Miami South Beach – AWAY from the Partying!!!

This is one neighbourhood that knows a bit about the fickleness of trends and human nature! Loved by the rich and famous in its boom times, the island has endured its share of downward spirals in its (relatively short) 150 year history. And nowadays? Miami Beach once again finds itself a desirable destination- bagging all those travel awards and pulling in tourists by the millions!

And it’s not all dive bars, clubs and pool parties! OK, I’d probably avoid the place during Spring Break but I know that each of you will find something to enjoy here – be it beach, food, art or history – and yes – even partying!!!

If (like me!), you totally lack the entrepreneurial mindset, then you have to be in awe of Henry and Charles Lum! Arriving by boat off the Florida coast in 1870, the New Jersey men seem to have just stumbled across a sandbar and saw enough potential – beyond swamp, mangrove, heat and mosquitoes – to purchase the land from the federal government for the princely sum of 25c per acre.

They decided to cultivate coconuts – a crop valued at the time for its oil and fibre. Easier said than done! The plant was not indigenous to the region so over 300,000 coconuts were brought in from Thailand and Central America. Conditions were awful – mosquitoes drove workers away while the fruits of their labour were eaten by rabbits or rats!

The Lums eventually gave up the enterprise and their successor – John Collins – abandoned coconuts for avocados, mangos, bananas and tomatoes. His biggest challenge was transport – the harvest had to be hauled by wagon through the swamp, loaded onto boats, brought across to the mainland and reloaded onto trains. He eventually dredged a canal across the island in 1912.

Meanwhile, the beach area was gradually gaining attention and becoming a popular day trip destination for Miami City dwellers. Boats ran from downtown and shelters were built for the visitors. Construction began on hotels, commercial buildings and family homes along the beachfront. In 1913, when Collins started on the construction of a wooden bridge (the longest in the world), he finally connected the island with the mainland.

Tempting as it is to glue oneself to the beach bed (maybe dragging oneself on occasion towards a pavement table for that cocktail break), you have to make some effort at least to mobilise yourself and go walkabout…..

And – speaking of the beach – well …… it’s great! And it’s beautiful. While the full Miami beach extends some 9 miles (14.4kms), South Beach makes up the southernmost 2.5 mile (4km) stretch. Coastal erosion has been massively accelerated by construction so the gorgeous white sand no longer occurs naturally here. Most of it was imported from the Bahamas or the Caribbean. And the water – SO warm – just glorious for us poor Irish souls who have to make do with the cooler side of the Atlantic! (Ireland’s Atlantic water temperature in August? 13°C – 16°C …. Miami? 30°C. !!!!)

Before we leave the beach – did you know that the first US sunscreen was invented here? A local pharmacist, stationed in the South Pacific during WW11, created a lotion for the soldiers. When he returned after the war, he improved on the formula which was to become Coppertone.

The beachwalk is perfect for a stroll or powerwalk – take your pick. Early birds (or party animals on their way home!) can enjoy some spectacular sunrises but I think there’s more to see and enjoy as the day progresses (OK – I’ll admit I just never made it for sunrise!!!)

Heading south you have the beach on your left – there are a few dozen lifeguard towers to admire along the way and maybe some activity on the sand courts and Muscle Beach.

And on our right? The REAL attraction! The Miami Beach Architectural District lists over 800 significant buildings and boasts the largest concentration of Art-Deco buildings in the world.

You can pop in to the Art Deco Welcome Centre and pick up their free pamphlet which identifies 110 buildings along Ocean Drive and its neighbouring streets. It’s worth lingering a while and familiarising yourself with the history of the era and its main features and designs. Or maybe you’d like to join one of their guided walking tours. Most visitors are happy, however, to just wander and enjoy the iconic geometric patterns, pastel colours and preserved signage…….

Art Deco received international acclaim during the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris. Celebrating the fusion of modern technology with the decorative arts, buildings were typically sleek and elegant, favouring geometric shape, glass and chrome.

Timing is everything – 1925 saw a market downturn in Florida real estate while the Great Hurricane of 1926 destroyed much of the city and left 25,000 people homeless. Houses were needed – fast! – the beach area was pretty much still a blank slate and Art Deco was the style du jour! Dozens of architects embraced the movement and the speed of development ensured a wondrous architectural consistency despite the absence of any grand plan. The architects adapted a Miami Beach style to represent the maritime setting – pastel coloured buildings were graced with nautical designs such as porthole windows and open balconies resembling ocean liners.

