Despite more hurricanes than usual last season and a run of home foreclosures, Miami, in Florida, continues to live up to its nickname: the Magic City. This effervescent holiday destination in the southern United States seems resilient to climate change and economic woes, and a vibrant new arts scene - as well as all the restaurants, clubs and events that go with it - is bolstering that reputation.
An off-shoot of Art Basel, the international art fair, was adopted by Miami in 2006. Since then, the event's patrons, a host of hip hangers-on and a font of new money from Latin America's ultra rich have made the city a popular destination for well-heeled sophisticates. The best way to experience it is by visiting some of the quirkier neighbourhoods.
'This is the epicentre of the visual world right now,' says Haitian painter Edouard Duval Carrie, grinning and waving his arm in a broad arch at the city below. It is not clear whether he is talking about his studio - a clutter of finished and unfinished canvases rich with sun-drenched colour and filled with scenes both boisterous and mystical - or the area in which it is located: Little Haiti, home to the only Haitian cultural centre in the country. Situated on the northern edge of the city's sleek Design District, Little Haiti is expanding and promises a warm welcome to artists and art aficionados.
Hop on a 'tap-tap', a shared taxi, along Northeast 2nd Avenue up to Little Haiti and explore its bookshops and music stores, such as Sunny's Sounds, which has the latest French-Caribbean hits, and the trend-setting Haitian Cultural Arts Alliance. For a street party, keep an eye out for artists opening their studio doors to the public, while for live events, head to the Little Haiti Cultural Complex.
The area is home to a growing number of small cafes and restaurants, such as Chez le Bebe, where, according to customer Carrie, you'll find not only great conversation but also great conch, goat stew and black beans with rice.
A neighbouring area is also being revitalised, according to long-time resident and art patron Dindy Yokel de Tellez. 'Miami today is like [New York's] SoHo was in the 80s,' she explains as she drives towards Wynwood.
Among rows of undistinguished cement-front warehouses, Wynwood's many refurbished industrial buildings contain trend-setting galleries such as Locust Projects, their stark white interiors filled with alternative art and abuzz with international collectors scouting for the next big thing.