I was one of those school kids watching with my class in 1986 as the Challenger lifted off from Pad…read more39B at Florida's Kennedy Space Center. On board was the first participant in NASA's Teacher in Space program, Christa McAuliffe, along with six other crew members. Only 73 seconds into the mission, the shuttle exploded, killing everyone on board and creating a tragedy that commanded the nation's attention and defined an entire generation. Although it happened 40 years ago, it continues to fascinate people today thanks to documentaries like Netflix's Challenger: The Final Flight. While walking around downtown Miami, I found the Challenger Memorial in the southwest corner of Bayfront Park. The memorial is a 100-foot-tall double-helix sculpture designed by artist Isamu Noguchi, who was also chosen to redesign Bayfront Park in 1980. Noguchi created the memorial to honor the seven crew members lost in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. The double helix represents flight, movement, and remembrance, and it is meant to resemble the condensation trail left by the shuttle during its fateful flight. The memorial was funded by contributions from local students and families and was dedicated on December 30, 1988. Isamu Noguchi passed away just a few weeks later without ever seeing it completed.

You know there has to be at least one local flavor / tongue in cheek review right ?…read more Flagami is the Miami neighborhood just south of Miami's International Airport. It's a healthy mix of low rise residential buildings, some newer hotels, a dash of mom and pop restaurants and office buildings. It also has a smattering of mallard ducks. Since the geography of the neighborhood includes the Tamiami Canal (a tributary of the Miami River), the Blue Lagoon and a few other lakes) they probably migrated from Miami Springs or other areas north. But since this is a tongue -in-cheek, Local Flavor review it is not my space to speculate on this. Anyway, you can see the duckies walking between buildings or in the aforementioned bodies of water. Sometimes when there's localized street flooding they stop to drink or even float in the runoff. It's always nice seeing wildlife in the city!

The histories of Cuba and Miami are deeply intertwined, and reminders of that connection can be…read morefound throughout the city, including here at Tamiami Park. While driving through the park, I couldn't miss the large Cuban Flag Memorial near the FIU stadium. Curious to learn more, I stopped for a closer look. The Memorial Cubano was created through a community effort by Cuban exiles in South Florida who wanted to commemorate those who died under the Cuban government after 1959 or while attempting to flee the island. The project began in 2002 when a group of exiles organized a symbolic cemetery to honor victims whose graves were either inaccessible or nonexistent. Thousands of white crosses were placed throughout Tamiami Park, each bearing the name of a deceased person. What began as a temporary tribute soon became an annual tradition. After years of displaying the crosses, a permanent memorial was officially inaugurated on February 22, 2014. Designed by Cuban architects Willy Borroto and Otto Borroto, the memorial features a 62 foot tall obelisk painted as the Cuban flag, a large white star-shaped plaza representing the flag's star, royal palm trees representing the national tree of Cuba, and black marble panels engraved with the names of the deceased. Memorial Cubano, Inc., the nonprofit organization that owns and maintains the memorial, keeps records of individuals whose deaths it deems are attributed to political repression, imprisonment, military actions, or attempts to escape Cuba. Annual ceremonies continue to be held here to honor those who lost their lives under Castro's regime. One particularly large gathering took place on the day of Fidel Castro's funeral. As I walked through the memorial and looked at the names and photographs, the cost of the struggle for freedom was driven home. It was a moving experience. This memorial is well worth a visit if you find yourself in Sweetwater. It is a reminder of the enduring impact Fidel Castro's regime has had on Cubans and the South Florida community.

This is a new park located right near and basically next door to The Frank - Frank C. Ortis Art…read moreGallery And Exhibit Hall In Pembroke Pines. This is a decent sized park with two memorial sites, this one, which is the one dedicated to veterans. the other is dedicated to 9/11, both are worthy of a look. See my numerous pictures for a peek. Pembroke Pines Commemorates 9/11 - The fall of the World Trade Center united the nation in sorrow. To honor our fallen brothers and sisters lost on 9/11, Pembroke Pines Commissioner Angelo Castillo reached out to New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg requesting a section of the Twin Towers, tragically reduced to rubble on September 11, 2001. A steel girder salvaged from the structure was bequeathed to Pembroke Pines in 2005. The commissioner's vision to have a memorial created incorporating a piece of the towers was brought to life by local sculptors Benoit Menasche and Felix Gonzalez. The Sculptures - Each artist thoughtfully designed and crafted sculptures paying tribute to the heroes lost. Mensche's impassioned sculpture in Italian white marble depicts four stages of the event: pain, disbelief, grief, and patriotism. Gonzalez fashioned the image of firefighter and child from hand-hewn steel, displaying the heroism of our first responders. These sculptures can be viewed at the Memorial Park at 601 City Center Way, under the green pavilion.

I love taking in the historic sites around Coral Gables. One such place is the Coral Gables…read moreWaterway. Historic marker F-453 detailing the history of this important waterway was installed in 2012 by the Florida Society Children of the American Revolution, the Miami Chapter Sons of the American Revolution, and the Florida Department of State. When George Merrick designed Coral Gables he marketed it 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. The historic Coral Gables Waterway is 8 miles long and it runs from Biscayne Bay through the beautiful neighborhoods of Coral Gables. The waterway travels west into the city, passing Cartegena Plaza which is where Old Cutler Road, Sunset Drive, Ingraham Highway, Cocoplum Road and LeJeune Road all intersect. The waterway then continues north along Riviera Drive until it reaches the Biltmore Hotel. Another leg of the waterway travels west through the University of Miami large lake and then east to Granada Boulevard. Underneath the LeJeune Road bridge there are limestone cliffs that rise 20 feet. The Coral Gables Museum and the Bridge Renaissance Organization run boat and canoe tours of the waterway. Whether viewing it from a boat or one of the lovely bridges spanning it the Coral Gables Waterway is just one of the features that makes the Coral Gables the city beautiful.

