Everytime that I drive by Rue Vendome street, my eyes are pulled towards the Normandy Fountain…read more There is something about this structure that sits in the middle of the Normandy neighborhood in Miami Beach. I see people over there sitting on the benches or tourists taking photos. Usually on weekends there are community events taking place, like farmers markets, live bands playing, arts and crafts festivals, cultural events, and children's activities. Today, the South Beach Jazz Festival is performing. I hope these special events continue for many years to come.

Located on the plaza at Rue Vendome is the Miami Beach historic landmark, the Normandy Fountain…read more During Florida's land boom years in 1925, the fountain and four apartment houses were the first structures built on Normandy Isle by Henri Levy who founded the community. It had a French theme in homage to Levy's homeland. Levy made his fortune by building a chain of movie theaters in Cincinnati and subsequently moved to Miami Beach in 1922. Normandy Isle was created from Warner-Meade Island, a swampy land mass in Biscayne Bay west of 71st street. Levy dredged for 24-hours a day over a two-year period to create Normandy Isle. Levy also spearheaded the construction of the 79th Street Causeway. In 2014 the fountain underwent a $350,000 restoration and the interior plumbing, electricity, and concrete was repaired. Damaged and missing tiles were replaced and lighting was added to the fountain and surrounding walkways. Plumbing fixtures that weren't there were added so the water could run. Water flows out of the heads of the lions that adorn the outside of the fountain. The City of Miami Beach uses the plaza at Rue Vendome to stage city events in front of the Normandy Fountain. Past events have included concerts at First Fridays and the Normandy Village Marketplace. Currently the fountain is undergoing another renovations along with improvements to the plaza. Hopefully the improvements will ensure the historic fountain survives another 100 years.

Villa Vecchia means old villa in Italian. This historic mansion was built by architect L.M…read more Barrettduring during Florida's land boom years in 1928 as a winter residence for Byron De Witt Miller. Esq, the President of F.W. Woolworth Company. Villa Vecchia is located on millionaire's row on Pinetree Drive in Miami Beach. The nearly 2 acre property is on the widest part of the Indian Creek Waterway. There is a waterfront dock that can accommodate a 100 foot yacht. The main house is 18,000 square feet with 13 bedrooms including a Marie Antionette Bedroom and a Napoleon Bedroom. The grand master suite overlooks Indian Creek. The 150-guest grand ballroom inspired by Versailles has hosted many famous world leaders including Benjamin Netanyahu, Dr. Henry Kissinger, Margaret Thatcher, Mikhail Gorbachev, and President Bill Clinton and luxury designers Emilio Pucci, Zuhair Murad, David Yurman, Luca Orlandi of Luca Luca. The ballroom is an exact replica, only smaller in size, of the ballroom at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach. Other notable features of the house include a mahogany paneled library, a formal dining room with 18th century furniture and a fireplace, servants quarters, a six car garage, a gentleman's all wooden library, and a gourmet kitchen with high-end appliances and stone floors. The home has been fully restored with custom crown molding, chandeliers, archways, wide windows, murals and terrazzo and hardwood floors. Also on the property is a two-bedroom guest house with a living room and kitchen, and a detached gym with steam room. The mansion has been used in the film Iron Man III and in Telemundo telenovelas. It was listed for 20 million dollars in 2012 and last sold for 15 million in 2019. It is currently off the market but there are many pictures of the interior online and you can get a quick peek through the massive mahogany gate.

Unexpected and funky! Fun visuals in Miami Beach. Stumbled upon this art deco surprise I didn't…read moreknow I needed.

I went on a free walking tour of Miami Beach and what appears to be a giant side boob stuck between…read moretwo buildings was there. Apparently, it's a bridge to connect two buildings and inside you don't even know you're inside it. It looks cool from the outside. I'm glad they added the color illuminating lights in his alley way.

