Miami Beach: Always a Circus Posted on May 25, 2020August 10, 2020 by Mandy Mizell Did you know the original mascot of Miami Beach was an Elephant? The story starts on Collins Avenue, this little stretch of A1A was purchased in the 1880s by John Collins of NJ with big plans of a coconut plantation. When that failed, Collins’ sons gave him the idea to make lots for lovely Miami Beach winter homes. Collins liked the idea, but the mangroves, noseeums and the occasional venomous snakes were daunting. He recruited some unique help, namely Carl Fischer (as in Fischer Island) who suggested using elephants to aid in bulldozing the salty swamp of the Venetian Islands. Continue Reading
A Walkthrough STA History, No Admission Required Posted on May 8, 2020May 8, 2020 by Mandy Mizell In my final phase of quarantine, I escaped to St. Augustine. I spent 43 days cooped up in my West Palm Beach home, with cabin fever slowly taking over my persona. I transitioned from “Stay Home” to STA FLA, and my spirits are elevated now that I am back to exploring Florida. There is an […] Continue Reading
Finding Old Florida in Jax Historic Neighborhoods Posted on November 22, 2019February 13, 2020 by Mandy Mizell I have this thing with Old Florida. Before amusement parks and country clubs lined the spine of our state, Florida was still considered to be paradise. I am constantly driving down US-1, the original East Coast Highway, seeking out vintage neon signs and abandoned attractions. In my quest of capturing Old Florida, I developed an […] Continue Reading
Local Legend: Howley’s Restaurant WPB Posted on April 4, 2019February 13, 2020 by Mandy Mizell There are not many places that can adapt to time while preserving its history and authenticity, however Howley’s Restaurant succeeds. An eclectic mix of Midcentury nostalgia clashes with millennial quirk, to create the perfect diner along Dixie Highway that has toted the slogan “Cooked in Sight, must be right!” since 1950. I frequent Howley’s almost […] Continue Reading
