What’s Cool

Art Everywhere You Look
Art Basel Miami Beach is taking over the town this weekend. In addition to the main show at Miami Beach Convention Center, there are more than two dozen independent fairs at venues throughout the city. Contemporary art is on display nearly everywhere: in hotel rooms on South Beach, in covered tents in the Wynwood Art District, aboard private yachts – even in privates homes in the historic Buena Vista neighborhood near the Design District. Photo courtesy MCH Swiss Exhibition (Basel/Zurich) Ltd.

Don’t miss…

Wine Tastings Around Town
In Miami, oenophiles don’t have to look very far for a sassy Chardonnay or pensively piquant Pinot Noir. The Miami Herald’s Fred Tasker recently provided a list of wine tastings around town for wine lovers to explore. Included are Cefalo’s Wine Cellar in Coconut Grove (a personal fave) and Schnebly’s Redland Winery, where tropical fruits like lychee, passion fruit and guava take the place of grapes. Only in South Florida!

Kid Stuff

Family Fun for the Holidays
Plenty of fun stuff to do in Miami if you’ve got kids of your own or visiting small fry. Miami Seaquarium has extended hours, bounce houses, characters in costume and a 50-foot Snow Slide during its Winter Nights & Lights. Miami Children’s Museum has its annual Snow Play presented by Target – REAL snow for kids to jump around in – on Dec. 22 at noon. Coral Gables City Hall will light its giant Christmas tree at 7 p.m. tonight (Dec. 7). Their Santa Village is just across the street, at Merrick Park, and offers a nightly winter wonderland with lots of activities for the family from 5-10 p.m. including carnival games, trackless train, face painting, candy land and more.

Pop Culture...

Roy Lichtenstein at Fairchild
The Chilhuly exhibit charmed and dazzled visitors with its brilliantly colored glass sculptures in the shapes of bee hives, onion-like orbs and glass stalks. Now visitors to Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden can have a Pop art experience among the trees and flowers with its new exhibit of sculptures from Pop art icon Roy Lichtenstein. The Garden is open daily 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with special extended hours on Thursdays (till 9 p.m.). Roy Lichtenstein at Fairchild will be on display through May 31, 2008.