The morning of July 15, 1997 would rock the fashion world and the history of Miami Beach. Italian designer Gianni Versace was shot to death on the front steps of his villa formally known as "Casa Casuarina" on Ocean Drive, part of the Art Deco historic district,  in South Beach, Florida.

Gianni Versace in his mansion in South Beach

This may be a somber note to start with for this fabulous blog, but Versace was influential in the transformation of South Beach.

"Versace propelled South Beach to a whole new stratosphere, one that attracted artists, celebrities and the super wealthy," shares Christine Michaels resident and founder/owner of the Art Deco Tours.

Versace moved to Miami in 1992 and purchased the dilapidated villa, originally built in 1930, and added his flair of design in every single room. This was his third home at the time and interesting enough he stayed during the hottest months of Miami, July and August.  It is also the least crowded in South Beach.

Ceiling in upstairs den of Versace villa in Miami

It remains the only house on Ocean Drive and unless visitors read beforehand about what to find on Ocean Drive, few know it was the home of the legendary designer who was killed at the ripe age of 50. When they do stumble upon the villa, one is drawn to the beautiful "elephant" on Art Deco row.  It is the most photographed building in Miami, mostly for morbid reasons. Tragically, Versace was shot to death on his front step by spree killer, Andrew Cunanan.

Versace mansion on Ocean Drive known as "Casa Casuarina"

 "I used to see Versace regularly walking on the sidewalk, no bodyguards, especially on Saturday nights to come outside, steps from his home, to hear Alex Fox play Spanish guitar for a free public performance. To add to the flair and Latin theme, Alex's wife danced flamenco. It was a lively show, and therefore it drew crowds and Versace blended in. No one noticed or knew," continues Michaels." But everyone knew his 'over-the-top' designs."

Versace revolutionized the catwalk with his brash use of color and sexuality.  This spilled over into the design of his home but also respected the traditional history of cultural details as seen below in the Middle Eastern inspired shower.

Christine Michaels stands in the shower nearest the pool area

With regards to fashion, he was inspired by the punk era and incorporated neon colors, graffiti and metal mesh into his sartorial showcases and ushered in the concept of  "street style" haute couture and glamour, now a garden variety on the red carpet.



Visitors to South Beach are fascinated by the Versace villa and all its glorious stories.  Today the Versace villa is a boutique hotel with ten guestrooms, including Versace's room, and a restaurant.  Only those with a hotel or restaurant reservation may enter. However, to learn more about the entire history since it was built, the purchase by Versace in 1992, the renovations/additions, storied parties and events inside, the day he was killed and aftermath, and the auction of the building,  then you'll want to take the Art Deco Walking Tour or Art Deco Cocktail tour. While the tour may not enter, tour guides can fill you in on factual history leading up to current events and share exclusive photos of the interior. James Cubby, a professional guide for the tour company, once worked as a nightlife reporter for ten years during the Versace Miami years. The mansion still holds many surprises and secrets in terms of both architecture and occurrences.

Modeling new swimsuit line presented at the Versace villa pool area, July 2015

Between Christine Michaels and James Cubby, no two people know more about the entire history of this building, the architecture, the design, the people, and the salacious happenings, says Norma Fischer, a native resident. "Cubby's eyewitness stories are what movies are made of."

This past week I enjoyed the Memorial Day holiday weekend in St. Michaels, Maryland.  Yes same surname as mine, Michaels, but no historical blood ties. This port side town is not only charming but also holds fascinating history and some famous nearby residents. It was a wonderful escape from the heat and city scene of bustling haze of Miami. It was also a great opportunity to revisit early American history.


Maryland is one of the original thirteen colonies of early American settlers escaping England in the 1600s hence the rich history and British influence in names.  This town's name was derived from the Episcopal church established in 1677.  The nickname was recorded a century later and was recounted that when the British wanted to target the town with cannonballs from their seaside ships to prevent a militia from forming, the town dimmed their lights and hung lanterns in the trees beyond the town. The cannonballs would overshoot and the town was spared.

