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.

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.

More like 4.5 stars. I like Little Havana. I really don't come here very often. In fact, I have…read morebeen more on the west side of 8th Street compared to Little Havana. I find the Little Havana area to be charming. There are some nice restaurants in this area. I got to eat at Ciao Havana and was happy eating there. There is Old's Sandwich near there. That looked really good. I would like.to.eat there at some point. I like this area because of the history. I walked by a barber shop and saw how busy it was and how the barbershop seemed to be taking pride in their work. That is so nice to see. I look forward to coming back to this area. It is a nice break from Broward where I live.

Review #1,000 The…read morefinale to our Miami tour, booked to kill time before heading to the airport. This was the day that we disembarked from our Caribbean cruise. After Cuba's fall to Fidel Castro, Miami received an influx of Cuban migrants, some 150,000 at the time. And this community became their hub. We were tantalized by our tour bus guide's verbal preparations of his Cuban heritage found here, especially the Cuban coffee. Lunch at the popular Cuban restaurant La Esquina de La Fama, our first stop, delivered on the Cuban coffee hype. As did the mojitos for some, which they're probably most famous for. Then other than the guide's walking tour option to the nearby Cuban cigar factory which we passed on; we had toured a similar hand rolled cigar factory in the Dominican Republic. So we were now free to explore on our own. Colorful murals, especially in what is known as Art Park, surround you. Nearby Domino Park is open to the public, but playing dominoes there is reserved only for the local elderly. But feel free to stroll around the various games going on. There is also a very popular ice cream parlor that came highly recommended but we passed on it. And per the guides strong protest to please avoid/tongue-in-cheek, the McDonald's smack dab in the midst of it all, that advice went unheeded by more than a few lol. My wife crossed the street to check out a small strip mall, joining another group of tourists headed that way. While I remained in a cool shaded spot to avoid the encroaching Miami humidity. Oh, and if you feel a need for a bit more positivity in your life, try rubbing one of the large chickens, you can't miss them, for "good luck" they say. Little Havana, a nice way to kill some time when in town.

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.

We try to get down to Calle Ocho every chance we get especially with our Cuban friends who always…read moretake us to the best restaurants. It never gets boring in Little Havana and that's what I love about it. There's great food from several different countries: Cuba, Nicaragua, Colunbia, Peru, Argentina just to name a few. There are many tobacco/cigar shops. Knick knack shops for souveniers. Great ice cream shops like Azucar's! Fun vibrant art painted on buildings. Impromptu and scheduled parades and festivals. Spanish being spoken everywhere you go. And the best part is to watch the old-timers playing dominoes in the parking lots/sidewalks. Mass traffic on Calle Ocho (SW 8th) with no where to park so go past it a couple of blocks and park in that area or take Uber or a transit bus. No matter what, you will have fun there! Wear comfortable shoes, summer clothes, a hat, and sunscreen.

Calle Ocho in Little Havana is definitely a must stop when visiting Miami. The whole area is full…read moreof life and color from the vibrant murals to the local live music playing from the restaurants you can hear as you walk by, so full of culture... I love it I love it. It's a great place to grab a mojito and some really good Cuban/Spanish food. There are also plenty of small shops with affordable souvenirs and handmade items. It's such a vibe, I love coming here every time!

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.

Miramar Town Center is a great hub with shops and the City Hall…read more I do associate this Town Center with the City of Miramar itself, so with that, I'd love to dedicate this review to my love for the City of Miramar. I've been a resident in West Miramar for majority of my life and I've been lucky enough to see it grown from its humble beginnings to what it is now. I follow along on the City of Miramar's Instagram handle and they always have up to date events and happenings on there. I'm super appreciative of all the initiative's our mayor does for us. From new pickleball courts to free turkeys during Thanksgiving, they do a lot of it's residents. I've come to love the city I'm from more and more each year and couldn't be more thankful for it. Five stars to Miramar!!

Our next family adventure take us to Miramar Town Center located in Miramar its a place to walking…read morearound with the family and friends and if you want to eat something they varios restaurant to choose and share family time together. The city hall have a cultural center, they exhibit various cultures from different local artists around the lake. High recommend if you visit Miramar in Florida.

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.