A rainbow of colors brought wide-ranging emotions during an October visit here to this hot and humid city alongside the Atlantic Ocean.
Let's start at the corner of 12th and Ocean Drive, where the intersection features four multi-colored crosswalks, something always eye-catching. (The colorful intersection, mind you, always makes me wonder why we don't see something similar in Chicago, perhaps at Roscoe and Halsted Streets, as many claim that to be the heart of Boystown.)
Anyway, back to Miami and its colorful corner – with the beach a 30-second walk away. The northwest corner features a memory-filled, yet boarded-up building. This was where The Palace Bar stood, with its near-three decades of history serving the LGBT community and beyond. The Palace Bar on South Beach closed this past summer.
Thomas Donell bought the popular Ocean Drive location nine years ago, but Palace had already been open 20 years before Donnell acquired Palace.
The Palace closed because the entire building requires a major renovation, according to the owner of the building. Donnell, meanwhile, is looking for a new location.
And he wants the new Palace to include a hotel and restaurant, and still stand on Ocean Drive.
(Anyone looking for updates on Palace can text 'PALACE' to 64600 for the latest.)
Let's now jaunt over to Miami's Wynwood neighborhood, which truly overflows with vibrant color-filled artwork, restaurants, breweries, and more. The area formerly was an industrial district, and now most of the area is highlighted by colorful murals that cover the walls of many of the buildings.
The Wynwood Art District is a popular destination, and one of the best ways to see, learn and taste this part of town is via the Miami Culinary Tour (www.miamiculinarytours.com), where you can sample multiple restaurants while learning all about one of the largest open-air street art collections in the world.
My October tour, led by Marie Perea, was about a three-hour experience that included ceviche, an empanada, key lime pie, and more. I'll admit, I had no clue what to expect as we drove to Wynwood. By the time I returned to The Julia Hotel in Miami Beach, my belly was full, my brain was expanded with art intake and knowledge, and my cell phone battery was drained from selfies and mural pics.
Wynwood is a must-visit and I'd strongly suggest Miami Culinary Tours, which also offers South Beach, Little Havana and Miami City Food Tours.
I'd also suggest visits to The Julia, a recently-renovated 29-room, adults-only boutique hotel located in Miami's South of Fifth neighborhood, also known as SOFI.