Design in the hood

Can I tell you...about Miami's Design District. Art galleries are always on the cutting edge. They find fringe neighborhoods to move into then turn them into hip meccas. Little by little, restaurants, stores and showrooms start popping up in the vicinity. That's what happened to Soho in the early 80s and then more recently in Chelsea in New York. Now Miami has one to call their own.The neighborhood is home to nearly 130 art galleries, showrooms, boutiques, restaurants and bars. It has becoming quite the destination for all things style and design related.I was recently in Miami for an extended weekend so I thought I would scope out the neighborhood. I had already tried some of the restaurants the last time I was here but never got a chance to walk around. While it has a ways to go before it turns into Chelsea, there were some pleasant surprises. I had brunch at Brosia, which has a great outdoor space. They have a huge tiled wall with a leaf design which I loved. You know me and prints.Around the corner is Y3, Tomas Maier and Marni. It's Tomas' only store in the world. It is a beautiful space and curated with a very discerning eye. Tomas himself helped me choose some scarves for myself. Imagine that!
Over at Marni I perused their Limited Edition collection that is only available at Marni stores worldwide. Did I tell you...how much I love Marni prints?Next up was the Rubell Family Collection. I was excited to see their current show entitled "30 Americans" that opened at the last Art Basel show in Miami. I was lucky that they still had it up. I knew some of the artists and I was pleased to see their work included in the show.The Rubells have been collecting African-American Art since the 1960s and they only show art that they own. This is their private collection and it is an impressive one. They exhibited over 200 works of art; sculpture, installations, photography, painting and mixed media. The show is a must see if you happen to be in the neighborhood.One thing to keep in mind is that the galleries are not exactly walking distance from each other or from the cluster of restaurants and stores, unlike Chelsea. You know what I'm saying? So even if design is in the hood, this is one hood you don't want to be caught wandering about. Don't say I didn't warn you.