A weekend in Wynwood is just enough time to take in the blocks of street art, shops, museums, and dining. The best place – and only luxury hotel to stay at is the Arlo Wynwood, an experience-driven hotel that opened on November 1, 2022. 

Located in the heart of Wynwood, the hotel is the first in Miami’s preeminent creative and cultural district, currently home to the world’s largest concentration of street art. We quickly checked in to the 217-room, nine-story hotel, marveling at the outdoor mural, soaring lobby, and digital wall art.

Designed by Nicholas Architects, a distinguished Miami-based architecture firm with over 55 years of experience in the hospitality sector, Arlo Wynwood draws on the neighborhood’s curated artistic nature and an eclectic industrial aesthetic of organic meets modern. Meyer Davis was responsible for the exceptional interior design of the building, contributing significantly to its overall appeal.

The sleek elevator has a bullet-proof security entry system that whisks you to your floor; artist Brooke Einbender designed each of the elevators with 3D decals that reflect the intersection of where art and technology meet. 

Once in the room, we liked the metal hat rack and slatted wood cabinet with a well-stocked coffee and snack station. The king-sized bed had luxe white linens and a padded headboard with various lighting setups. A huge TV is anchored on one wall. The white and gray tiled bath is modern and stocked with products and towels. 

The best feature is the balcony with two seats and a grand view of the sprawling, colorful city. From the 7th floor, it was a clear shot of the bay and the gleaming towers that defined the new Miami skyline. Watching the city change from day to night, with views of courtyards and penthouses, was a thrill.

After checking, we returned to the lobby to eat at MaryGold’s, led by James Beard alum Chef Brad Kilgore. Their modern American cuisine pulls from Miami and the melting pot of flavors that make up the country’s culture. Kilgore, a James Beard “Best Chef: South” nominee and Food & Wine “Best New Chefs in America” alumnus, has been credited for helping define the Miami dining scene. We scanned the menu of locally caught seafood, homemade pasta, and numerous small and large plates.

Brunch has beignets with dipping sauces, salads, brioche French toast, egg dishes of benedicts, frittatas, and something called eggs in purgatory. Super delicious blueberry muffins were warm and fruity, and the almond latte was one of the best I’ve ever had. Later, we feasted on prawn cocktails, ravioli with creamed sweet corn, and spicy brown butter for dinner. Desert was chocolate cake and sorbets.

We made our way up to the pool to check out the 360 view with cabanas and lounge chairs. Arlo’s 76-foot-long heated pool is the property’s crown jewel, with resort vibes in the city’s heart. A full-service menu has Asian beef skewers, roasted chicken wings, tuna poke guacamole, and more to go with wine, beer, cocktails, juices, and soft drinks. 

Art is everywhere—the hotel has more than 250 works of art throughout. On the serene yoga deck, Florida-based collage artist Ari Robinson created a plexiglass mural featuring overlapping organic shapes of varying sizes and hues.

The property’s exterior walls feature works by Miami-based artist Hoxxoh, known for his “spheres of life” that illustrate the motions of space and time, and MILAGROS Collective, whose co-founders Felici Asteinza and Joey Fillastre created site-specific work that explores the history of the community through striking arrangements of color and lines. 

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Venturing out to see the top attractions in the area, we visited Aliona Ortega Fine Art gallery, whose current show, “Songsforstarlings,” was of elegant dark, moody paintings by Psychedelic Furs singer / visual artist Richard Butler (who prefers to call himself “a painter who sings”). A black and white video of him singing and painting his visage runs on a loop in the back.

“When I was a child in rural England, starlings would flock in the thousands on telephone wires. It presaged the beginning of winter, and it invoked a certain sense of melancholy. I would like to think the paintings do the same — a certain sense of beauty, yet sadness simultaneously,” Butler says of the show.  

Ortega says, “I try to stay with art, not street artists per se. I work mainly with painters, sculptures, photographers, and designers who create functional art.”

“It was scary to start a gallery in Wynwood back in the days,” she says. “But I’ve been in the art business a long time. I’m working with new artists that have joined the gallery. I just finished a solo exhibition by Luis Garcia Nerey, whom I’ve known for a long time.  On view through Miami Art Week is Butler’s show, and afterward, I’ll have a group exhibit. I enjoy doing group shows because you make your own story with different art, creating a dialogue between the works of artists that are very different. It’s an enjoyable, curatorial exercise.”

“We built our business around second Saturday art walks here. It was always a new show, always crowds guaranteed that came to see the galleries. There were more than 80 at one point. Around 2017, landlords increased the rent so galleries couldn’t survive. Many went north to little Haiti or west to Alapattah, but then came back as more upscale places like condos and offices opened here.”

Ortega says a lot of people from New York are now here, along with the new high-tech businesses. 

“I’m happy that we’re still here; I enjoy the fact that people are walking around this neighborhood, and there’s the sea and major museums close by.”

Other top attractions are the Museum of Graffiti, Wynwood Walls, art galleries, the Oasis shops, and Panther Coffee with fun 3D art by Mark Diamond.

Arlo Wynwood has partnered with internationally recognized L.A.-based artist and painter ThankYouX, a leader in the NFT space who is bridging the gap between the traditional art and crypto worlds, to create a brand-new mural on the rooftop called “Want to Be Reminded.” ThankYouX’s creation will showcase the energy and movement around the city by incorporating unique color schemes that represent both the hotel and the neighborhood. The mural will be unveiled on Wednesday, December 6, during a free event – open to the public – from 6-9 p.m.

