Vacation to Miami 2016


Dadrian

Recommended Posts

My 5 year old son, my wife, and I stayed at 5445 Collins Ave. in an ocean view room on the 11th floor from Thursday, May 5th to Monday, May 9th. The weather was around 80 degrees and no rain for the entire stay!! May 6th marked our 10 year wedding anniversary (we honeymooned in South Beach), and Sunday, May 10th was Mother's Day, so we decided it would be a good weekend to go. I'll try to post the pics in chronological order by location. Any location buffs are welcome to paste links to the locations in the appropriate threads/posts.

 

Here come the pics...

 

edit: photobucket went nuts and I had to upload the pics thru this forum, so the descriptions aren’t in sync with the photos like they were originally. 

Edited by Dadrian
  • Like 4
Link to comment
Share on other sites

First stop: COFFEE

We drove straight to W Flagler downtown to what used to be La Libertad. Crockett and company stopped in here a few times in Season 3. The scenes in "Killshot" were most memorable for me.

 

Its kind of a rough area (someone got arrested while I was there once), but after trying many other places for Café Cubano, we quickly found their  "colada" (Google it) to be our favorite of all! We ended up coming back 2-3 times a day! Word of advice: bone up on your Spanish before you go to Miami if you want to enjoy local stuff like this.

 

E9F329E4-B627-4C2C-A752-AF22D48C7F16.jpeg

 

241C296A-3288-49B9-988A-4E8C44848D24.jpeg

Edited by Dadrian
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now that we have a cocaine-like coffee buzz (pretty sure there was some in it), we drove on down about 5 blocks to what was the gas station from Evan. Its just an auto repair garage now, but still a great site to see!

 

It was nowhere near time to drive my partner(s) home--we weren't tired at all! :p

 

Also, we drove by there one night hoping it would be lit up like in Evan. Sadly, it wasn't. 

131352E7-138B-48CD-A3AC-8109FD33B92F.jpeg

73F83E11-1F2F-4CA8-B6D6-B40207D98E73.jpeg

B89D95C2-3370-44C2-B61C-DF0A3A0B54E3.jpeg

Edited by Dadrian
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Next, we drove to a parking garage next to the courthouse (downtown), from which I got these shots:

The courthouse and surrounding area were under some pretty heavy renovation at the time, but I did manage to get this photo:

 

17FF6464-5DAF-43A1-9048-932074196C19.jpeg

1EEE10E7-2009-44DC-B66E-9363831A315B.jpeg

57409E15-8A11-4524-ABE0-AB463B244977.jpeg

Edited by Dadrian
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Then we surprised my son with a ride on the Metromover (a free automated mass transit train). We got off at The Omni. At that station, there was a good view of Artie's apartment from "Heart of Darkness" in the distance.

 

 

C4BB1023-7069-4572-9182-6190E10EB6F5.jpeg

9B97C7CB-083D-4D52-8317-1F284E54C607.jpeg

A3B4E8EF-F11C-4A19-9899-0086716BBD80.jpeg

Edited by Dadrian
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the way back to the room, we drove by The Freedom Tower. I didn't go to the top to assassinate anyone.

 

E0B7EEE0-0F61-47BE-BCC1-130A10EBCB5A.jpeg

Edited by Dadrian
  • Like 2
  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My son fell asleep in his car seat on the way back to the room, so we decided to just keep driving north past our room on Collins Ave.

We drove all the way to this little house from "Yankee Dollar", which still looks great!

 

Here's a little panoramic video:

 

85334C54-E599-4583-9527-203D3B189959.jpeg

Edited by Dadrian
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the way back to the room, we stopped by an authentic Columbian food restaurant that my former Miami-native cousin highly recommended called "Mi Tierra". It was great! However, none of the staff on hand (at least that night) spoke English, so, once again, my broken Spanish came in handy.

We ate outside where I got this pic looking west down 71st St.:

My plate had steak, pork rind, fried bananas, smoked sausage, a fried egg over rice, and a corn fritter with beans:

Then we finished with a colada. This Columbian brew was very unique, but still great.

 

DA88CDF6-6FBF-439A-9293-4752E16D2D4F.jpeg

3136ACF0-9EEB-4613-88FB-298A89217B0F.jpeg

AD1E4883-8797-48FD-829F-228427A1BA49.jpeg

0D2B59C4-40C6-4D0F-98AD-27B27EDB19E1.jpeg

Edited by Dadrian
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The next day, we had lunch at Senor Frogs. I was pleasantly surprised to see so many details the same as they were in the teaser "Made for Each Other".

