36 Hours

The Art Days Guide

36 Hours in Artistic Downtown

For three days, September 20-22, Downtown Miami becomes a playground for the arts. Artists open their studios. Established galleries and museums present new exhibits and conferences. We have opera, micro theater, jazz, classical music, film, dance and, of course, food and drink. With so many events, 125, it gets confusing. Our staff at SalonEspañol.com undertook the task of summarizing. The result is an opinionated guide we called 36 Hours in Artistic Downtown. 

Raúl Guerrero es periodista, historiador y novelista. Se especializa en historia cultural e idioma. Es autor de numerosas obras, se destacan las novelas INSOLENCE y La dudosa fuga de la cronista LIBERTINA. Dicta conferencias frecuentemente en Florida y New York. 

Raúl Guerrero is a journalist, historian, and  writer specializing in cultural history and language. He is the author of numerous works, notably the novels INSOLENCE and La dudosa fuga de la cronista LIBERTINA. He lectures frequently in Florida and New York. 

Puede contactarlo: RGuerrero@salonespanol.com

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Niels Johansen

Friday

4 pm. No better way to start a weekend than having tapas and a glass of wine. Wine by the Bay has a California wine tasting. 888 Biscayne Blvd. winebtb.com.

 If wine is not your thing, walk to Doma Polo Bistro for an exotic drink, and a delicious Ojo de Bife a la Parrilla. Argentine! 900 Biscayne Blvd. domapolo.com

 6 pm. This neighborhood is called Museum Plaza for a reason. Cross the Boulevard to the new Perez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) for a conversation on its architecture, featuring the new director, Thom Collins, and the former director, T. Riley. 1300 Biscayne Blvd. 

 7:30 pm. Two blocks south is the majestic Freedom Tower. Constructed in the 1920s for the Miami Daily News, it became in 1962 the Cuban Refugee Center. Now it’s MDC Museum of Art. The building alone is worth the visit. And what an evening it has. They are kicking off the College’s new cultural campaign with art, music, and film. The series Swing/Space/Miami features Leandro Vazquez, and screenings of award-winning shorts by Carlos Zaldiva, Anja Marias and Cedric Prevost. The evening concludes with a performance by Brazilian pianist Andre Mehman. 600 Biscayne Blvd. 

 8:30 pm. Dinner. Still within the Miami Dade College campus, you will find Tuyo, on the top floor of the Miami Culinary Institute. Award-winning chef Norman Van Aken has created a menu celebrating Latin, Caribbean Asian and African dishes. Great food and great views of Miami. Make a reservation. 415 NE 2nd Ave. Tuyo.com

 10:00 pm. McCormick Place. Can’t miss this historical venue.  (If you can’t make it on Friday, it’s open Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm.) Sean McCormick promises that 2nd DWNTOWN Art Days at McCormick will be a multi-sensory evening stimulated by art, jazz, DJs, and Fashion. Visit the 2nd floor studios, and particularly Eleazer Delgado Studio on the 7th floor. Mr. Delgado will exhibit his new work based on Miami’s history. McCormick Place is one of Miami’s most creative venues, inside and out. 111 SW 3rd St. Mccormickplacemiami.com

Midnight - 5am. The ART DAYS Launch Party. A dance party at the Vagabond. Music by The Hogs. 30 NE 14th St. TheVagabondmiami.com   

Saturday

10 am. Balcony to Basement Tour of the Historic Olympia Theater. The venerable institution was built in 1926. 174 E Flagler St.

 11 am. Take a self-guided walking tour. Our staff at SalonEspanol.com created this short and delicious walk along NE 1st Ave. Enjoy five architectural gems. Walking the Downtown Historic District will give you a sense of connection to Miami’s magical beginning, to its dynamic evolution from a wilderness to Florida’s second city. Miami was incorporated in 1896 and by 1912 already had one of the most imposing buildings in the Southland. The point of departure for this self-guided tour is the corner of NE 1st St. and NE 1st Ave. All the buildings are within a five-block walk.  

1.        Old US. Post Office and Courthouse. 100 NE 1st Ave. Built 1912. Classical. The first federal building in Miami. It housed the Post Office, Courts, offices and a weather bureau. At the time of its construction it was considered the most imposing building south of Washington, DC.

