Over the past few weeks Constant Companion and I had a few of our own adventures in town. All were very enjoyable and, as usual, introduced us to old venues and some new ones of which we’d not been aware.

Somewhere along the way, I received an intriguing invitation to a daytime soirée aboard the ultra-luxe ship Seabourn Encore during her inaugural stop in Miami.

Readers of Saveur Magazine were welcomed on board to enjoy luxury hospitality and celebrate culinary storytelling. Our exclusive ship tour began and started in the ship’s Observation Bar. We were toured through the ship’s many decks to see all that is offered to passengers, from elegant restaurants, glamorous spas, swimming pools, and more.

The gathering closed with a cocktail hour and a dynamic conversation about how food evokes a sense of place, whether on land or at sea. Saveur Editor-in-Chief Kat Craddock moderated the discussion between Miami chef Luciana Giangrandi (Boia De, Walrus Rodeo), and Daniel Putzhammer, Seabourn’s senior director of food and beverage. 

What caught my eye as meandered from deck to deck was the proliferation of artwork. Later I read that Seabourn’s art collection comprises more than 1,600 artworks. Nothing was labeled and I was only able to find reference to a few pieces on-line.

We slowly descended the elliptical double-helix staircase deigned by Adam Tihany connecting deck 4 to deck 10 in the middle of the ship’s Atrium. The late Murano-born sculptor Luciano Vistosi‘s crystal work, Warrior the Second, is a central part of the Atrium.

I was charmed by Korean ceramic artist Yoo Eui Jeong’s delightful vase. Yoo’s work blends tradition with modernity in one-of-a-kind works. Hello Kitty tops the piece displayed in Encore’s Lift Lobbies.

Constant Companion and I agreed that this was a delightful out-of-the-ordinary way to spend any late morning, early afternoon.

A few weeks later, we joined the Greater Miami Convention and Visitor Bureau’s second Asian-American Community Tour (see 6-26-2024 post for last year’s tour). Our group was taken across the Asian continent, from the Pacific Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea, a huge expanse of land and diverse cultures, all in Miami.

The first stop was the offices of the On Leong Merchant Association in the second floor of an anonymous strip mall near downtown. Miami’s chapter of this organization, one of many in the US, was established in 1926. Long ago, I learned that this organization was what used to be called a mutual aid society. Not only are new immigrants assisted, but also workers and businessmen and women get support in times of need.

Displayed around the large room were panels of an exhibit about Chinese immigrant contributions to the building of the railroads in the American west. Nestled in one area of the room was a small shrine.

I was taken back to my first museum job in Cleveland, Ohio in the late 70s when I saw the shrine. One year, at the time of the Lunar New Year our staff was invited to observe the celebrations in the On Leong Ong offices in the city’s very small Chinatown.

Next stop was the Sacred Vedic Arts Bakti-Yoga Cultural Center (https://sacredvedicarts.org/) located in residential Buena Vista near the Design District. Here, the Sacred Vedic Arts is a devotional art gallery, temple, cultural center, and spiritual community. The goal of their members is to preserve, promote, and propagate the rich cultural heritage of the Vedic tradition, and to provide a platform for spiritual enrichment, artistic expression, community engagement, and sustainable living.

We were introduced to the artwork of Srimati Syamarani Didi, a world-renowned spiritual teacher and artist, that filled the small building. She has created more than 400 pieces of artwork through which the teachings of Bhakti yoga are taught.

From India, the tour continued to a corner of Japan near Miami Beach and the Ichimura Miami Japan Garden   (https://friendsofjapanesegarden.com/history/). Kiyoshi Ichimura, founder of Tokyo-based Ricoh Company, Ltd. visited Miami in the 1950s and was taken by the city’s natural beauty; he donated $300,000 for the creation of a public Japanese garden. Materials for the garden along with skilled craftsmen and gardeners came from Japan to Miami to create this getaway place. Ichimura also donated an 8-foot-tall Kasuga Stone Lantern and a 15-foot tall Hotei statue to the garden. It started as the San-Ai-An Japanese Garden in 1961. Sometime afterwards, the name was changed to honor Mr. Ichimura.

Our hosts showed us a beautiful example of Ikebana, flower arranging ready when we arrived. We were treated to two demonstrations. First was the South Florida Kyudo Kai or Way of the bow and Ceremonial shooting. We watched the meticulous steps taken in the practice of shooting the Japanese bow.

The visit concluded with Samurai Experience which showed the traditional Japanese martial art of drawing the sword, cutting, and returning it to its scabbard with grace and power in a peaceful manner.

Our tour finished with a visit to the Jewish Museum of Florida-FIU. This museum, founded in 1995, grew out of a statewide oral history project that documented Jewish history in the state. The permanent exhibit explores 250 years of Florida Jewish history, arts, and culture; it is supplemented through the year with temporary exhibits.

The Museum is located in two restored historic buildings that were once synagogues for Miami Beach’s first Jewish congregation, Congregation Beth Jacob. The original synagogue was built in 1929, the second in 1936; the latter was designed by Art Deco architect Henry Hohauser. Still in the building are eighty stained-glass windows, a copper dome, and a marble bimah.

At our first two stops, our group was treated with goody bags and tasty food. A catered lunch from local restaurant, Abbalé Telavivian Kitchen, a family-run restaurant inspired by the café’s of Tel Aviv, was waiting for us at the Jewish Museum.

Just this past week we enjoyed an early evening launch of Atelier Nomads in Coral Gables. This pop-up cocktail party featured designer items from Morocco hosted by hotelier, designer, and author Maryam Montague and Terranova president Mindy McIlroy. Items for sale included one-of-a-kind handmade rugs, furniture, pottery, baskets, and more.

I was drawn to the works of two artists, one in my love, textiles, Tamra Fago. The other was painter, Helena H. Bierly. Both of their collections were inspired by a stay at Montague’s hotel near Marrakesh.

Your guess is as good as mine of what adventures await during our wet summer (rainy season is June1-November 1). Summer is supposed to be slow, but Constant Companion’s lists of gallery exhibits continues to fill up every weekend!