Have a look at the MC ALPIN…. typical of the era. Note the streamlined curves and the window eyebrows (to shade from sun and rain). It follows the ‘law of three’ – no structure to be taller than three storeys and to be built in three vertical sections with the centre of the building being the most prominent. All finished off with classic pastel shades and of course its sign.

Miami Beach was heavily promoted as America’s playground for the famous and wealthy. And they came! For a while! The resort thrived through the 30’s to the 60’s. With time, Art Deco faded – giving way to post-war styles. High-rise condos began to replace the charming three storey hotels. By the 70’s it had all collapsed and Miami Beach was in a downwards spiral.

Tourists were turned off by the increasing trashy and cheesy scene and the younger generation wouldn’t be caught dead here! With the expansion of air travel, new Caribbean resorts became a far more attractive option. And, to cap it all, Disney World opened in Orlando in 1971, pulling more visitors away.

Some hotels converted into retirement homes (yep- God’s Waiting Room!!) but the Art Deco buildings were largely neglected and fell into decay. The area became synonymous with poverty and crime so businesses left and visitors avoided it.

Continue walking along Ocean Drive and you eventually arrive at South Pointe Park. There are plenty of walking trails hereabouts but if you’ve had enough exercise you can still admire the views of the ocean, beach and city skyline. There’s always a massive cruise ship or even bigger cargo vessel passing through Governors Cut, heading towards the port or the open sea.

You can head back up the way you came, or go one block inland and stroll up Collin’s Avenue which boasts its own selection of Art Deco landmarks.

After decades of neglect, a saviour appeared in the form of one Barbara Baer Capitman whose vision and perseverance help turn the neighbourhood around. She founded the Miami Design Preservation League in 1976 – a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the integrity of the Historic District. She motivated designers and developers into giving the landmark hotels a major facelift, restoring many to their original style. By 1979, the dilapidated beach area became the nation’s first urban 20th-century historic district.

One cannot exaggerate the influence of ‘Miami Vice’ in Miami Beach’s revival. The hit TV show’s portrayal of South Beach helped drive investment and tourism, both domestically and internationally (the show was syndicated in 77 countries). The city was hip again, attracting A-list celebrities, artists and modeling agencies. Developers reembraced the city’s Art Deco heritage and the millionaires began buying property again.

Lincoln Road closed to vehicular traffic in 1960 to become one of the first outdoor pedestrian malls in the country. Just a few blocks from the beach, it’s lined with stores, restaurants and galleries.

The centrepiece of the Holocaust Memorial is a bronze sculpture of an outstretched arm tattooed with an Auschwitz number, surrounded by hundreds of small figures clinging to the hand and each other.

Espanola Way is quiet at this time of day but the restaurants are buzzing at night….

South Beach and Versace

Even if you knew nothing about the place, you’d stop and look at Villa Casa Casuarina! One of the very few private mansions on Ocean Drive, this is the third most photographed home in the US after the White House and Graceland (don’t you just LOVE statistics!!). Voyeurs may insist that their only interest is that of the property’s opulent Mediterranean revivalist style but they’re fooling no one – they’re here because of its association with one of the most famous fashion brands on the planet and the horrifying death that happened on its front steps.

The house was built in 1930 by Alden Freeman, heir to the Standard Oil fortune. He lived on the top floor of the three storey apartment complex – the remaining 23 units being available for rent or to accommodate his friends when they were in town. After his death in 1937, the property passed through several owners but gradually fell into disrepair (although much of the original structure and fittings survived).

Enter Gianni Versace whose presence surely hallmarked the resurging glitz of South Beach. He served as one of the fashion consultants on Miami Vice and sales in his Miami boutique were among the biggest in the world. Strolling along Ocean Drive in 1992, he fell in love with the mansion and immediately decided to buy it.

He invested millions in renovations and returned the house to private use, moddifying the original 24 apartments into 10 large suites. He bought the old hotel next door, which, despite strong opposition from the Miami Design Preservation League, he tore down to put in a garden, new wing and swimming pool. He entertained supermodels, artists and musicians at his flashy celebrity parties, his famous houseguests including Madonna, Princess Diana and Elton John. He was truly the king of South Beach! The party continued until July 15th, 1997 when he was fatally shot outside his home.

The property has changed hands a few times since then and today it serves as a luxury hotel and gourmet restaurant Gianni’s.