Historic home in St. Michaels, Maryland

St. Michaels is located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland, two hours east of Baltimore.  Like Miami it is surrounded by lots of water--the bay, creeks, the ocean. Boating, yachting and water events are popular activities along with waterfront dining. With its close proximity to the nation's capital, famous politicians own homes in the St. Michaels area (Easton, Royal Oak are nearby cities). They include Donald Rumsfeld and former Vice President Dick Chaney.  Given its prominent location along the water, Talbot county consists of mostly wealthy families. Many residents are either business owners or have retired to the quiet life by the bay.

Standing on a major bridge I could see land across the bay. Ahoy there! Sure enough I learned that ferries are another mode of transportation to cross the bay to reach another port instead of driving the 45 minutes to connect to land.  One day I took the Oxford Bellevue ferry to visit Oxford, a town of 600 residents. The cost was a mere $5.00 round trip.

A 15 minute ride from port of Easton to Oxford

The first sign to welcome me to Oxford

 One does not need a car to get around. Riding a bicycle or even walking, one can cover most of the small city. A marina, restaurants, and small homes fill up the tiny island. I loved to see the old homes with the white picket fence and the flower gardens. So many colorful geraniums filled flower pots and rose bushes throughout the island. A slice of Americana.

Home with white picket fence, colorful garden beds and American flag

The allure of this small, quiet town compelled me to slow down and take the time to smell the roses. A grand opportunity for reflection. Just the relaxing vacation that I needed.

Christine smells the red roses

 After walking about and absorbing this historical chapter of American history, it was time to take the ferry back to Easton.

For dinner we visited the historic main streets of Easton and dined at Scossa Italian restaurant.  Across the street was the old courthouse. In the center are American flags, lined with wooden benches. On the right side of the lawn is a statue of  Frederick Douglass, one of my favorite heroes in American history.  

Born Frederick Augustus Washington Bailey in Talbot County, Maryland he was a major figure in the abolition movement and the first African American to hold a high U.S. government rank. Born a slave, Douglass learned that reading and writing well were powerful. His tenacity and creative solutions to learn to read enabled him to discover the meaning of "abolition" upon buying his first anthology at age 12. 



After escaping slavery, he took the name "Douglass" after a character in the poem The Lady of the Lake by Sir Walter Scott. He became an excellent orator and his fiery speeches and writing skills made him the most prominent African American abolitionist. He met President Lincoln three times and was a Republican. Douglass did not support radical abolitionists like William Garrison and John Brown. When Brown wanted to plan an armed slave rebellion, Douglass disapproved of it and distanced himself from activities regarding the extremists.  Through speech and writing he was powerful in a major movement in American history. I'm reminded of the saying "the pen is mightier than the sword". 

Frederick Douglass in his 30s

In 1872 the Equal Rights Party nominated Douglass for Vice President of the U.S. Though he was nominated without his knowledge and did not campaign, this made Douglass the first African American to be nominated for the post.

Easton is a great city for raising a family or family vacations. There is something for everyone. Sailing, jet skiing, taking a ferry, crabbing, fishing--you name it.




For lunchtime we headed to historic St. Michaels along the waterfront.


Foxy's is a favorite casual place for bar bites and beer and drinks.  It also has the best outdoor seating. The Lighthouse restaurant next door is newly renovated and under new management. The large windows overlooking the bay often make it the safer option without the worry of the unpredictable weather pattern. Same view without the cold or rain.

Seafood, especially oysters is the major industry for St. Michaels. By the late 19th century, most households had at least one person working in fishery, either tonging oysters or working in shucking houses.


Plenty of restaurants to choose from that offer oysters and great seafood such as lobster ravioli, crab, mussels and more.  The most popular is Crab Claw restaurant on the waterfront. I did not try it yet. There is also Hunter's Tavern at Tidewater Inn (loved the Lobster in zesty lemon risotto). My favorite restaurant to date is Limoncello, a (relatively new-opened Nov 2016) fine upscale Italian restaurant. While not on the water, the food, service and ambiance were excellent!