 

Here's a short panoramic video from inside:

I somehow failed to get any exterior shots that day, but I got these the following night:

"ASHES?? ASHES???" :)

9742CE58-080F-4F0B-8D31-CE5C63661261.jpeg

6D0A4540-ABFC-4B47-9111-9D8E5609876C.jpeg

68D6570C-5C72-4977-8904-D343F7A7B933.jpeg

Edited by Dadrian
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

After lunch, we went back to W Flagler for coffee, then we decided to go to Key Biscayne. As we drove alongside the river downtown, I happened to notice Jose Marti Park coming up. We pulled over and let my son play for awhile.

 

 

I got this pic standing in the meet from "No Exit" area:

 

Here are panoramic videos from two different vantage points:

 

E93A5BF2-033F-45AC-A047-51C142203972.jpeg

BDCED8CA-E295-46D6-8B2B-FEDC134046BE.jpeg

4D0C0A5C-50F8-4237-95C5-ADCCF0F0D2AD.jpeg

FB755D17-1584-45E3-B61E-F68A4EBBD22A.jpeg

Edited by Dadrian
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now off to Key Biscayne.

When we got to Bill Baggs Park, a pro photographer was taking some shots of a young couple (who were evidently expecting a new baby) close to the lighthouse. He offered to take a pic of us, but he seemed a little perplexed about this pose. I guess he's not a member here. ;)

 

I got this shot of some local fishermen as we were walking back to the car. Notice Stiltsville in the distance:

 

We couldn't leave without driving by THE Miami Vice house:

 

Maybe McCarthy has some hippie friends :)

 

There was a coffee stand on the way out of that neighborhood. My son took this:

 

 

Then we stopped in Biscayne Park to get this shot of the Atlantis Building:

 

Another shot from Biscayne Park. Check out the espadrillas my wife scored! Crockett would approve:

 

 

...then on around to Brickell to get a mandatory selfie:) :

 

 

I took this sunset pic while sitting at a traffic signal close to our room. This is where Tubbs met with the drug dealer in "Everybody's in Showbiz".

 

 

That night we went back to Key Biscayne to have dinner at The Rusty Pelican. Nice place! Check out the financial district from our table:

8402B808-B48B-4B29-8816-EB640472D8E2.jpeg

4DBDE85A-8B23-4F3C-9204-064690044384.jpeg

520EB614-C204-4D1F-AEEF-6E16DEE6127B.jpeg

19D11D82-F881-4F8E-A57D-3201FB07425A.jpeg

ACD4438B-D034-4F22-8E38-97A5B1A8A645.jpeg

B1A1EF6A-1ABB-4F06-8620-AC58C3D59922.jpeg

DCDCFC6B-CD64-4F99-8B5E-A64A96915460.jpeg

491D085E-65DF-4FC9-8F75-6866342734E9.jpeg

ABF939ED-759D-4FDA-A335-3D0AA0B8F19A.jpeg

DE86CFDA-A9F9-466C-BB9A-917E679C1E41.jpeg

EC7A2F9C-EFD7-46D9-ADB7-EA97E0B601E9.jpeg

93A7DDC7-211C-4153-84DF-6DF5851141B1.jpeg

Edited by Dadrian
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

We HAD to come by here the next day:

 

9A9616BE-CD4D-4B46-B678-254879BF8173.jpeg

Edited by Dadrian
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

That night, we decided to have a walk in South Beach.

I think I found the cheapest parking garage in Miami! "The 17th Street Garage" at 1755 Meridian Ave. only charged $3 both times we parked there (for more than 2 hours, both times). Also, it looks like its straight from 1986. Check it out:

The garage is HUGE, so finding an open space is no problem, but we still parked on the roof to take photos.

2E81C2BA-61A5-412A-B6F5-84BDA41BB348.jpeg

5EB43B87-1200-449D-848E-7A0FF69C1A76.jpeg

FEFC5EEB-EF76-4C86-A206-1956AA87F4C3.jpeg

3D4E7D5B-4489-4E77-B290-A9DF54956724.jpeg

5003C82E-6C8E-47C1-B8C3-6C07C1FE7757.jpeg

339A6733-869A-4CDA-9929-0CBF63C2F031.jpeg

Edited by Dadrian
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The 17th Street Garage is very close to many Miami Vice locations, including this one from Buddies:

 

CD573E49-77C0-486E-9C8A-F5EE7E2C13B6.jpeg

Edited by Dadrian
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Now onto Ocean Drive...

