Pulling out of Miami airport’s rental car parkade I’m greeted by a glittering, pastel sky as the sun begins to set.
This is my first visit to Miami and it’s immediately obvious why this subtropical spot is called “Magic City.”
Over the next three days my plan is to see as much of Miami as possible, from its world-famous beaches and exciting culinary scene to some of its most vibrant neighbourhoods, like Little Havana, the Art Deco District and Coconut Grove.
Day 1:
First on the itinerary is South Beach, which is what most people think of when they think of Miami. This neighbourhood boasts two miles of pristine, white sand beaches, top restaurants and shops and is known around the world for its historic Art Deco District.
My sister and I check into Lord Balfour Hotel, on the main drag of Ocean Drive just steps away from the beach. The 1940 hotel, which has undergone a multi-million dollar overhaul, still maintains its aesthetic integrity. Many of its original fixtures remain, like the terrazzo flooring, and a hand-stencilled, gold elevator door with a porthole window — something you’d expect to see in a 1940s Humphrey Bogart film.
We spend our third night in Miami at the iconic Avalon Hotel, further down Ocean Drive, which I remember from the 1983 film Scarface, with Al Pacino playing a Cuban refugee turned Miami crime boss.
It’s easy to spot the Avalon with its streamlined look and neon sign spelling out its name. And if the sign wasn’t enough, this 1941 art deco hotel is distinguishable by the bright yellow, 1955 Oldsmobile Super 88 convertible parked out front — reportedly one of the most photographed cars in the United States.
That evening we get a taste of what it was like in Cuba’s capital in the 1950s by eating at Havana 1957, nearby. The main dining room’s vintage memorabilia evoke a sense of Havana in its heyday, right down to an old-fashioned tray slung around the neck of a “Cigar girl” selling diners an assortment of cigars after they finish their authentic Cuban cuisine. Think roasted chicken, rice, beans and sweet plantains.
Day 2:
We start the day with Sunday Jazz Brunch at Jaya in The Setai, an Asian-inspired, super posh resort with impeccable service. As a jazz quartet performs on a raised platform over the pool we’re offered mimosas before enjoying one of the most varied and plentiful food buffets I’ve ever come across. The decadent desserts are too numerous to mention, but I’d be remiss not to give a nod to the liquid nitrogen ice cream station.
Later, we drive half an hour to Coconut Grove — and to an entirely different Miami — to enjoy a relaxing afternoon at Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, a National Historic Landmark. The grandiose villa, located on Biscayne Bay and completed in 1916, was once owned by wealthy American industrialist James Deering. The avid antique collector filled the Mediterranean Revival style mansion full of European treasures and created 10 acres of formal gardens, modelled on the Italian gardens of the 17th and 18th centuries.
For dinner we head to mid-town Miami to Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill, with a globally inspired menu featuring American and Latin classics. I had an incredible, whole roasted branzino, taco appetizers and delicious torrenjas, which is a Latin American version of french toast with dulce de leche and apples.
To get a sense of Miami nightlife we spend the rest of our evening at Little Havana’s Ball & Chain, a restored jazz era nightclub that has been part of Miami’s entertainment scene since 1935. This is a favourite among locals and tourists alike and on the Sunday evening was full to capacity. The Cuban salsa dancing instructor definitely helped kick off the fun.
Day 3:
After so much great food it was time to walk it off. So our day started with a 90-minute Art Deco Walking Tour with the Miami Design Preservation League. Tours happen daily, beginning at the Art Deco Welcome Center, located in the heart of South Beach’s Art Deco District at 10:30 a.m. and cost $35 US for adults. Definitely worthwhile to gain a better understanding of the city’s history and architecture.
“South Beach has the largest amount of art deco buildings assembled in the world,” says preservation league director Mark Gordon.
“Between 6th to 23rd Street, from the ocean to the bay, there are between 800 and 850 buildings under preservation, the majority art deco.”
Gordon says South Beach has seen dramatic changes, from the boom years of the 1920s and 1930s, when more than 100 new hotels and apartment buildings were built on Miami Beach, to the 1970s when it fell into decline.
“As a 20-year-old I remember Miami Beach when it was a dump and ravaged with crime,” he says, adding most of its residents at that time were senior citizens.
The fact that much of Miami’s stylish architecture remains is thanks to those seniors who had long term rental leases. Had they not, in all likelihood the mostly three-storey art deco buildings would have been demolished in favour of towering condominiums, says Gordon.
“Miami Beach is constantly reinventing itself. The buildings are still there but the clientele is different. The restaurants and the hotels are way more upscale. The food of Miami Beach can rival any city.”
On this point I definitely concur. On our last day in Miami we dine at two of of the city’s most well known restaurants — both in South Beach. The first was lunch at Gianni’s, located in the former Versace mansion, and the second was dinner at A Fish Called Avalon, located in the Avalon Hotel.
Now called Villa Casuarina, the only way visitors can take a peek inside designer Gianni Versace’s former home is to either book a room in the luxury resort or dine in the restaurant adjacent to Versace’s famous mosaic-lined, 24-karat gold pool.
While the food was great and well presented at Gianni’s it was also the best place to people watch. My ever competitive sister and I spent our lunch playing a game we called “spot the Versace” since so many patrons came dressed in the designer’s clothes. To be fair it was an easy game to play since the Versace-clad usually took selfies by the pool.
At A Fish Called Avalon we ate on their outdoor patio, which again was a great place to people watch as locals and visitors strolled along Ocean Drive.