Worthy of a look if you are in the area. You can see some yacht, boats and nice homes from the red…read morebridge. You can also walk beneath the red bridge, where fishing takes place sometimes. This is also near a nice park which is located at the same address.

The history of Cuba is deeply intertwined with that of Miami. With the recent indictment of Raúl…read moreCastro, Fidel Castro's brother, for his alleged role in the 1996 shootdown of two civilian aircraft operated by Brothers to the Rescue and the murder of four Americans it seems like an appropriate time to revisit another pivotal chapter in Cuban and Miami history: the Bay of Pigs invasion. In April 1961, Miami served as a central hub for U.S. intelligence and anti Castro operations. More than 1,500 Cuban exiles, known as Brigade 2506, were recruited, trained, and equipped in Miami for a mission to liberate Cuba from communist rule. The invasion took place at the height of the Cold War. However, President John F. Kennedy ultimately declined to provide the level of U.S. military support many believed had been promised, fearing escalation of hostilities with the Soviet Union. The operation ended in failure, resulting in more than 100 deaths and the capture of approximately 1,200 members of the brigade. In the years that followed, many Cuban Americans, feeling abandoned by the Democratic administration, shifted their political allegiance toward the Republican Party. In 2009, the Bay of Pigs Air Memorial at Miami Executive Airport was designed and constructed. It is maintained by the Cuban Pilots Association. The memorial honors the Cuban and American aviators who lost their lives during the April 1961 invasion. The memorial design resembles a waving Cuban flag, with blue and white stripes painted across the ground and a tall stone monument rising from the location of the flag's star. A centerpiece of the memorial is a retired Douglas B-26 Invader, the light attack bomber flown by many of the aviators during the operation. The Invader was originally developed during World War II carrying the B-26 designation. Miami is home to several other Bay of Pigs memorials, including monuments in Little Havana, Bay of Pigs Memorial Park, and the Bay of Pigs Museum. However, this is the only site where visitors can see an actual aircraft associated with the invasion. If you find yourself near Miami Executive Airport, the Bay of Pigs Air Memorial is well worth a stop.

I searched and found this memorial to learn more about the Bay Of Pigs invasion while I was in…read moreMiami. To my surprise and honor, I met Captain Amado Cantillo, an 85 year old veteran of the actual invasion from 62 years ago! Luckily for me, he was leading maintenance of the memorial this morning. Captain Cantillo led the creation of this monument and shared his personal story as a frogman in the Bay of Pigs invasion. It was my honor to meet him, learn his story and respect his passion for freedom. Life is good and respectful with a personal story of important history.

Don't come here looking for a park. There is no park. Instead you will find a historical marker in…read morethe middle of a residential neighborhood in Coconut Grove. The marker is part of the Historical Marker Program, one of the Division of Historical Resources' most popular and valued public history programs. The markers raise awareness of Florida's cultural history while enhancing the enjoyment of historic sites for residents and tourists. The blue historic markers tell the stories of the people and places that were important to Florida's history and they can be found in front of schools, roads, archaeological sites, battlefields, cemeteries, churches, forts, historic buildings, and historic districts like this one. Historic marker F-1112 was installed in 2020 by the Coconut Grove Village Council, and the Florida Department of State. The sign details the history of Cocoanut Grove Park, one of the area's oldest planned residential communities established in the 1910's for a mix of residents, including wealthy Northerners and the Bahamian community. The Cocoanut Grove Development Company was formed in 1910 by Miami's first registered architect, Walter C. DeGarmo and partners Franklin C. Bush and John C. Gramling. In 1911, the company platted the subdivision west of the bay front estates of wealthy industrialists like William J. Matheson, John Bindley, and Arthur Curtiss James. A three acre portion was deeded along Plaza Street to the public for a park. The bohemian and sailing community was a mixture of cultural arts and high society that thrived and co-existed with prominent American business figures, artists, writers, and politicians. You can still see some of Cocoanut Grove Park's original bungalows alongside homes designed by prominent architects Richard Kiehnel and Clinton McKenzie.

I first saw - and entered El Jardin in 1982/83. At that time it contained the office of Father…read moreRoger Radloff, a Catholic priest and Jungian psychologist which he used in relation to a private practice that he maintained in addition to being the "shrink for the diocese" as he put it. His assistant at that time was Eugene Ritter. I believe Radloff also offered services to students at the adjoining Carrollton School, which owned the gatehouse. As with all Miami revival architecture, El Jardin is at one with the earth, looks organic, and is built with color, shapes and textures as well as stone.

I went to coconut Grove to see as many historical places as possible, and spotted this one. See…read moreinfo I got from the net regarding it. El Jardin is a house located at 3747 Main Highway in Miami, Florida. It is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. El Jardin is now home to Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart in Miami, Florida. It was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on August 30, 1974. Built in 1918 along a ridge of oolitic limestone, El Jardin expresses the broad training of its architect, Richard Kiehnel of Kiehnel and Elliott, and the experience of its owner, John Bindley, then president of Pittsburgh Steel. Kiehnel, in a September 1928 article for Tropical Home and Garden, referred to the house as a "progenitor of the Modern Mediterranean style home." Kiehnel relocated to Miami from Pittsburgh and became the architect for many landmark buildings, including the Coral Gables Congregational Church, Miami Senior High, and the Coral Gables Elementary School.