 

Here's the Carlyle, complete with some shots around the side. Is that where they filmed Ira Stone taking a phone call outside in "Back In the World"?

 

Then the Versace house:

 

Various others:

 

Walking back to the garage, I got this shot of what I believe used to be the Kenneth Cole store (R.I.P. Iberia Restaurant). Location buffs: correct me if I'm wrong. It's a cool structure, regardless.

146B07C3-7F13-43F8-BA5F-557FBC7136F5.jpeg

DD3E36A4-AA45-4BFF-B98E-882AE7BA166C.jpeg

449223ED-A06B-4827-910C-450509532398.jpeg

97F16674-FEB0-4CFE-8777-EE32EE59D10B.jpeg

178316A6-20CC-4168-9A67-DB47AA99AAD4.jpeg

3E28A24F-D18C-44A4-92C4-342913744BDC.jpeg

DD2C7698-EDFF-419F-BA37-CFD349ECCD59.jpeg

6CE47676-2306-41C3-85D1-1C700079487B.jpeg

A2F6E67C-DB51-4BDE-938E-AEB868079D76.jpeg

DE6C468A-80B8-4132-B251-DD077CA90C62.jpeg

8430886A-C5DB-456A-9103-1666EA83480B.jpeg

C5F6A2D2-9246-420D-8645-5FE3362CF7C9.jpeg

57D151D1-ECE1-4DFC-93BB-EC30E6BA082D.jpeg

9C2A08C4-AA11-47AA-8BBB-3F3EF65382FE.jpeg

E72E4B6A-1849-4167-9886-DF2C8053B5ED.jpeg

D0ECA9CC-7454-429D-9920-23F0808EFC2A.jpeg

E744FF30-3B12-4206-B994-EFE555172B82.jpeg

90779A26-B950-425A-8D1F-CC4DBA3FF92E.jpeg

D6CBF0BD-C342-4E00-9700-04578C845357.jpeg

Edited by Dadrian
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Finally, on the way home, we stopped by the Swap Shop in Fort Lauderdale to pay our respects to greatest TV Show car EVER!

 

Idk if its been discussed here, but aside from MANY other GREAT Ferrari cars at the Swap Shop, there was a yellow Daytona Spyder that was cited to be used in 2 episodes of Miami Vice, but it wasn't described in as much detail, as seen with the Testarossa above. This yellow Daytona appeared to be an actual Ferrari. Wasn't the one in "One Way Ticket" a replica? Also, I don't recall seeing a Daytona (other than Crockett's) appearing in any other episode besides "One Way Ticket". Any thoughts?

BB423177-616D-4426-9D8C-50D77823E886.jpeg

1A385C58-6FE4-49B5-A735-5B2CE966209D.jpeg

017B99DB-3E24-4C19-975A-BA0CBDA930EA.jpeg

F3EB1465-9C70-40E2-8E6C-3756AB6B6C76.jpeg

C76F5B2D-75D5-498E-9418-A24E6F2744DC.jpeg

2844BD8A-0358-4147-896F-F63B1AB2DE20.jpeg

5A77E324-862B-423D-BE3C-0FD3E280F57F.jpeg

CC67F215-ACC8-497C-928D-19BD0DD724D0.jpeg

0E70BF64-47A2-48AC-94AB-3CAC88C7DE57.jpeg

33801C2B-04AE-41B5-A810-74BE54734E14.jpeg

Edited by Dadrian
  • Like 2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great pics Dadrian, beautiful family and nice to see you.  Do you know what's happening with the La Libertad, changing their logo?  Sure looks like the Iberia Restaurant, the Evan garage looks as run down as usual, good tip about the 17th Street Garage, not sure this is the real Vice car - check the posts on this site.  Thanks for sharing, look forward to the video.

Edited by miamijimf
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I agree with Tony D, this thread makes me eager to visit Miami!

  • What kind of camera did you use?  Did you use a tripod for night shots?
  • the color of the water looking out your hotel room is gorgeous!!!
  • that 17th Street parking garage is way cool!!!
  • I second MiamiJimF's question:  what is La Libertad called now?
  • yes, you're in exactly the right spot at the Carlyle where Stone makes a phone call
  • yes, you got the Iberia/Kenneth Cole spot right
  • I believe the yellow Daytona in "One Way Ticket" was a genuine Ferrari and there was no other Daytona appearance on MV
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, miamijimf said:

Great pics Dadrian, beautiful family and nice to see you.  Do you know what's happening with the La Libertad, changing their logo?  Sure looks like the Iberia Restaurant, the Evan garage looks as run down as usual, good tip about the 17th Street Garage, not sure this is the real Vice car - check the posts on this site.  Thanks for sharing, look forward to the video.