2.        Capital Lofts at the Security Building. 117 NE 1st Ave. Built 1926. Second Empire Style. With 16 stories, it was the most imposing in the city. It has a faux mansard roof topped where an eight-sided tower rises. It houses the CU1 Gallery.

3.        Gesu Church. 118 NE 1st Ave. Built 1925. The interior follows the Baroque tradition of Roman Catholic Churches. The exterior is Mediterranean Revival. Run by Jesuits, it houses the first parish, Holy Name, established in 1896.

4.        David W. Dyer Building (Old Court House) 300 NE. 1st Ave. Built 1931.Neoclassical. Considered Miami’s grandest structure. Off the lobby is an open courtyard with a 2-story gallery.

5.        Final destination: Central Baptist Church. 500 NE 1st Ave. Built 1926. Neoclassical. It’s gold copula is reminiscent of Jefferson’s Monticello. Its auditorium, one of Downtown’s largest, seats a total of 2500. It houses the Artisan Lounge, a space for artists.

Noon. Progressive Studio Tour at the Artisan Lounge. Visit with the resident artists, who will give mini talks.  For ART DAYS the Artisan Lounge features new works by Katy Stallfus and Cesar Rey.       

 1:30 pm. Lunch. One block west from Biscayne Boulevard is 3rd Ave. This strip between 2nd Street and Flagler, exemplifies Downtown’s revitalization.  Restaurants and cafes line both sidewalks, ranging from Pizza Rustica and Hibachi to CIV-CHE150.

 Our recommendations:

Porketta: If you want a lunch with ingredients you must take home, Porketta has delicious slowly roasted pork with crispy skin. NE 43 3rd Ave. 305 372- 0034. Porkettamiami.com.

Cvi.Che 50: Connoisseurs assure that it is Miami’s best Ceviche. And other specialties include Lomo saltado. A must for dinner or a solid almuerzo. And don’t forget to have one Pisco Sour, or two, or three. NE 105 3rd Ave. Ceviche105.com.

Elwood’s Gastro Pub: Good for lunch or dinner, but this neighborhood English Pub is our preferred place for afternoon European Soccer and good beer. At half-time order the memorable fish and chips. (For those whose religion is soccer, now open at 7 am for beer and the Premier League.) 188 NE 3rd Ave. 305 358-5222. Elwoodsmiami.com.

 3:00 pm Time to have some real fun. Whether you have children or you are a child at heart, you will enjoy the water balloon kickball tournament between two art institutions, CIFO and Cannon Ball. And you can join a team. CIFO 1018 N. Miami Ave. Cifo.org.

 4:00 pm. Tao Ray’s “Word Weary” at BassFisherInvitational, based on a series of photographs that he shares on Instagram, capturing uncanny moments. BasFisherInvitational is an experimental venue. 100 NE 11th St.

 And there, it’s cocktail time again.

 7. pm The Evening gives you a plethora of choices. For sangria and micro theater the choice is the Spanish Cultural Center. Micro Theater? Yes, out of a container and for an audience of no more than 15. The plays last fifteen minutes and cost $5 a pop. The line up is quite musical: Tango Man, Salsa. Performances are in Spanish.

 8. pm. If you are one of those monolinguals in this vibrant multilingual urban center, don’t worry. There is jazz at CIFO or Lyric Opera at the venerable Olympia Theater at the Gusman Center.   

Dinner. If you do go to the opera, our recommendation is Soya e Pomodoro. Downtown’s best kept secret. Simple food made with love. At the historical Arcade building. 120 NE 1st Street. 305 381 9511.

Sunday

11:00 am. Brunch at ToroToro, the InterContinental Hotel, chef Richard Sandoval’s pan-Latin take on a modern steakhouse. The InterContinental will screen the work of Miami filmmakers Wet Heat Project. 100 Chopin Pl. Torotoromiami.com.

 Noon. End the weekend in a high note visiting the History Museum. Take the Metromover to Government Center Station. HistoryMiami features Tropical Dreams: A People’s History of South Florida. It explores the first arrivals, international rivalry, southward expansion, the Gateway to the Americas. HistoryMiami 101 W Flagler ST.

ART DAYS  is a collaboration between Downtown’s arts and culture partners and Miami DDA. For information visit The Hub at Grand Central Park, 700 N Miami Ave.