I always love discovering a bit of history and this marker is Hollywood magic right here in Miami…read more On Ocean Drive in South Beach is a plaque honoring that the building appeared in the movie Scarface. It used to be an apartment building but it is now a CVS that still has much of its original architecture. The rooms that were used for filming during the movie are now part of the pharmacy. Scarface is a 1983 film based on a 1929 novel and a 1932 movie. It tells the story of a mobster based on real life criminal Al Capone. In the movie Cuban refuge Tony Montana played by Al Pacino comes to Miami during the Marial boatlift in 1980 when Cuba released jail inmates and mental hospital patients who then fled the island for Florida. The film charts Tony Montana's humble arrival in Miami to his transformation as a wealthy murdering drug lord. Other people who appeared in the movie were Steven Bauer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Michelle Pfeiffer in her first dramatic role. The movie marker is at the entrance of the staircase used during the filming of the chain saw scene. Look for it to the right of the stairs and to the left of the main entry to the building. You might think the city of Miami was pleased to be depicted in a Hollywood film but it was not. They were concerned about the movie's portrayal of Cuban Americans so civic leaders pushed to get filming moved out of Florida. Very little was actually filmed in South Beach and the filmmakers continued production in New York and California. If you are in the area its a great place to stop for a selfie.

Okay, I know rating a plaque 5 stars is a little over the top BUT Scarface is one of my all time…read morefavorite movies and I HAD to check this place out. Oddly we were looking for a drug store, so it was a win/win when we found out the old Sun Ray Hotel, the Scarface scene of the coke deal with Colombians and chainsaw body mutilation were one and the same! Super cool to just envision the whole thing, then go in and get some water, snacks and toiletries at the CVS!

This is one of Miami's hidden treasure filled with history of old Miami. If you're in North Miami…read moreor just in search of a quiet space, go there. Of course, there is the rebuilt arch over the creek, an old limestone bridge into town. There's the little museum filled with archeological material and historical evidence of early settlers. Then the trails, well kept and easy to meander around. It's worth your time and a nice escape from the busy city rushing by.

You probably have driven by this park innumerable times and did not take the time to stop in…read morebecause it's well hidden. If your ever in the North Miam area, definitely check this place out. Here's a little history that I learned last night during our guided hike tour by eco-adventure. Our tour guide , Itch(H) explained that Arch Creek Park was a site of the Tequesta Indians from 500 B.C. to 1300 A.D. There is a natural limestone bridge, a mysterious burial site and incredible natural beauty one can explore.

What a beautiful site. These towers are all breathtaking to look at…read more Some are newer than others, but the older it is, the more history you can feel.

Sherwood Forest Indian Park is a small park located in the charming El Portal neighborhood of…read moreMiami. El Portal means the gate in Spanish. At one time there was two huge wooden gates at the entrance to the village on Northeast Second Avenue but they were taken down in the 1940s. El Portal was annexed into the City of Miami in 1925 but with the arrival of the Great Depression, Miami gave it up its jurisdiction and El Portal was incorporated as its own village in 1937. Sherwood Forest refers to one of three divisions form the Village of El Portal along with El Jardines, and El Portal. In the Sherwood Forest subdivision is the Sherwood Forest Indian Park that lies a block west of an ancient Indian burial mound. An elevated circle is thought to be a burial mound for seventh-century Tequesta Indians. This Miami-Dade County Historic Site was believed to have once been the center of Tequesta life. The Tequesta who had lived in the area for thousands of years were wiped out by slavery and disease when the Spanish came to Florida in the 1500's. In the 1920's the mound was declared a historic site, the first such archeological discovery in the area to be protected with that designation. Today El Portal is known as a bird sanctuary and you can expect to find peacocks on the streets. If you come to the park you wont see much. There is a small trail, fountain, and benches. There isn't even a parking lot. The real worth of the land is in it's connection to a Pre-Columbian civilization.

