Researching on Wynwood

Since I'm unable to visit Wynwood during this week, I decided to do an initial research of the area before I visit and report my findings and take some pictures for the magazine. This initial research will include the background of the area, hot spots such as restaurants and art pieces.

Background of Wynwood

Wynwood is a district in Miami, Florida. According to wynwoodmiami.com, it is home to art galleries, retail stores, antique shops, eclectic bars, artisanal eateries and one of the largest open-air street-art installations in the world. During the 1900s Wynwood was home to Caribbean immigrants until the Great Depression hit. Because of the Great Depression, the people neglected warehouses, shuttered factories and unused buildings and turning them into innovative businesses. The street art influenced the art of Wynwood. Art in Wynwood was introduced from the events such as introduction of the Second Saturday Art Walk and the annual Art Basel being held in the area. 

According to wynwoodmiami.com, after the art events, the influence and relevance of the arts community in Wynwood has become undeniable. Artists from around the world have sought inspiration in the area’s windowless facades and used them as canvases to showcase their work, leading to the vivid murals that adorn the district. So far in Wynwood, there is 400+ businesses, 50 city blocks, 200+ street murals, and 30+ eateries.

Wynwood's Restaurants

For restaurants, I want to add a variety of restaurants based on their food offers rather than picking on just the top reviews, since top reviews are able to overlap other restaurants with the same food and cause those who want those said food to have a conflict between where should they go and which is the better option. Here is a list of restaurants I feel I should mention:

Uchi Miami in Wynwood (Japanese Sushi)

The restaurant have a variety of Japanese food and their desert menu is very delicious. The restaurant have indoor and outdoor tables and serves food in a portion where you are neither full or empty. This is perfect for visitors since they are able to eat what they want but also allows them a lesser chance having to carry out their food in a carton, and visitors will love to travel around the district with little items needed to be carry around as possible.

El Bajareque (Puerto Rican restaurant)

The price in this restaurant is cheap and affordable, but his food is known to be extremely good. It's a small restaurant away from various noises such as honking cars and sirens which makes it easier to socialize or if you want peace and quiet. The restaurant have many classical Puerto Rican food such as mofongo, chicharrones de pollo, and alcapurrias. 

The Salty Donut (Bakery)

This family run restaurant have some of the best donuts in Wynwood. The size of the donuts can potentially come off as big, but many find carrying around their leftovers around the city is worth, simply because it's delicious! They have a variety of flavor such as the classical strawberry frosted, glazed, and regular and some insane and unique ones such as guava and cheese and chocolate tres leche! The best thing for tourists, these donuts are cheap!!

BND Burger (Burgers)

This restaurant have a variety of alcohol and have juicy burgers. It appears small, but inside it is filled with tables, booths, and some street inspired art and pictures on the walls. It feel as though you don't escape the Wynwood colorful vibes! The food is also cheap and is a great option to eat for those visiting!

Art Pieces

For art pieces, I decided to select walls that I often see use as a background for social media pictures. I choose to pick my walls like this, because majority of people love sharing their travel pictures online plus they want to keep memories of their trip and to do that is to take pictures.

Maya Hayuk’s Mural

This wall is the one I mostly see on social media and it's quite popular among teenage girls, which teenagers are my target audience. I was also planning to use this background for my main cover as an attention grabber for teenagers and teenagers can imagine themselves near that wall and taking a picture with it and make it their next travel plan.

Sheryo

I picked this wall to capture the male audiences. When teenage boys goes to Wynwood either by force or by choice, they tend to look at art pieces that have a red tone or black and white tone and characters with crazy features such as sharp teeth, having more than two eyes, and sharp ears and horns. 

OG Slick

I picked this wall, because for tourists many tend to come to Florida just for either Disney, Universal, and the beaches. This mural combines both a beach city's district name and Disney by using Mickey Mouse's hands to spell out Wynwood. For these tourists, this is a perfect way to take a picture saying they have been in Florida and will be able to post it and share it.

Websites:

https://www.miaminewtimes.com/arts/ten-notable-new-murals-in-wynwood-after-art-basel-miami-beach-2019-11327853

https://99designs.com/blog/creative-inspiration/wynwood-walls-miami/

https://www.theinfatuation.com/miami/guides/wynwood-restaurants

https://wynwoodmiami.com/learn/our-story/