I happily sipped a Negroni cocktail, served in a small model convertible, and enjoyed fresh seafood, which they are known for, like the Macadamia Crusted Snapper, jumbo sea scallops and spicy bigeye tuna tartare. Everything was outstanding but the big surprise of the evening was the dessert — a delicious key lime pie, which also happens to have won the last APC National Pie Championship, held in 2019. Who knew the sophisticated Miami holds the title for best American pie?
Air Canada has made it easier to get to Florida by offering direct flights between Miami and Vancouver while West Jet does a direct flight between Vancouver and Orlando.
Kim Pemberton was hosted in Miami by Visit Florida, which did not review or approve this story. Follow her on Instagram at kimstravelogue.
LONDON (AP) — With a few daubs of a paintbrush, the Brontë sisters have got their dots back.
More than eight decades after it was installed, a memorial to the three 19th-century sibling novelists in London’s Westminster Abbey was amended Thursday to restore the diaereses – the two dots over the e in their surname.
The dots — which indicate that the name is pronounced “brontay” rather than “bront” — were omitted when the stone tablet commemorating Charlotte, Emily and Anne was erected in the abbey’s Poets’ Corner in October 1939, just after the outbreak of World War II.
They were restored after Brontë historian Sharon Wright, editor of the Brontë Society Gazette, raised the issue with Dean of Westminster David Hoyle. The abbey asked its stonemason to tap in the dots and its conservator to paint them.
“There’s no paper record for anyone complaining about this or mentioning this, so I just wanted to put it right, really,” Wright said. “These three Yorkshire women deserve their place here, but they also deserve to have their name spelled correctly.”
It’s believed the writers’ Irish father Patrick changed the spelling of his surname from Brunty or Prunty when he went to university in England.
Raised on the wild Yorkshire moors, all three sisters died before they were 40, leaving enduring novels including Charlotte’s “Jane Eyre,” Emily’s “Wuthering Heights” and Anne’s “The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.”
Rebecca Yorke, director of the Brontë Society, welcomed the restoration.
“As the Brontës and their work are loved and respected all over the world, it’s entirely appropriate that their name is spelled correctly on their memorial,” she said.
In a case that has sent shockwaves through the Vancouver Island art community, a local art dealer has been charged with one count of fraud over $5,000. Calvin Lucyshyn, the former operator of the now-closed Winchester Galleries in Oak Bay, faces the charge after police seized hundreds of artworks, valued in the tens of millions of dollars, from various storage sites in the Greater Victoria area.
Alleged Fraud Scheme
Police allege that Lucyshyn had been taking valuable art from members of the public under the guise of appraising or consigning the pieces for sale, only to cut off all communication with the owners. This investigation began in April 2022, when police received a complaint from an individual who had provided four paintings to Lucyshyn, including three works by renowned British Columbia artist Emily Carr, and had not received any updates on their sale.
Further investigation by the Saanich Police Department revealed that this was not an isolated incident. Detectives found other alleged victims who had similar experiences with Winchester Galleries, leading police to execute search warrants at three separate storage locations across Greater Victoria.
Massive Seizure of Artworks
In what has become one of the largest art fraud investigations in recent Canadian history, authorities seized approximately 1,100 pieces of art, including more than 600 pieces from a storage site in Saanich, over 300 in Langford, and more than 100 in Oak Bay. Some of the more valuable pieces, according to police, were estimated to be worth $85,000 each.
Lucyshyn was arrested on April 21, 2022, but was later released from custody. In May 2024, a fraud charge was formally laid against him.
Artwork Returned, but Some Remain Unclaimed
In a statement released on Monday, the Saanich Police Department confirmed that 1,050 of the seized artworks have been returned to their rightful owners. However, several pieces remain unclaimed, and police continue their efforts to track down the owners of these works.
Court Proceedings Ongoing
The criminal charge against Lucyshyn has not yet been tested in court, and he has publicly stated his intention to defend himself against any pending allegations. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 10, 2024.
Impact on the Local Art Community
The news of Lucyshyn’s alleged fraud has deeply affected Vancouver Island’s art community, particularly collectors, galleries, and artists who may have been impacted by the gallery’s operations. With high-value pieces from artists like Emily Carr involved, the case underscores the vulnerabilities that can exist in art transactions.
For many art collectors, the investigation has raised concerns about the potential for fraud in the art world, particularly when it comes to dealing with private galleries and dealers. The seizure of such a vast collection of artworks has also led to questions about the management and oversight of valuable art pieces, as well as the importance of transparency and trust in the industry.
As the case continues to unfold in court, it will likely serve as a cautionary tale for collectors and galleries alike, highlighting the need for due diligence in the sale and appraisal of high-value artworks.
While much of the seized artwork has been returned, the full scale of the alleged fraud is still being unraveled. Lucyshyn’s upcoming court appearances will be closely watched, not only by the legal community but also by the wider art world, as it navigates the fallout from one of Canada’s most significant art fraud cases in recent memory.
Art collectors and individuals who believe they may have been affected by this case are encouraged to contact the Saanich Police Department to inquire about any unclaimed pieces. Additionally, the case serves as a reminder for anyone involved in high-value art transactions to work with reputable dealers and to keep thorough documentation of all transactions.
As with any investment, whether in art or other ventures, it is crucial to be cautious and informed. Art fraud can devastate personal collections and finances, but by taking steps to verify authenticity, provenance, and the reputation of dealers, collectors can help safeguard their valuable pieces.
