Ocean Drive...

This evening I took myself on a little drive to Miami, to find Ocean Drive!!!
(I tried to find the Light House Family music video to put in here, but it seems to have been deleted from the internet?!)

We finished on time and the sun was still shining so I thought I'd make the most of the beautiful weather and having a car, and took myself on a little roadtrip. It was only supposed to take half an hour, but I took a wrong turn which ended up lengthening my journey quite a lot.

I ended up taking a wrong turn that took me through down town Miami (I think), passed the American Airlines Arena where the Miami Heat were playing in the NBA Playoffs, so the roads were jammed nad there were people everywhere. It was good though because although the traffic was moving slowly, I got to take in some of the sights, like all the fancy cars around me. At one point I was behind a Masarati which was next to a Ferrari, which was next to an Aston Martin!

I was also able to take in some of the architecture - like this amazing church...

When I finally arrived on Ocean Drive it was amazing! It was like being on a film set, or being in the Vice City game that Tom's got - it was quite surreal. The buildings were stunning art deco style and many of them had beautiful old cars parked outside them.

I managed to park on the next street along and go for a walk up and down Ocean Drive to take it all in...

The colours haven't come out very well in these photos, I was using my phone - I wish I'd brought my proper camera with me, if I'd known I was going to be seeing stunning buildings and cars like these I would have definitely brought it with me.

It was really busy, every restaurant was playing music, attracting people to come and sit outside, some had live music playing, there were shops and bars all with their own individual look, but all looking perfectly inkeeping with each other.

People were cruising up and down in their fancy cars and motorbikes, I even saw a Maybach parked by the side of the road, I've don't think I've ever seen one in real life (Simon Cowell has one though I think... maybe it was his?!).

I loved all the typography on the signs too, all the art deco typefaces in neon looked fantastic, even before they were all lit up.

It must have been amazing to be living in America when all these buildings had just been built. I always think it would be so exciting to have been in New York back during the 1930's, when all the art deco style was new. It's funny how it can look so right in New York and then look so right in Miami, but the two places couldn't be more different.

After walking around for a bit I finally made a decision on where to eat - a lot of the places were pretty fancy, so I just went to Johnny Rockets which was a diner style place. Oddly enough, the table I was sitting at was right next to the stairs that are featured in Scarface. I've not seen Scarface (yet!) but apparently there's a famous scene with a chainsaw on some stairs... well, these were those stairs. I expect that will mean something if you've seen the film...?

By the time I'd finished eating it was dark, and so Ocean Drive took on a completely different feel - with all the restaurants neon signs now buzzing and glowing, and the trees lit up with neon coloured lights, it was like a mini Las Vegas...

I noticed as I was driving back down the road that runs parallel with Ocean Drive, that all the shops were art deco style too, I'm not sure which ones were old and which ones were new, but Gap had art deco architecture, as did Sephora and the Urban Outfitters sign was in an art deco font all lit up. It looked great.

The drive home was far less stressful - not one wrong turn, and seeing downtown Miami from a distance was great, seeing all the skyscrapers (nothing compared to the ones we have in New York!) lit up, and all the buildings around the docks lit up in bright yellows, purples and greens.

I'm so glad I went to find Ocean Drive (I almost went to the cinema instead!), I'd absolutely LOVE to go back properly some time and go on the beach there. Wouldn't it be amazing to stay in one those beach front hotels and drive down Ocean Drive in a classic convertible all American car... One day.