Online at www.arlohotels.com. On Instagram: @arlohotels @marygoldsbrasserie 

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Chef Juan Manuel Barrientos, who opened his first restaurant in Medellín by the age of 23 and enjoyed a spot on the Latin Best restaurants list from 2013 to 2015, was the youngest chef ever to be included at the time.

Branching out and feeling he had something different to offer, he decided to be in Miami, the most exciting city he had ever seen. He found a superb location – right on the Miami River on the ground floor of a luxury condo building. The river walk is dotted with bubbling fountains, benches, and superb views of passing fishing boats, large yachts, barges, and many electric billboards. It’s a lively scene and very Miami.

Recently, Elcielo’s Miami location was awarded the first-ever Michelin Star in Florida, in great company with 14 other exceptional establishments. Just last year, Chef Juanma’s other Elcielo location in Washington DC made history by obtaining the first star for a Colombian restaurant abroad and was just repeatedly awarded for its second year in a row a Michelin Star last month for that same location.

Combining a variety of sensory experiences with one-of-a-kind flavors and textures, Chef Juanma, has revolutionized traditional Colombian cuisine by combining his avant-garde cooking techniques with his passion for neurosciences. Having trained under world-renowned chefs including Spain’s Juan Mari Arzak, Juanma combines classical training with modern techniques, resulting in a dining experience that is in a league of its own in Miami.

The white restaurant interior is dreamlike with billowing curtains, white roses along the back wall, and an onyx bar lit from within that glows with a soft cosmic light. Tables are wood and sturdy, with leather-backed chairs and leather buckled napkin holders standing at attention in the center. Settle in, as diners are in for a meal that can last up to 3 hours.

A swarm of waiters arrives with a water and drink menu and a printed menu of the evening’s meals. This is no ordinary menu as the same courses, with substitutions for vegetarians, are given to all diners on a rotating four-month basis.

“We offer a fine dining tasting menu   – THE EXPERIENCE  – that is a tribute to Colombian Cuisine,” Chef Barrientos says. “Our team strives to create a unique and carefully crafted experience that taps into all your senses. The food and ambiance will transport you to the beautiful beaches of Cartagena and the mysterious corners of the Amazon jungle. The menu includes 20 moments, steps, and dishes of varying size and composition as well as surprising sensory moments.”

Barrientos began the restaurant with a company called Mindcode in Mexico that measures and studies emotional peaks and reactions in the brain that are caused by certain foods and experiences.

“The entire menu is designed around that,” he says.

But not all courses are edible.

“Some are just for pure sensory, like the rose petals you will receive at the end, and the choco therapy.”

We started with an innovative Colombian cocktail, the Spicy Green Margarita made with Tromba Tequila, Lime, Jalapeño, and Black Salt. A foam dollop was made with citrus for a creamy sensation, and the crunchy black salt made for a graphic look.

Then the courses began to arrive. A small vial of Passion Fruit Mistela arrived corked, meant to be gulped in one strong shot. Then small bites came out, with various flavors of fish and caviar. A crab-shaped crab empanada was a delight, with spicy tomato dipping sauce.

After a few courses, the waiter brings a large bowl you hold our hands out over. Then he pours warm chocolate over them for a brief hand soak spa-like treatment. A warm cloth allows you to wash it off, as the scent of warm cocoa wafts in the air.

The bread tree is a charming touch – a wire-wrapped tree anchored by a rock holds aloft a warm baked flatbread, begging to be torn off bit by bit and dipped in the herb butter next to it. Okay, definitely different and fun.

A yellow and black soup made from squash and onion ash looked great but suffered from a bit too much salt.

The Lobster Hot Dog is not a sausage, but a Lobster roll in a black bread bun. I could have made of meal of that, but the two bites of it would have to suffice.

Courses of seafood with shrimp and clams in a saffron broth followed along with a show-stopping rack of lamb with lavender and yuca.

Deserts came in several tastings – raspberry and mint ice cream came in a small cone-like a fruit roll-up, and orange ice cream with honey was indulgent. A final plate with butterfly-shaped cookies and an “emerald” made from green-covered vanilla macaron was sweet and unusual.

Coffee is a big deal in Colombia so the presentation here is paramount – the waiter brings a silver tray with ground coffee in a bowl along with a drip filter carafe and boiling water.  He slowly wets the filter, then spoons in the coffee, then the hot water, letting it seep through.

To complete the desired rainforest scene, he places a potted coffee bean plant on the table and a bowl with liquid nitrogen that erupts with a gentle white mist all over the table. It’s quite a show, though I would have liked some milk with the brew, something the server said was not traditional.

Barrientos’ modern, hyper-creative style has been inspired by the molecular gastronomy movement and his deep roots in Colombia but also a desire to meld the schools of cooking and neuroscience. Chef Barrientos says he is concerned not only with making his food taste heavenly but also with how it makes his customers feel and the emotions it awakes in them while dining.

As you depart they bring you rose petals on a tray dotted with oil. Rubbing the petals together in your hand produces a lovely waft of roses and leaves your hands feeling soft and fragrant.

Multi-sensory dining indeed.

Online at elcielorestaurant.com

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Elcielo Miami: A 20-course feast on the river

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Their motto is: Connected, updated, and aware of all the changes happening. Wayku aims to serve up dishes with a signature twist, using the finest techniques and ingredients available.

As a culinary and cocktail experience, Wayku delivers touches of nomadic cuisine.

The food has a decidedly adult palate, with riffs on Asian fusion, perfectly grilled meats, imaginative drinks, and divine desserts – think chocolate mousse in raspberry soup.

Seating is elegant and breezy, with covered semi-outdoor patio tables for balmy nights and padded booths and tables inside. Walls are a dark grey with unusual lighting fixtures and colorful flag-like fabrics on the ceiling.