Easton, Royal Oak and St. Michaels are approximately an hour and a half away from Baltimore-Washington International airport (BWI) in Hanover, Maryland, without traffic.  Avoid driving there Friday after 3pm and returning Sundays.  Everyone heads to the east coast on weekends and traffic is very heavy. 

Stop at St. Michaels for a quiet, relaxing getaway with water views and activities all around you and enjoy fine dining, as well as a slice of history.

by Christine Michaels
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From the sun-kissed beaches, humid weather and palm trees of Miami, to the tranquil, stone-filled beaches, dry weather and palm trees of Marbella, I traveled to Spain for my end of the summer trip.

Marbella is hailed as the resort town of the Costa del Sol ("sun coast") along the south coast of Spain. It was everything I imagined and even surpassed expectations.



Marbella is a tiara of star-studded hotels, restaurants, clubs and beaches,  graced with warm weather, the buzz and charm of European cafés and boutique shops, the dazzle of sun-kissed beaches and punctuated with its own history.  



A former fishing town turned into tourist capital for the Costa del Sol.



This city is a hidden gem to American tourists as we never came across any American tourists. Not a single one! Yet the city was brimming with tourists, all British. Everywhere I visited from hotels, to bars, to restaurants, and night clubs, the tourists were 100% British or from the UK.  This was the most surprising fact. So while I wanted to practice my Spanish, nonetheless I left the city speaking with a British accent.



WEATHER / BEST MONTH TO VISIT
The weather was a comfortable dry 85 degrees Fahrenheit. August and September receive the least amount of rain. The rainiest month is November. We were told by locals that the month of August is incredibly packed that traffic lanes are congested and long lines at restaurants occur daily.  This was not surprising as most Europeans take the entire month of August to vacation. Fortunately for me, I arrived end of August, where most families returned home for children to begin school. However, at the tail end of this peak month, hotels do sell out so advance hotel reservations are required. We booked our hotel four weeks in advance, where budget-friendly hotels were already sold out.  Only four star hotels were available.  In the future, I would return June or October for my birthday. 



With only six days to relax and discover the city's culture and history, I decided to visit three areas, the City Center and the Casco Antiguo (Old City), Puerto Banus (the port side), and Ronda, a mountaintop city.

RESOURCE: BLOGGER & INSTAGRAM

A helpful resource in selecting destinations and activities is to follow  bloggers and social media.  An avid user of Instragram, I came across a blogger specializing in Marbella.  Patricia is the author of www.marbellista.com highlighting hotels, restaurants, and activities for Marbella.  Her website is easy to read and cleverly written in both Spanish and English. Even better, Patricia is a true professional and is timely to respond to email inquiries. Her recommendations were on point and definitely elevated the experience. I felt like I had contacted an old friend who was more than willing to offer suggestions as a local. Thank you Patricia!

HOTEL IN CITY CENTER and CASCO ANTIGUO (OLD TOWN)

Arriving a couple days earlier than my friend, I stayed in the City Center where shops, restaurants and even the beach are all within walking distance.  Modest hotels and stores were surprisingly inexpensive for a beach town or should I say compared to South Beach. Alas I fear once Americans discover and descend upon Marbella, this will change.  For a budget friendly hotel right in the middle of everything, I recommend Hotel Lima. The staff was superb, rooms were clean, and literally a few steps away from horse ride carriage rides, cafes, tapas bars, and the beach. 

Hotel Lima in City Center, Marbella Spain

Or if you prefer a boutique hotel in Casco Antiguo (Old Town), Patricia Marbellista recommends La Morada Mas Hermosa in a whitewash house converted into hotel along the narrow winding streets of this historic part of town. The Old Town is within walking distance of the city center, another ideal location with charm and history.

Hotel: La Morada Mas Hermosa in Casco Antiguo

For my blog posting, I present it in the following four sections
1- Paseo Maritime
2- Puerto Banus
3- Casco Antiguo --[coming shortly]
4- Rondo [coming shortly]

Join me on this journey! Olé !

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