Engineer's Daughter: Miami

Wednesday:

Mental soundtrack ---> Wovenhand
My first full-body scan at SFO security, woo.
My first time on Virgin America too. They pipe music into the toilets. Just sayin'.
Stepping off the plane into humidity like I had forgotten even existed.
The fabulous Hotel St. Augustine.
Throwing on a sundress and running out to Tap Tap for a late-night Red Stripe.
Still 80 degrees at midnight.
Briefly considering buying a bikini at Walgreens just because I can.
So many nice people.

Thursday:

Mental soundtrack ---> The Love Language
Cuban pastries and coffee in the Hotel St. Augustine lobby with sun streaming through the windows and a very nice chocolate Lab named Bailey at my feet.
A stroll up Collins Ave, noting the profusion of tourist tees with the unfortunate catch-phrase "I'm In Miami Bitch"
Fresh mozzarella and a slew of veggies on the best French bread imaginable + a mango/banana/pineapple/orange smoothie at La Sandwicherie.
Swanky shopping in remodeled Art Deco hotel The Webster and sipping a glass of champagne at their vintage bar.
Admiring all the cool shiznit for sale at Base.
Parrots screeching in the palm trees.
Strawberry gelato from Gelateria Parmalat.
Definitely still allergic to mosquito bites.
Patatas bravas + chickpeas with spinach + baked goat cheese with tomato/garlic + a glass of cava at Tapas y Tintos.
The Afterhours event at the Miami Art Museum giving me a chance to cram in the excellent New Work Miami 2010 show, performances by Frozen Music and Flash Orchestra, and a live broadcast by Talking Head Transmitters.
The opening for the group show The New Frontier at Christopher Miro Gallery, which was also the debut for the awesome new gallery itself.
Then a jaunt up to the MOCA for the opening of Shinique Smith's gorgeously exuberant solo show Menagerie.
Embracing skimpy clothing as a way of life, at least for a few days. No dying of heat exhaustion that way too.

Friday:

Mental soundtrack ---> Q-Tip
Luminous NYC-era Ari Marcopoulos skater photos at OHWOW.
The super-rad Typoe show at Spinello Gallery, and a great conversation with the artist himself too.
Ginger-lemongrass ale + thin-crust margherita pizza + a chocolate/peanut butter bar with buttered popcorn ice cream at Michael's Genuine Food & Drink.
A tiny bright green lizard sneaking up the palm tree next to me.
All the amazing murals in the Wynwood district, but especially the sublime Barry McGee.
Words used to marvelous effect at David Castillo Gallery in the Profane Expressions group show.
An artfully-composed ode to Italiam Futurism in the Wolfsonian's Speed Limits exhibit, along with the wonders of their permanent collection.
Some sort of deadly vodka punch at The Raleigh pool bar.
Shrimp in garlic sauce + a lemonade at Puerto Sagua.
Dusk in Little Havana and the fantastic inaugural group show Get It Fresh! at the new 6th Street Container gallery.
High on inspiration.

Saturday:

Mental soundtrack ---> Twin Sister
Omg Everglades! Sawgrass as far as the eye could see and multiple alligator spottings, including a 'gator mama carefully guarding about 20 crazily squirming babies.
So glad I opted for the naturalist-led tram ride in Shark Valley over the ecologically-questionable airboat rides outside the park. Next time I will be brave and rent my own bike cuz that looked super-fun too.
Vegan tofu and wild mushroom stir fry over couscous + an Orangina at the Coral Gables Books & Books cafe.
A small but mighty exhibit about art and politics at the Lowe Museum on the University of Miami campus plus a showstopper of a David Park painting and one of the more impressive collections of ancient Mesoamerican art I've ever seen.
Steaming off the DEET I'd applied to fend off the Everglades mosquitoes in my own personal sauna-shower back at the Hotel St. Augustine. Have I mentioned how much I loved that place?
Three chickens casually crossing the road in the Design District.
Hey, Bay Area, this thing where you can pay for parking at any meter from your cell phone and then you get a text when your time is about to run out? Get on it.
A strawberry and mint spritzer + shiitake mushroom steamed buns with sesame paste + butter-seared grouper with ginger-cauliflower puree and honey-kimchee vinaigrette + a rice krispie chocolate bar topped with creamy Bavarian chocolate and Ovaltine at Gigi.
Getting my hipster dance party on with Surfer Blood and The Drums at Grand Central.
Also glad to see the Global Hipster Fashion Memo made it to the kids in Miami. They're cute though.