Last week Jasper, Jane our photographer, and I headed down to Miami for Art Week 2018. I didn’t have much of a grasp of the city other than Vice, Will Smith, and Gianni Versace–it always seemed so foreign to me as someone from a drastically different beach town on the opposite side of the country. You know what I learned? It’s a magical glistening oasis of art, frolics, and beautiful people that somehow doesn’t feel real. It’s like a playground for adults. And yet, somehow, also how life should be: a perfect 75 degrees with always something to do.
Though the purpose of our trip was for art and thus my mind was solely focused on it, I was still surprised at how much there was to see all around. It’s everywhere! On walls, on the side of the street, signs, architecture, sidewalks, you name it. And our partner for the trip, Uber was our jumping off point to connect us to all the right spots in just 48 hours!
Read below for the full city guide!
Miami City Guide
We were invited to see the work of sculptor, Emil Alzamora, who was commissioned to create a number of pieces by Uber throughout Miami based on the beauty of movement and progression. Each piece also marked a preferred pickup spot around the city.
The one we visited was at the East Miami, a beautiful destination in itself and we were greeted with the en-route character greeting us into the lobby. There, we had the opportunity to chat with Emil when we visited. It’s always so nice to hear the thoughts of the creator and we chatted about how his ideas of motion are really a reflection of our progression as humans. Can’t you see it here?
Being greeted in the lobby with a woman reaching out with her hands to the viewer, welcoming us in, was empowering. Here’s what he had to say about it:
“The illusion of movement for me is another way of telling the story of our lives moving through space, moving through time, moving through our experiences, and our interactions with the world around us.” —Alzamora
As soon as Jasper saw the work, incredibly, he ooed and gawked over it. Really! It was incredible. But it surely is overwhelming with its size and stature.
From Emil’s work, Uber connected us to the rest of the city, where we went TO TOWN creating a guide for you. Yes, baby in tow. I brought our car seat and stroller with us and I was surprised with how easy it was to get to our destinations. Here’s what we found:
To Eat in Miami
Cecconi’s at Soho Beach Hotel wonderful food in a beautiful courtyard!
Front Porch Cafe for breakfast. An iconic spot!
Mandolin–delicious Mediterranean
Above, the courtyard of Cecconi’s at Soho Beach Hotel
To see in Miami
Vizcaya is a historic villa that feels like you’ve step foot in Italy. I was really overcome with how beautiful the location and details were. This is a Lars MUST! We’ll be sharing more about this in a follow-up post so you can see all the glorious details.
Art Deco District is iconic for its historic buildings and sorbet colors. Find a great walking tour and step foot into a wonderful of pristine architecture.
The Bass museum was a high volume destination for Art Week with contemporary artists. It’s a super doable museum in terms of size and features great collections. Plus, it’s in a very walkable part of town.
Wynwood Walls is Instagram gold. Sadly, the official part of the area was closed when we got there, but there was plenty to see with the street art and murals. Our Uber-partner dropped us off at one spot and we spent an evening walking around eating gelato and visiting shops. 
Miami Design District is a luxury design haven. It seemed a bit unaccessible at first based on the types of stores, but we grabbed a map that led us to the art highlights. You can find works by Buckminster Fuller and Le Corbusier, plus awesome murals and interesting architecture.
We stayed at Tribute Portfolio’s Royal Palm Hotel, which had an amazing view of the city and was in a perfect part of town. 
Thank you, Uber, for connecting us to the best art parts of Miami’s Art Week. What a treat to get to know Miami through such a beautiful lens.
Photography by Jane Merritt
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