We opted to sit at a booth along the front window facing the bar to take in all the action. A refreshing drink – the Wayku Spritz – had prosecco, Campari, and dragonfruit juice topped with a small purple orchid, sweet and sparkly.

The cocktail menu was designed by mixologist Mona Gallosi, whose life in bebidas started more than 20 years ago when she moved from hometown Rio Negro to Buenos Aires. There she created her own brand as a gastronomic businesswoman and an entrepreneur. She began her career as a bartender and mixologist at upscale bars and restaurants. There, she discovered her passion for mixes and simplicity, using only a few quality ingredients to create superior drinks.

Her goal was that most people at a bar or lounge could understand a cocktail’s language based on flavors, textures, and aromas. In her latest project, she has built a space for events, labs, and experiences called Puente G, where she transfers her experiences and highlights of her “around the world trip” into drinks and aromas, constantly adding new flavors and delights.

On to the food – starting with Tuna Tataki – the seared slices came on a bed of avocado with mango and black tulle chips, large enough for two.

The Bao Buns – those spongy wrappers for delicious fillings that absorb some of the sauce – had shitake mushrooms, purple kale, pistachios, and ginger teriyaki dressing. Yummy and light with multiple flavors.

The main course was outstanding – Grilled Rack of Lamb with a green herb crust, grilled artichokes, and small baby potatoes amusingly circling the edges of the plate. Cooked to medium-rare perfection, the juicy guilty pleasure chops were generous, and the artichokes were amazingly al dente and flavorful.

On to dessert: A Chocolate Triffle with raspberry soup, chocolate cream, cashew praline, blueberries, cherries, and meringue. Densely sweet and rich, the mousse paired wonderfully with the tangy “soup”, dotted with berries and nuts.

The man responsible for all this wonder is Chef Matteo Gritti of Milan, Italy. Both a chef and DJ, Gritti is a curious and experimental figure.

“We seek to involve all those who do not consume classic signature cuisine; that is why we offer dishes with “well known” ingredients, but with a fresh and innovative twist,” he says.

When he was 23 years old, Matteo opened his first restaurant in Buenos Aires. A few years later he started working in restaurants in Italy, learning how to manage Michelin Star restaurant kitchens.

In 2012 Matteo founded a record label — Cueva Records, where he produces and edits artists from the international scene, only in vinyl record format, old school style. The label produces parties such as Peacock Society, Konzept, Aribau & Friends.

Through the years, Matteo has shared booths with international DJs and artists, including Nina Kraviz, Loco Dice, Paul Kalkbrenner, Dubfire, Matador, Dixon, Blond:hish, Cuartero, and Barem, among others.

In addition to his success with music, his rhythm in the kitchen and passion for authentic taste set a higher standard for worldwide emerging chefs.

His inspiration comes from the world of art, music, and slow food.

In a time where food fusion genres are intertwined and re-imagined, it’s hard to pigeonhole his style. His creations shift and change with the seasons, and it all boils down to what works and tastes right.

Matteo has developed strong ties with his suppliers, all of which share the same values and help him in his mission as a chef.

As part of the team at Wayku, he brings with him a revolutionary concept of cuisine: modern and borderless, like today’s world.

Matteo’s powerful but simple dishes, with a signature twist such as offbeat fruits, preparation styles, and presentation. He uses techniques and ingredients gleaned from global influences and exotic locales.

With elegant dining like Wayku, Wynwood is growing into a dining destination, more than the street art that has made it a must-visit neighborhood.

Online at www.waykurestaurants.com

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Back in the 1950s, this ritzy promenade hotel thrived with entertainment from actor-comedian Jackie Gleason, Frank Sinatra, Joan Rivers, Bob Hope, Judy Garland, Liza Minnelli, Sammy Davis Jr., Gabe Kaplan, Peggy Lee, Don Rickles, and many more made the scene at this big, swank, glorious celebrity-spotter joint.

Lawrence Welk filmed his first TV show in 1962 at The Diplomat, and every U.S. president since 1974 has attended conventions here. I met Joe Biden 3 years ago and stayed there a few times for weekend art-related getaways.

Once you enter, the stunning lobby features a five-story, 60-foot atrium surrounded by waterfalls. Beyond the lobby is an outdoor infinity-edged pool that splashes into a 240-foot lagoon pool below. At night they light firepits for pre or after-dinner lounging.

The top choice for dining is Diplomat Prime, helmed by Executive Chef Rashaad Abdool who sets a standard for seafood and steakhouse fine-dining with top-tier offerings. Prime has earned four 4-Diamond Awards and is the highest-rated steakhouse in South Florida for many delicious reasons.

Chef Rashaad Abdool has reimagined a classic menu of prime dry-aged beef, seasonally-driven seafood dishes both broiled and on ice platters, sides, and sauces. A variety of over 500 old-world and new-world wines are available by the glass or bottle, with classic cocktails—martinis, old fashions, daquiris—that complement the steakhouse fare. Inspired by the hotel’s history through the 1950s, the design of the 108-seat restaurant incorporates elements of dark wood sophistication, high ceilings, dramatic lighting, overstuffed couches, and chairs.

With a degree from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts, Chef Rashaad has worked at several notable restaurants in South Florida, like Stephen Starr’s Steak 954, where he held the position of executive sous chef.

At Diplomat Prime, Rashaad has focused on keeping the menu delicate, approachable, and unique. Under his oversight, you choose from a selection of featured aged prime beef. Waiters can help recommend the choices if you are sharing a steak for the table, as we did with a huge porterhouse that had a filet mignon included. We added a lobster tail for the classic surf and turf meal, and some choice sides to go with it.