Visiting Gianni’s

To get a peek inside you can spring for a luxury suite or, like most mere mortals – including ourselves – you can book a table in the restaurant and at least see some of the place. I’d highly recommend lunchtime when the menu is priced at $38 for three courses and $20 for cocktails so probably ends up the best value you’ll find in the area. You’ll have to reserve in advance of course (make sure to do so as soon as you plan your visit to the city).

Actually feel like a celeb…….

The place is really busy so we’ve a few minutes to admire the foyer…

Here we go…

They fairly cram in the tables – hope we’re not sitting next to the mosaic pool because everyone ends up standing there with their cameras and phones…

We’ve a great table on the mezzanine… birds-eye view … not moving from here until we’re thrown out!

The set menu offers 8 appetizers, 8 entrées and 3 desserts – the usually suspects (steak, lobster, etc) have supplemental charges. We opt for Fried Shrimp / Eggplant Parmigiana, Chicken / Sea Bass, Eclair/ Fruit. We loved it all (I had to sneak the photos – really not the done thing!)

And of course you’ll go and admire the pool before you leave….

Getting Around

You can’t beat walking (although cycling is OK too!). Roughly 5 miles (8kms) makes for a great loop including Ocean Drive, South Pointe Pier, back up Collins Avenue, Lincoln Road and the Memorial. That’s just a few hours max – in theory – but of course you’ll be stopping every five seconds to admire something new!

The Miami Beach Trolley Network is great – and it’s FREE!!!! A system of interconnecting loops allows access right up to North Beach from 8.00am to 11.00pm every 20 minutes or so.

When to go…

Practice what I preach – not what I do!!!!!!!

Winters must be very pleasant but I wouldn’t know about that! I visited in August – yep – but hey – I’ve survived to tell the tale!!

Firstly – it’s hot. But what Irish person doesn’t love heat! It’s not the heat that’s the problem – it’s the humidity! Averaging 73°, it’s tad sticky to say the least (Did you know – seemingly Alaska has higher humidity than Florida!). You need to be prepared for heavy showers – or even a tropical storm.

Nasty clouds rolling in!

Espanola Way in the rain!!!

Where we Stayed

If renting a car, we always have to consider parking issues when selecting accommodation. This time, with no car, we’d more options although some hotels were unavailable due to our relatively late booking.

We were looking for a small hotel or guesthouse with a pool, centrally located, close to the beach, convenient for public transport.

The Pestana Miami South Beach (average $247 p night, room only -including $28 resort fee) is set a few blocks back from the beach – its resort fee includes umbrella and beds which means you can come and go instead of spending the full day on the beach because you paid $50 for the facilities at the same spot! The pool is also a lovely option – busy in the evenings but very quiet during the day.

There are plenty of restaurants close by and it’s less than a 10 minute walk to Lincoln Road.

The Airport Express Bus stop is a few minutes away. Costing $2.25 single fare, the journey takes about 45-50 minutes (Yep – less than $10 return for the pair of us – beat that for value!). We also used the public bus service to Wynwood Walls, Downtown Miami and Little Havana.

Coffee is usually available in the foyer and there are free muffins in the morning. I loved arriving back to the room on my birthday to find a hand written card, muffins and a large bunch of grapes from the staff. We’d happily stay here again.

What we loved about Miami Beach……

*We could walk everywhere in South Beach and the free trolley was available if needed.

*Public transport worked out very well for trips into the city and the airport.

*The temperature of the sea water is gorgeous!

What we didn’t love…

*The humidity!! – well – what do you expect in August!!

*Having visited the US many times over the years, we are long resigned to a tipping culture which is about entitlement rather than appreciation of service. This is not the forum to launch a tirade about the payment of a living wage and I’ll leave it there but ….

It took us a day and a half to wise up to a new phenomenon for us ( although I’m sure it been around for ages…). Having carefully scanned (is that a contradiction?… you know what I mean!) our bills after dining, we handed over our card for payment. It was returned each time with a new chit which allowed the usual space for a tip. We calculated, paid up, and left. It was only when tidying away bills we noticed that, in two restaurants and a coffee shop, the second chit had automatically added a 20% ‘service fee’ before payment (but AFTER showing us the original bill!!). And we’d kindly added a further 20% tip each time ….. nice one!! Be warned!!

What surprised us…

I know there are neighbourhoods where English is the second language but we didn’t stray off the tourist trail so were rather surprised to encounter a few instances in stores (in the city more so than at the Beach) where staff members did not speak any English at all. It only matters if you have a query – but be aware.