The Deering Estate in Miami is known as one of the most haunted places in South Florida! Miami is a walking city and Art Deco & Little Havana Tours offer a unique look at our “Magic City.” A New York City French restaurant has taken over a gorgeous South Beach art deco building that was abandoned for years. We ventured out of Miami Beach last Saturday night to see the new, improved CocoWalk in Coconut Grove which is now where the “in crowd” hangs out.

Historic Ghost Tours at Deering Estate 

I’m glad I didn’t know the Deering Estate is haunted the few times I’ve been there for parties. I would have been constantly looking over my shoulder for strange objects. The Miami estate was built in the 1920s by Charles Deering, an industrialist, early preservationist, environmentalist, art collector, philanthropist and first chairman of the International Harvester Company.  Everyone with the guts to go on the Ghost Tours will explore the history of the Deering Estate by stepping into the past. It’s going to be a little unnerving because your leaders will tell you about previous inhabitants in the main house and the paranormal activity that has taken place ever since. You will also walk the same paths as Miami’s early settlers and hear all of the stories about Ghost sightings.

The Deering Estate urges you to bring all the equipment you need to detect paranormal activity – such as pendulums, dowsing rods, EMF meters and cameras are welcome! Who owns these items and why? It is recommended to wear closed toe shoes, and to bring your own flashlight & mosquito repellent. The tour may contain mature subject matter.

Ghost Tours are offered on September 23 & 30; October 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21 & 26, 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. Cost: $40 per person. Space is limited! Purchase tickets online in advance.

Deering Estate, 16701 SW 72 Avenue, Miami, FL 33157

 Walking Tours

Miami is a great walking town. It’s all flat. There are so many things to see that you can truly enjoy yourself while getting great exercise. The colorful architecture, the ocean, the bay, the rivers, the open sky, the fashionistas and the wide variety of boats and ocean liners will keep your eyes busy every minute of the tour.

For more than a decade Art Deco & Little Havana Tours has offered fun and enlightening walking tours! They cater to smaller groups settings for an intimate engagement with an experienced tour guide who will take you on a journey of the history, the transformation, the influences that earned South Beach the nickname “The Magic City” including the fabulous Art Deco buildings. On the mainland, discover Little Havana, a preserved pocket neighborhood still bursting with flavors, rhythm, sounds, and traditions from the 1970s. Tours start at $12.00.

New York French Restaurant Takes Over South Beach Art Deco Building

A rendering shows the elegant dining room of Le Jardin Boucherie from New York’s The Group. Legeard Studio

When I first heard that the New York hospitality firm, responsible for the French Boucherie restaurants — Boucherie West Village, Boucherie Union Square, Petite Boucherie and La Grande Boucherie —was going  to open its first Boucherie restaurant South of Fifth, I prayed the company was  going to take over the most stunning Art Deco building on Washington Avenue that has been abandoned for years.

Located just down the street from Joe’s Stone Crab, the structure looks like it could be someone’s private mansion. It has been home to big name modeling agencies and other well-known restaurants. I have no idea why it’s been empty for so long other than it’s a big piece of property to maintain.

The Miami Herald reported that Le Jardin Boucherie is the first Boucherie concept to arrive in South Florida. Emil Stefkov, founder and president of The Group was quoted saying “It’s also the company’s first garden-themed restaurant. We have many beautiful concepts, and we knew Miami was next on our list to break ground on, and what better way to do that than with a French garden party?”

A rendering shows the outdoor garden at Le Jardin Boucherie, coming to Miami Beach.

Stefkov also said that the first floor will be a Parisian steakhouse designed to feel like it’s Paris in 1920.

“For those who prefer an intimate experience, a traditional omakase room will also open on the third floor, and next to it guests can imbibe at a secret speakeasy, the Golden Gai, open to restaurant guests before or after dining. But remember: you can only get a reservation with a recommendation from one of the restaurant regulars.”

The interior of La Jardin Boucherie.  Legeard Studio

LE JARDIN BOUCHERIE

Where: 81 Washington Ave., Miami Beach

Opening: Early 2023

https://amp.miamiherald.com/miami-com/restaurants/article263916411.html

CocoWalk Is Now Ready for Primetime Entertainment 

We ventured out of Miami Beach last Saturday night to see the new, improved CocoWalk in Coconut Grove. It’s about a half hour drive south of where we live. CocoWalk is an open-air shopping mall with lots of restaurants and independent boutique stores. Coconut Grove, also known colloquially as The Grove, used to be home to hippies and artists. The lush, jungle like landscaping that surrounds most of the private homes, was a perfect atmosphere to get lost in.

Now most of the creative types that like to live in isolation, or in affordable areas of Miami,  have been forced out because The Grove has become so ritzy. The neighborhood is bound by North Prospect Drive to the south, LeJeune Road to the west, South Dixie Highway (US 1) and Rickenbacker Causeway to the north, and Biscayne Bay to the east. It is south of the neighborhoods of Brickell and The Roads and east of Coral Gables. For the last few years, The Grove looked like faded glory because so many stores closed during the pandemic.

All that changed in recent months since the new CocoWalk was renovated and more and more stores keep popping up. The streets were jammed packed last Saturday as the area is now considered to be where “the in crowd” hangs out.

The Key Club, the most talked about restaurant in the press lately, is just at the entrance to CocoWalk. They must have spent a fortune on the interior because it’s so luxurious looking. The good news is that the food is not too expensive and not too fancy. This is a perfect spot for date night or for dining with the entire family.