Starting with hot rolls and butter with sea salt, we followed with a sweet/tart Baby Beet Salad. We then moved on to the steak and lobster with truffle mashed potatoes and creamed spinach, both sides are plenty to share and then some. For the steak, there was a side of Au Poivre sauce and a lemony butter carafe for the lobster tails.

Everything was expertly cooked and presented with a flourish by knowledgeable waiters. A dangerous-looking serrated steak knife with a bone handle was a stylish touch, as were the garnishes and swift service.

The dessert menu has just the essentials of Key Lime Pie, Cheesecake, and a Chocolate Mousse we had to try. Served on a dark chocolate smeared platter, the rich coated mousse was accompanied by a duo of cardamon nougat and a scoop of lemon sorbet, an imaginative pairing that held different taste sensations with every bite.

The Diplomat Beach Resort has been renovated and modernized several times since the 50s. Now, it is the largest oceanfront resort in Broward County with amazing oceanfront views, two sun-drenched pools, 26 poolside cabanas, two fitness centers, and 209,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor meeting and event space. With more than 1,000 guest rooms including two Penthouse suites, it’s a mega wonder on its own.

You can swing by for the day and check out other eats that range from beachside casual to the popular Asian Monkitail. Cruise the lobby gift shop, and there’s usually a special event pop-up happening for mega sports or political events.

The Diplomat Marina allows you to pull up your yacht for the day, overnight or longer. Complimentary dockage is available when dining within the resort’s eateries.

There’s a grand, old-world feel about The Diplomat, where history and modernity stretch out on the Atlantic. Prime surf and turf indeed.

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Online at www.Diplomatresort.com

Luxe, decadent dining for the New Year at Diplomat Prime

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The front lounge area is festooned with cherry blossom trees up to the ceiling.

A huge atrium opens up in the center flooding the center bar with light where two full walls of wildly colorful murals by Miami’s international art sensation sleepy eyes Ahol, take on a hypnotic effect. The world of art and high cuisine is always watching.

The restaurant Chotto Matte is a welcoming, vibrant, and contemporary environment. The food is a feast of popular Peruvian ingredients — tropical fish, quinoa, aji Amarillo peppers—molded by Japanese techniques. Multiple chefs at the restaurant prepare the ceviche in a particular style that dates back to the turn of the century.

The restaurant embraces natural colors and mouth-watering taste sensations, a delicious combination of both Japanese and Peruvian ingredients and cooking style, as Japanese sushi and sashimi, and Peruvian ceviche are central to their gastronomy menu.

At the bar, La Catrina Rosa cocktail made with Código 1530 Rosa Tequila, Hierba Luisa (lemon verbena leaves), raspberry, chili, and lime is something to lust after once you try it. Yummy enough but the real kicker is in the presentation. It comes in a glass of crushed ice with a frozen black skull (made of edible black currant liquor) on top. Then the mixologist poured a raspberry-colored drink on top partially melting the little skull and turning the drink a bloodier color. Vile and delicious!

Other choices include Daisy in Black with Código 1530 Blanco Tequila, Velvet Falernum, Yellow Chartreuse Grand Marnier, kumquat, and lime, or the Midnight in Lima with blackberry smoke.

The food menu is expansive, ranging from appetizers, sashimi, sushi, robata grills, and tempura. Available are sharing menus set at different pricing tiers and include a complete lineup of small plates curated into various selections. There are vegan options too.

The first dish I tried was Shishito Peppers, steamed to silky perfection and tossed with a gingery dressing. Next, Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice, with the fish sitting atop a fried rice square—an unusual presentation.

The best of the night was the Yellowtail “Nikkei sashimi” with lots of flavorful tangy toppings that made this fish dish deluxe a real winner. The BBQ broccoli and cauliflower was a veggie delight, with small florets still a bit crunchy and smokey with sauce.

A Black Cod Aji Miso was served in one large piece but a friendly waiter saved us by expertly separating it into bite-sized pieces, as meals are served with only chopsticks.
Sliced beef over fried rice rich with peas and other veggies was rich and filling, but we still had room for Chef’s Choice Dessert, a chocolate shell ball in a large black dish. The waiter came over with a warm caramel sauce and drizzled it on top. Within seconds the shell melted on top like a volcano, exposing the rich vanilla bean ice cream inside.

An evening at Chotto-Matte will give you an experience you will want to repeat. The mix of a contemporary urban environment, a spectacle, great cuisine, and Miami vibes make this restaurant a very special concept. It is all about quality, ingredients, and flavors.

The name Chotto Matte means “hold on a second” and the diverse, darkly sophisticated atmosphere of the place embodies that, as you will want to hold on to the full experience here.

If you want to visit, Chotto Matte is at 1664 Lenox Ave, Miami Beach. Online at: chotto-matte.com/miami 

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Spectacular eats at Japanese-Peruvian restaurant, Chotto Matte

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Sit at any of the roof’s edge tables and take in the brilliant orange and pink sunset. A drink arrives in an enormous carved tusk on a stand, topped with purple orchids. Another cocktail comes in a glass dish shaped like a bee, covered with hinged silver wings.

Salvaje, a restaurant concept that has amassed an international reputation, occupies this 170-seat space at Hyde’s rooftop where the lush intrigue of the Amazon jungle, the passion and spice of Spain, and the mysticism of Japan coalesce come to life. The brand was conceptualized by Executive Chef Fermín Azkue, whose impressive gastronomic career throughout Europe and collaboration with traditional Japanese chefs inspired the creativity behind the concept.

