About a month ago, I showed you the photos from my first “major trip” to Florida, including many pics from Miami Beach. But I didn’t mention that I had taken a day trip to Miami Beach once before, in late summer of 2013. This was possible as a day trip because I was staying a weekend in West Palm Beach, as part of a 2-week business trip. As I said last month, if you’re a fan of Art Deco architecture, you MUST visit the city of Miami Beach, even if you aren’t a beachgoer. This city has the biggest collection of original Art Deco buildings in the world. But it’s not your typical Gotham-City-style Art Deco. Miami Beach developers took the basic elements of Art Deco and added bright colors, boating motifs, and “eyebrows”. The resulting style has come to be called Tropical Art Deco.
WARNING: This post is ENTIRELY photos of Art Deco buildings. There is nothing else to see here, and certainly nothing worth reading. If you are not an Art Deco fan, you may not survive this post.
Breakwater Hotel. ‘Tis much more pleasant than the Breakwind Hotel.Breakwater HotelBreakwater HotelEdison HotelCongress Hotel (shouldn’t this be in DC?)Congress HotelThis is not historic art deco, but I still thought it looked pretty cool.Detail showing “eyebrows” on the Congress Hotel.Hotel VictorHotel VictorThis was Gianni Versace’s mansion. He was murdered in broad daylight just outside the gate shown here.Hotel VictorMiami Beach is primarily “tropical art deco”. This building is more in line with what I call “Gotham City art deco”.The Leslie Hotel was one of several historic hotels in the process of being restored while I was there.The CarlyleThe CarlyleCardozo Hotel (where I ended up staying on my next visit)“Eyebrows” above the windowsWebster HotelMarlin HotelThe Fairwind was another of several hotels in the process of being restored.Fairwind HotelEssex HotelBeach Patrol HQBeach Patrol HQYes, there is a beach at Miami Beach, but that’s not what I was here for.Clevelander HotelThe architect of the Congress Hotel was also creator of the Pac-Man font.Tides HotelTides HotelLeslie HotelMore eyebrowsMore eyebrowsEven more eyebrowsThis place needs to shave.Cavalier HotelCavalier HotelWinter Haven HotelWinter Haven HotelWinter Haven HotelOn a later visit, I learned that this row of hotels is especially pretty after dark, due to their neon lighting.The main dragPenguin HotelCrescent HotelCrescent moons at the Crescent HotelBLATANT use of the Pac-Man fontI would love to re-visit with a tripod to photograph this place at night.Them is some gangly palm trees!McAlpin HotelRobot Face, I mean, McAlpin HotelOcean Plaza HotelDrake HotelDolce HotelSagamore Hotel signSagamore HotelNational Hotel (shouldn’t this be in DC?)Detail of the National HotelSan Juan Hotel (they ain’t ALL beautiful)My favorite! The Delano HotelMy favorite! The Delano HotelRitz Plaza HotelThe Surfcomber HotelShelborne HotelGreystone HotelGreystone Hotel is another one that was being restored while I was there……as was this one.This one almost looks more like a hospital than a hotel.Dorchester HotelMaxine Hotel. Windows were on the corners to improve airflow in the days before air conditioning.The Dorset HotelRitz Plaza HotelCLASSIC art deco style of the Ritz Plaza Hotel. This would fit right in at the Rockefeller Center in NYC.Claremont Hotel (also being restored)Claremont Hotel (also being restored)Sign for the Gale Hotel, with the Delano Hotel across the streetSign for the Gale HotelGale HotelPatio at the Gale HotelAlbion HotelLove that Delano tower!This liquor store was very subtle.Berkeley Shore Hotel seems to have been taken from a Dr. Seuss book.Detail of The Berkeley Shore HotelEntrance to The Berkeley Shore HotelSt. Moritz HotelA more recent structure, but one that still exhibits an art deco styleTropics HotelSt. Moritz HotelShorecrest HotelParisian HotelJerry’s (Allegedly) Famous DeliDetail of Jerry’s (Allegedly) Famous DeliAnother very subtle liquor storeHenrosa HotelHenrosa Hotel and more restorationCarlton HotelThe front step of the Carlton HotelCarlton HotelRiviere HotelNassau HotelKind of hard to tell from this pic, but this is a fountain of sorts.Beach Plaza HotelYet more restoration work was underway at the Beachcomber Hotel.Cool yet weirdAn outdoor doorWebster HotelDetail of the Webster HotelMarlin HotelDetail of the Marlin HotelFront door of the Marlin HotelPatio railing at the Marlin HotelArchitectural detail from the Marlin HotelKent HotelKent HotelKent HotelPalmer House HotelPalmer House HotelEntrance to the Palmer House HotelTudor Hotel Tudor HotelPresumably Pricey Pigeons atop the old Versace mansionThis place definitely needs some restorin’Clevelander HotelApparently, some rich mofo was nearby.In case you didn’t recognize the insignia on the outside of the car.Waldorf Towers Hotel
Aahhhhh…it feels good to have purged so many photos. Now I can go out and binge some more. It looks like there will be no art deco in next week’s ThrowBack Thursday. It should be a couple of Colorado day trips.
Voyages with Parkinson's 