This is a really cute gem of an area, one way traffic, small roads, hidden away and is basically a…read moretree lined secret residential area. I will surely be back at some point to investigate this new found area of mine.Sherwood Forest Indian park is smack bang in the middle of this secret place Here is what I found out about it once iI was home, after being intrigued about it. The Village of El Portal is a secluded, modern Garden of Eden that encompasses barely a square mile. It was incorporated on December 6, 1937, A.D. at the residence of H. H. Filer. There were 25 homes that were included in this incorporation of El Portal. The Village was incorporated by 34 out of 41 votes. Mr. W.O. Robertson was appointed Mayor. The members of the Women's Club, formed by Dr. J. McCormick, was very active. They did many public affairs and administrative functions for the council who often were their husbands. Three divisions united to form the Village of El Portal: Sherwood Forest, El Jardines, and El Portal. Sherwood Forest --a section of El Portal that possesses the most naturally pleasing 75-foot tall oak trees, manatees, and exotic birds and reptiles. The initial vision of El Portal was to make it similar to Coral Gables. The Sherwood Forest House borrows its name from the surrounding subdivision developed by D.C. Clarke during the 1920's land boom. The Mound is known for the cave. It is debatable as to who built the cave. Some say the French Huguenots, some say the Tequesta Indians and others say a natural phenomenon. The cave had many uses during the years, including providing a cool place to sit during the summer days. The Indian Mound is one of the highest points in Miami-Dade and its history dates back to the year 600 when ancient Tequesta Indians migrated and settled at the Mound while passing by on the Little River. The Mound was one of the few areas above Water. It was actually six to eight feet higher than it is presently. Miami-Dade County declared the Indian Mound a historic landmark in the 1920s. It was the first such archeological site to carry this honor in the County. El Portal is a Bird Sanctuary. The many trees provide a large canopy that the birds enjoy. Many exotic bird species have been sighted including the peacocks that may be seen on any given day. The Radar Memorial United Methodist Church is located on 87th Street and NE Second Avenue. It was formed in 1923. It is one of the oldest churches in Miami-Dade County. An Arch, known as: "the gate," may have stood at 85th Street and NE Second Avenue. It was made out of wire and wood and had two Robin Hood type figures on each side. The oldest home in El Portal is truly a formidable sight to behold. It was moved from its original location off of Biscayne Boulevard in 1910. This house had several uses over the years from entertaining to acting once as a medical clinic back in the 1930s. Trailblazers in El PortalClerow "Flip" Wilson was a well-known comedian and actor. Mr. Wilson became famous while serving in the United States Air Force. He was asked to tour military bases to cheer up other servicemen. His barrack mates gave him the nickname "Flip" stating that he was always "flipped out". Garth Reeves was the owner of the newspaper The Miami Times. His home was always known for its beautiful landscaping. Betty Wright is a soul and R&B singer. Her mother: Rose, her sister Jeanette and brother Phillip are longtime residents of El Portal. The part of Ms. Betty Wright's song that mentions her mom saying, "I know that you're not going to sing that song" ("Tonight is the Night") occurred while Ms. Betty Wright was at home in El Portal. Recent History In December 2002, the Village of El Portal voted to change from a council form of government to a Council-Manager form of government. On January 28, 2003, the Village Council voted unanimously to appoint Newall Daughtrey as its first Village Interim Manager.The beautiful Village of El Portal values nature and takes pride in being diverse and peaceful. As we move forward, in the 21st century, we're preparing to face the challenges of a small village and at the same time remain connected to our past and true to the values that make El Portal--"The Gate".

I love me an outdoor space for live performances and Miami Beach Bandshell is one of my favorite…read morespaces for that in the city. Located in North Miami Beach, the space is nice, spacious and right by the beach so you get this night time beach breeze (if you're attending an evening concert). They have a parking lot conveniently a block away and a bunch of street parking all around. Everytime I have attended an event here, it's typically seamless, well organized and an overall great time. They usually offer seats in the back end of the space, with standing free-space all around. Bars on the sides of the entrance and the stage in the middle. Since it is a smaller venue, you usually get a good view wherever you're at due to the size of the space. I love watching up and coming artists here because it's such an intimate experience.

Love love this intimate venue for concerts. Super art deco, and up close and personal with the…read moreperformance. This time we were seeing one of my all time faves, Chromeo. Such a good time! The venue sells pizza made to order and there are bars with beer and usually promo seltzer waters. They have some ADA seating but the venue is mostly standing room only, open air. Had a blast would definitely return.