The menu—a unique gastronomic experience—is a Japanese and Spanish fusion that features some of the most imaginative presentations of cocktails and food I’ve ever seen.

Anxious to try a bit of a lot, I started with some sushi—the Super Dynamite came warm, a generous roll of king crab with truffle butter for dipping. This takes sushi to a new level, savory and rich. Another roll with spicy salmon, avocado, and passion fruit, and eel sauce was a standout, layering flavors with an expert touch.

Lobster dumplings came in unexpectedly large, nestled together in rich lobster bisque – is that sherry and saffron? –  with crispy wontons on top.

The Steak Salvaje, a 40-day aged sirloin with a Yuzu hollandaise and whole seasonal mushrooms is an entree I highly recommend. It comes out grilled, sliced, and dressed with herbs. The medium-rare steak came as ordered, enhanced by a tangy creamy yuzu sauce. The shrooms added an earthy flavor. Truly one of the best steaks I’ve ever had.

Photo Gallery: some of the food and cocktails at Salvaje.

A side dish of grilled avocados sliced in the outer shell, pit removed, and filled with a truffle butter vinaigrette complemented the creamy hot fruit and it was a delish to try.

So much sweet effort goes into the plating at Salvaje, providing consistent service and expectations of the unexpected, something that I’ve learned is standard throughout their eight locations spanning the globe — Miami, Barcelona, Ibiza, Marbella, Madrid, Colombia. Imported ingredients such as octopus from Galicia, Alaskan King salmon, Japanese tuna, and Wagyu beef are just a few of the offerings to not miss at this restaurant.

Salvaje Miami is a well-accomplished fusion of Spanish, LatAm, and Asia-Pacific flavors and the party-like rooftop atmosphere at Hyde is an outstanding compliment. A DJ was playing some groove-inducing tunes as we savored the sunset and the last bites of a Yuzu pie that was equally wonderful with refreshing yuzu sorbet surrounded by white cake and pistachio crumbles— Yuzu seems to be the pet fruit here, adding a saucy touch to every dish. A small shiver of edible gold leaf topped the whole thing off, a blissful delight.

Get here early for ‘Sunset Sessions’ with views of the sun-bathed cityscape and specially priced menu items daily from 4 – 6 PM. You can rest assured their presentations and flavors will transport you to an enchanting world, immersed in the flavors, movement, and rhythms of Salsa!

If you travel for food, lively and chic Salvaje Miami lives up to its name, translating from Spanish to the word “wild.” The ambiance is immediately captivating. At its center, impressive views. The menu, exceedingly crafted with many scrumptious options.

All this quality and atmosphere doesn’t come cheap, but for world-class cuisine and priceless views, aren’t you worth it?

If you visit, Salvaje Miami is at 101 NE 34th St, Miami, FL 33137. Online at www.miami.salvaje.world

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Salvaje Restaurant: Exotic, eclectic dining in the heart of mid-town Miami

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The major collector Rubell family, Mera, Don, and son Jason, have been at the forefront of art collecting and exhibiting since the 1980s in New York. They helped bring Art Basel Miami to town, and were early in the settlement of Wynwood by purchasing a DEA warehouse to show their fantastic, edgy collection.

After 26 solid years, they have taken another big chance to pioneer a gritty area, Allapattah, a Seminole word for alligator. West of I-95 and bordering railroad tracks, the new home for their 7,200-work collection was carved out of several warehouses by Selldorf Architects and is a vast 100,000 square feet. The sleek new space hosted a celebrity-filled Dior show during Art Week.

The Rubells have also changed the name from the Rubell Collection to the Rubell Museum to key in the public that this is an open to the public space.

“We didn’t take the name change lightly,” Mera said. The opening show was a knockout as they highlight the work they have from key artists, moments, and movements in from over the past 50 years in 40 (!) separate gallery rooms. They started early in NYC’s East Village, scooping up pioneering works from Keith Haring, Cindy Sherman, Richard Prince, and Jeff Koons. They devote several full galleries to these artists works, which manage to look fresh and relevant decades later. Full walls of Haring’s drawings, a fish tank full of three floating basketballs from Koons, an iconic black and white Film Still from Sherman and Prince’s appropriated Marlboro Cowboys feel like seeing old friends.

The Rubells were supporting these artists early, and they all had new work over at the main Basel Fair with several zeros added to the price tags. Cady Noland’s This Piece Has No Title Yet (1989) is a perennial favorite – a whole room lined with beer cans and chain-link fences.

The Infinity Room craze was started by Yayoi Kusama and had people lining up to see and take photos of the two on display here – Where the Lights in My Heart Go (2016), and INFINITY MIRRORED ROOM – LET’S SURVIVE FOREVER (2017).  Viewers had to stand in a timed line, slipcovers over their shoes and only enter a few at a time to the contained, mirrored, free-standing cubes. In addition to the rooms here, there is one in the Design District filled with her reflecting dotty pumpkins, and there is a whole building filled with Infinity Rooms at Artechouse in South Beach by Refik Anadol who has taken it into the cyber realm with fast-moving art films as opposed to static objects that zoom you through space on all four sides. It’s very retro and futuristic at the same time, catering to the experiential art jones.

The layout of the Rubell Museum is sleek, clean and has plenty of natural light thanks to floor to ceiling windows. A large library has 40,000 of their collected art books, a gift shop sells shirts, jewelry and scarves, a sweet plant and bench filled courtyard has a coffee and pastry shop.

