologies and materials not available to Fuller in the 1970s. BFI was then commissioned to produce a Fly's Eye Dome utilizing state-of-the-art materials, intelligence, and techniques, to be prominently incorporated in the Miami Design District.