Miami
Miami is almost more Latin American than simply American - famed for its sunny weather,
savoir faire, legendary party scene and super-cool South Beach style.
Miami and its neighbouring city Miami Beach are cities of emotion, colour and texture.
Much of Miami's appeal is due to its diverse neighbourhoods, which range from towering,
contemporary skyscrapers in Downtown Miami (the commercial heart of the city) to
Little Havana, home to its thriving Cuban community. Meanwhile, the Port of Miami
is the world's largest cruise port.
Miami Beach is world-renowned for its 'gold coast' hotel strip, palatial properties
and exceptional outdoor recreational facilities. Its glamorous, see-and-be-seen
South Beach neighbourhood is instantly recognisable, with its candy-coloured art
deco buildings set against a pure South Florida backdrop of cloudless skies, dazzling
blue ocean, pale sandy beaches and swaying palm trees. Beautiful, tanned bodies
parade the sands and everyone dresses - or dresses down - to impress. This is a
city where sporting speedos on Ocean Drive – and little else – will barely raise
an eyebrow.
Throw in plenty of celebrity kudos – the likes of Will Smith and P Diffy are regular
visitors – and the city’s glittering reputation is sealed. It started in the 1990s
when tv cop show Miami Vice helped to glamorise the city; in essence, the growth
of many of its swanky nightclubs and condos were bankrolled by the illegal drug
trade and criminal underworld. Today, the city’s exclusive bars and clubs draw a
host of Hollywood A-listers, jet-setters, models and wannabes.
But there is much more to the city that its superficial trappings of sun, sand and
heat. It is fast becoming one of the most exciting cultural cities in the United
States. The Wynwood Arts District and Miami Design District are thriving hubs for
the arts. Meanwhile, 2013 will see the Miami Art Museum move to new premises in
the middle of a sprawling museum park at Biscayne Bay. In 2014, it will be joined
by a new science museum harnessing energy from the water, sun and wind, and featuring
a 600,000 gallon acquarium and a 3D planetarium. In 2011, the Frank Gehry-created
New World Center created waves of excitement thanks to its show-stopping, post-modernist
design that offers something else to gawp at in Miami Beach. In addition, the Museum
of Contemporary Art (MOCA) has recently benefitted from a multi-million dollar refurb
that has tripled its gallery space.
Meanwhile, for food aficionados, the city’s dining scene offers an eclectic mix.
Of course, it pays to try some Cuban food; arroz con pollo (baked chicken with saffron
rice) or the ubiquitous platanos (fried plantains) are ubiquitous, as is yuca, a
potato-like vegetable. But there’s something for every palate, including steakhouses,
Japanese, Italian, and New World cuisine, a mouth-watering blend of local produce,
Latin American and Caribbean fare.
If you want to explore beyond Miami, then head west to the Everglades, a sprawling
flooded wetland and home to wild alligators. Alternatively, seek out classy Fort
Lauderdale to the north; bohemian Florida Keys to the south or Biscayne National
Park for some manatee-spotting, snorkelling, diving or canoeing.
All this only serves to underline the one ethos that Miami locals abide by: life
here is not about work but plenty of play.