A new Museum of Graffiti has opened in Wynwood dedicated to the history of graffiti art. Curator Carlos Mare, who grew up in the Bronx, gives spontaneous tours and hopes it will be a place for people to come and learn about this art form that jumped the tracks from subway trains to gallery and museum walls. They commissioned 11 murals for the front of the building from artists Slick, Shoe, Abstrk, and Entes – one name only please in this world. A permanent exhibition with a timeline charts the movement’s 60-year history, with photos of long-gone murals and actual “vintage” spray cans. Vintage TV’s play reels of TV shows decrying the “vandalism” and NYC Mayor Koch vowing to wipe it all out.

A revolving exhibit in the back room highlights new work by well-known names, cases of ephemera show the journals, invites, fliers and magazines that sprang up to cover this new fast-moving art form.

“People need to know the roots of this and where it has gone to,” Mare says. “The tags and the styles and the branding have all come a long way.” On a prime block by Wynwood Walls, Zak the Baker and Walt Grace Vintage Cars & Guitars, the Graffiti Museum cements the push west for Wynwood.

The third museum, El Espacio 23, is a showcase and is bankrolled by developer collector Jorge Peréz, whose name also adorns the Peréz Art Museum Miami. In a “modest” a 28,000-square-foot warehouse on NW 23rd Street, the museum has a curated show from Peréz’s massive private art collection, and three nearby apartments designed for artist residencies he will bankroll. They also promise “activations” by artists in Allapattah “with the intention of establishing long-term relationships with its neighbors.” The first group is Alberto Baraya, Susana Pilar Delahante, Raimond Chaves, and Gilda Mantilla.

The debut exhibition is “Time for Change: Art and Social Unrest in the Jorge M. Peréz Collection.” Headed by Colombian curator Jose Roca, the show, organized into six “nuclei” with names such as “Extraction and Flows” and “State Terror,” presents large scale, complex works. Local artists Gonzalo Fuenmayor and Edouard Duval-Carrié are exhibited alongside international stars William Kentridge, Alfredo Jaar, and Ai Weiwei. Be warned – the show is not for the faint of heart, it is strong stuff, with haunting dark images of persecution and strife. Perez owns the real estate development firm Related Group, his latest project in Miami is Wynwood 25, the massive, black cube of a luxury apartment building on NW 25th Street that boasts the largest murals in the area by El Mac.

More museums and more art in Miami make this world-class city even more beautiful.

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Three Museums Up the Art Ante in Miami

The post From Graffiti to Infinity Rooms: Three Museums Up the Art Ante in Miami appeared first on The Florida Daily Post.

What was needed was some open space to breathe, with good food and drink selection, live music, and some grounding views of this fast-growing metropolis. Enter Riverside, located right on the Miami River between S. Miami Avenue and SE 1st Avenue at the base of the bridge, Riverside is serving up a beautifully landscaped waterfront setting unlike anything else serving the Downtown Brickell area. When fully completed, it will house seven restaurants, a taproom, large screen TV’s to watch sports games, and have art situated throughout the grounds. Family-friendly special events are planned and all of it has some pretty magnificent water and skyline views.

Setting up shop at 431 South Miami Avenue, this 120,000-square-foot space boasts two full-service restaurants along with counter-service options from Le Chick, Old Lisbon and Morgan’s, a taproom and beer garden by Miami River Brewery, and open event spaces.

The space, which is inspired by a “boatyard garden,” will have two dining anchors – AWA, an Asian-inspired eatery, and a high-end steakhouse. The beer garden and taproom are surrounded by over 100 trees and feature local brews and plenty of outdoor seating. There will also be an air-conditioned area serving up cocktails with TVs to watch sporting events.

On a recent visit, I found the just off-work business and leisure crowds streaming in, lured by the nicely crafted reclaimed wooden signage in hues of brown and turquoise and plenty of greenery with mature palm trees and shrubs. Sitting in groups on the outdoor sofas, sipping a cold beer and watching the speed boats cruise by is the main draw. The bridge opens and closes often to allow larger boats passage.

You can drive right there with several parking options within a block, or walk along the waterfront river boardwalk that connects to Brickell Avenue. Riverside will also be extending the existing walkway along the South Miami Avenue bridge. The space will be accessible by car, the Metromover station that is literally right there, on foot, and since it is Miami, by boat, when the river dock is completed. The space will be open daily for lunch and dinner, for now it opens at 4 p.m.

The taproom is open, along with the large indoor tented air-conditioned lounge.  The taproom lives up to it names thanks to Miami River Brewery, with its huge fermentation tanks, multiple fresh frosty ale on tap selections, and a rotation of small-batch specialty beers, with signature and seasonal brews and local collaborations. The two-story glass-walled space has lots of indoor and outdoor seating and huge flat-screen TVs.

Also serving up favorite beverages is the main Riverside lounge right on the river, which has an outdoor grassy game area next to it. Sandbag and woodblock throw games are there now, with more being added. There’s also the AWA Bar and the Tiki Bar open, both of which can help you get your drink on.

A grill fires up behind the game area with burgers, gourmet hot dogs, chicken and beef skewers and more. Several completed food court booths are ready for the eatery vendors to move in. Foodie lovers will soon nosh out on Taco Gourmet Mexican, Cage comfort food – think burgers and fried chicken, Lisboeta by Old Lisbon seafood, Crush Pizza bar, and sweets by San Lorenzo gelato café.

The dog-friendly space lets well behaved leashed pooches enjoy the park-like setting along with their owners.

“In the concrete jungle that is Brickell, we wanted to create a unique oasis that will be anchored with a waterfront view, live entertainment, gastronomy, libations, and special events,” said Riverside spokesman Marcelo Goulart.