Thanks very much, Jim! The Libertad has really went down hill. I cropped it out the other wall because it has some bad graffiti on it. There are lots of bums hanging around it. They definitely have Tommy's recipe for rocket fuel coffee! Yes, I'll get the videos up next week, hopefully. They are short and sweet!

 

1 hour ago, vicegirl85 said:

Amazing pics!  Thank you so much for sharing!

 

 

Thanks, vicegirl85, and you're welcome!

 

1 hour ago, Tony D. said:

Man these pics make me want to pack my bags & take a trip to Miami!  Beautiful.  :thumbsup:

"Kinda makes you feel like you're in Florida, eh?" :)

 

51 minutes ago, summer84 said:

Wow... Beautiful pics!

Thank you for sharing all of these with us. 

Thanks, summer84, and you're welcome, too!

 

36 minutes ago, airtommy said:

I agree with Tony D, this thread makes me eager to visit Miami!

  • What kind of camera did you use?  Did you use a tripod for night shots?
  • the color of the water looking out your hotel room is gorgeous!!!
  • that 17th Street parking garage is way cool!!!
  • I second MiamiJimF's question:  what is La Libertad called now?
  • yes, you're in exactly the right spot at the Carlyle where Stone makes a phone call
  • yes, you got the Iberia/Kenneth Cole spot right
  • I believe the yellow Daytona in "One Way Ticket" was a genuine Ferrari and there was no other Daytona appearance on MV

Glad you like the photos, airtommy!

  • All of these were done with my iPhone 6S, so no tripod, but the crop function on the included photo editor suggests a rotation to a degree that seems to make things vertical/horizontal if desired. Also all the pics have the "magic wand" thing selected. I'm not sure exactly what all it does, but it's usually good.
  • Thanks! I believe I used the "Transfer" filter from the iPhone photo editor on the hotel room water pics. Almost all of the others have the "Chrome" filter for the vibrant primary colors. "Mama don't take my iPhone 6, Mama don't take my iPhone 6, Mama don't take my iPhone 6 awayyyeeeeyyaaay" (anyone? 50 points)
  • When (yeah, "when" :) ) I get a Ferrari, I'm taking it this garage for some photos! The selfie on the roof was for my Vice City-playing nephew, but I thought you guys might enjoy it, too.
  • There was no sign that I saw anywhere on or inside La Libertad--just a really, really bad mural of Tupac. He deserves better. Did I mention how good the coffee is?
  • Cool about the Carlyle! That little nook was a nice departure from the mob out front.
  • I went inside that Kenneth Cole building in 2003 (not realizing I was at the old Iberia), so it rang a bell when I walked by this time.
  • Guess I'll be watching "One Way Ticket" tonight to get another look at that Daytona. :fireworks:
  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay I watched the episode again. I know it's hard to tell just looking at these two photos, but having recently looking the car over closely in person, and looking at all the shots in the episode, I'm gonna say they are one and the same. The way the lines are on the hood, the single chrome mirror on the driver's side, and the stance of the wheels all look identical.

 

As far as the car being an actual Ferrari Daytona Spyder, I'm certainly not qualified to say. I will guess that if it's a real Ferrari, it was originally a hardtop GTB that was chopped. If it is a replica, it's far more authentic in detail than the black ones Crockett drove. 

 

Can we the Daytona buffs to weigh in here? I'm rambling. :) 

image.jpeg

image.jpeg

Edited by nofretz
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Excellent pics and what a nice looking family!  Congrats on your anniversary which happens to be on my birthday (May 6).  My friend and I went to Miami last year, arriving on May 8.  First stop?  La Libertad.  Never been before.  It's a sketchy neighborhood for sure.  Our second day in Miami we took our rented scooters for a cafecito (easily one of the best coffees I've ever had), and witnessed a drug deal, a street fight, and a dude cut in line with no one having a problem with it because, well, he was the dude who had just beat some dude up in the street fight.  Ho hum, another day in Miami...Here's what La Libertad looked like on May 8, 2015.  Congrats on a great trip Nofretz!

 

 

IMG_2656.JPG

  • Like 6
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.