It all has a bit of the funky vibe that former neighbor Tobacco Road has, the infamous speakeasy blues club that was the holder of the first liquor license in Miami in 1912 and had a large back wooden deck for food, drink and music. After decades of being the only music hang on the river, the Road fell to the wrecking ball years ago, but the need for a laid back, open-air good vibes hang out is being filled by the brand new Riverside.

If you visit, check hours, offers, and hours at www.riverside.miami

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That connection to the past and present was clear as pink fabric when the institution and then director Jan van der Marck thought outside of the Center for the Fine Art – the museums first name – and asked outdoor installation artist Christo and Jeanne-Claude to come to Miami and create something extraordinary.

And they did!

Surrounded Islands was the result – a group of small islands in the bay was “wrapped” around the watery edges with bright fuchsia pink fabric. The project was met with concern from environmental and wildlife activists as well as residents when it was first proposed. But Christo and Jeanne-Claude persevered to ensure the artistic integrity and safety to the environment.

The project was an enormous success, marked the birth of Miami’s international artistic profile, and was celebrated with a jam-packed blockbuster anniversary exhibit at the new museum that was attended by Christo. Drawings, photos, films, and an actual huge roll of the original pink fabric was exhibited.

Back in 1984 the Center for the Fine Arts opened in the Phillip Johnson designed fortress-like raised limestone block on Flagler Street facing the Miami Main Library and the smaller History Miami Museum. As the arts writer for the Sun-Sentinel back then, they were the only game in town that I wrote about, the shows they produced were more in tune with the art scene in New York as they exhibited Cindy Sherman, Barbara Ess, and Philip Taaffe among other cutting edge artists in traveling shows.

“The CFA was not started as a collecting institution,” says current Director Franklin Sirmans, sitting in one of the expansive galleries at PAMM. The savvy Sirmans has been here for five years, having arrived from the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in October 2015.

“Their goal was to curate an edgy space but not to collect which is why they did not call themselves a museum at first. The thought was that they would evolve eventually along with the city. That went on for ten years, then they started pulling a group of collectors together who lived here who were also philanthropists and civic-minded. Some of the early pieces the museum acquired were works by Gerard Richter and Robert Rauschenberg which are on exhibit as part of our The Gift of Art show on the ground floor. Those pieces became the foundation of a place we can call our own. There needed to be a pride in Miami and point of view as a place changing along with influences from the Caribbean, Latin America, and the African Diaspora. We needed to help represent that change.”

While the name changed, the building remained the same. The new Miami Art Museum (MAM) continued to grow its collection and exhibits of contemporary edgy work. When Art Basel Miami came blowing through the scene like a hurricane, it was apparent the stately old downtown walled in limestone structure was not the world-class vision it needed to be. Building a new museum as elegant and promising as the city was started with eyes to the waterfront downtown. Ultimately designed by Herzog and de Meuron, the idea was to mimic the raised structures of Stiltsville at 1103 Biscayne Boulevard.

The grand PAMM was part of a bigger picture that included the $275 million Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science and a 20-acre city park now called Museum Park, formerly Bicentennial Park. With hanging fern and moss columns, expansive water frontage and views accessed by a grand staircase, a large back patio with café, a theater, gift shop, and enormous second-floor galleries, the museum was a hit. An eight-figure donation along with art from real estate developer Jorge Perez gave him naming rights.

Since the opening in 2013, Pérez Art Museum Miami has seen record attendance levels with over 150,000 visitors in its first four months, surpassing the 200,000 visitors expected in its first year at the new location. The former location saw about 60,000 visitors annually on Flagler Street. In 2014, the museum’s permanent collection contained over 1,800 works, by 2016, the museum’s collection contained nearly 2,000 works.

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(This installation by Jesus Rafael Soto called Penetrable BBL bleu [2/8/199] is placed outdoor at the PAMM for visitors to interact with. Jesús Rafael Soto (1923–2005) was a Paris-based Venezuelan artist best known for his kinetic sculptures and large-scale optical installations.)

“We do a combination of collecting,” Sirmans says. “We purchase out of the shows we exhibit and meet twice a year with our Collectors Council to review other works being offered. The Council has been together for 15 years and has 40 patrons that pay to be involved. Developer Craig Robins helps choose the group. We aim to keep a continuity of what the CFA was and what we are now. The first show ever done at the CFA was called ‘Quest of Excellence’ with work borrowed from all over the USA including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. That set a benchmark for the future for us to get the best that we can get.”

A recent gift of photography, with standout work from Robert Mapplethorpe, Diane Arbus, Cindy Sherman, Edward Steichen, and dozens more can fill a full gallery, while the explosive multi-media color-saturated work of Beatriz Gonzalez formerly took over the main exhibit space on the second floor.

As for the current season, Sirmans breaks into an excited grin as he trumpeted the show by Miami artist Teresita Fernandez that recently ended—February, 9. Teresita Fernandez creates fantastical sculptures and installations based on the elements of water and fire. She was born in Miami, went to FIU and has made an international name for herself. “We had here 50 to 60 pieces of her work from the 1990s until now,” says Sirman. “We currently have two of her pieces in our collection. She has deep Miami roots and she’s just a dynamic, exciting artist.”

Photo Gallery

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Current exhibitions include Contemporary Caribbean Art; paintings, sculptures, and photographs that have since become quintessential for the museum—including works by Terry Adkins, Romare Bearden, Kevin Beasley, Ed Clark, Leslie Hewitt, Faith Ringgold, Tschabalala Self, Xaviera Simmons, and Juana Valdes, among several others and the ongoing Sculpture Garden displaying large-scale sculptures that can be enjoyed in the open air.

The iconic 35-year-old South Florida institution continues to promote artistic expressions now in this beautiful state-of-the-art facility which is a model for sustainable museum design and progressive programming.

If you visit, www.pamm.org for information on current and upcoming exhibits and events.

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Pérez Art Museum Miami: an Art Boom in the Last Two Decades

The post Pérez Art Museum Miami: a Milestone of the Art Boom in Miami appeared first on The Florida Daily Post.

Taking over the former Vic and Angelo’s large 5,000 sq. foot corner space at PGA Commons, Scusi Trattoria has a warm and inviting vibe. Dining there on a recent cool weekday evening with two very picky friends, Lori and Joe from the Hamptons, we were welcomed by the large wraparound bar outside that was filled with people enticed by the glowing tall gas heaters that stood like a small forest. Inside, the bustling long open kitchen and two pizza ovens accented by Mediterranean blue-glazed tiles. The décor has nice natural materials of padded wood banquets, plush white and blue striped cushions, antique mirrors, while the walls showcase ceramic plates. A soft light baths the place.

It felt very fresh and contemporary European; I was half expecting to see the cliffs of Capri outside, waves lapping at the shore. Despite the large size of the restaurant, it is cleanly divided into several intimate dining spaces both inside and out.

We chose a banquet to sit at and our attentive waiter Gabriel immediately brought over warm house-baked bread and a round of wine drinks followed. Perusing the menu of traditional entrees, pastas, pizzas, and small plates to share we ordered up the Frito Misto – a generous serving of crispy seafood with shrimp, calamari, and grouper served with a luscious lemon chili aioli. The waiter suggested the Zucchini salad, a real winner consisting of spiraled zucchini tossed with pecorino cheese, lemon, mint, basil, and the surprise crunch of toasted almonds. A very delicious innovative dish.

For the entree, I decided on the Spiced Swordfish Spiedini Alla Sicilian served cut into chunks on a skewer on a bed of cherry tomatoes, currants, capers, pine nuts, and a creamy rosemary-polenta. I’d never had swordfish served this way and it was delicious – the fish firm and well done inside with a spicy, lemony coating. Scooping it up with the polenta and olives and nuts made for a seriously satisfying fresh take on Italian ingredients.

Lori ordered the Wood Baked Branzino Al Limone stuffed with spinach and mushrooms. They mercifully cut the head off but left the tail. Served nestled in a pan of lemony butter sauce, the fish was moist and flaky; the stuffing rich and flavorful. Lori declared it the “best branzino I’ve ever had”. We all tasted it and agreed it was an unusually successful fish dish.

Joe ordered the Bucatini Alle Vongole with white wine, garlic and clams. The pasta is like a mini lasagna noodle, long but thin with ruffled edges. The clams were small and tasty, the generous sauce flecked with oregano and plenty left for sopping up the sauce with bread.

Something else happened at dinner that I haven’t experienced much, people at the tables were reaching out and striking up conversations with the people next to them. We experienced it on both sides of us; starting by commenting on the food then expanding to get to know themselves better. The couple to our right got so chatty we exchanged business cards and they even bought us a round of drinks! Perhaps the newness of the restaurant and the holiday lights and good cheer mood was infectious.

Leaving room for dessert, the chocolate and pistachio gelato and something they call the Scusitiramisu—a variation of tiramisu with bananas in the creamy vanilla pudding and generous shaved chocolate on top.

The menu includes very delectable items like the wood-fired pizzas with mushroom and truffle, fennel sausage, egg, and mushroom, or clam and guanciale. The veal and pork ricotta meatballs, octopus with mashed potatoes and Bigeye tuna Crudo also sound like winners.

All this deliciousness is due to the global experience of Chef Tourondel who has opened more than 40 restaurants around the globe, from London to Hong Kong to San Juan. A native of France, Chef Tourondel studied at Saint Vincent Ecole de Cuisine in Montlucon, France, he was chef to the Admiral in the French Navy. Travels to London led to stints at the famed Gentleman’s Club, Boodle’s, then to Restaurant Beau Geste in Manhattan; Jacques Maximin at Restaurant Ledoyen in France; and Chef de Partie at Restaurant Mercury at the Hotel InterContinental in Moscow and Caesar’s Palace Hotel & Casino.

In the US he opened BLT Steak, BLT Fish, BLT Prime, BLT Burger, BLT Market, LT Burger in the Harbor, LT Burger in Bryant Park, LT Signature, and most recently Arlington Club. Currently, he is also the Executive Chef at Brasserie Ruhlmann in Rockefeller Center in Manhattan. In October 2007, Bon Appétit magazine named Tourondel Restaurateur of the Year. Tourondel has published three cookbooks, Go Fish: Fresh Ideas for American Seafood; Bistro Laurent Tourondel: New American Bistro Cooking; which earned him a 2008 James Beard Foundation Award nomination and Fresh from the Market: Seasonal Cooking with Laurent Tourondel.

“I hope that every guest that comes to dine at Scusi goes home satisfied with a taste of a time when life was simple and delicious,” says Chef Tourondel. “It’s the rustic wood-fired cooking I enjoyed growing up.”

Every dish felt truly inspired, the service was wonderfully attentive, the atmosphere warm and comfortable. This is an extremely elevated dining experience, and a very welcome addition to the North Palm Beach County scene.

Scusi features a specially-curated wine list of primarily European wines, domestic and imported beers, and original craft cocktails, including a rosé snowcone. A happy hour offered Monday through Friday from 5 pm to 7 pm includes specialty-priced drinks and half-priced pizzas.

If you visit, Scusi Trattoria is located at 4520 PGA Blvd, Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418. (561) 429-6938. scusirestaurants.com

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