Daudier Brings His Own History to the Biltmore

They say Miami is a melting pot of cultures, but then those same people say Miami has no culture. Who are they anyway? Obviously, they've never been to the Biltmore, which has an embarrassment of history and culture under one lofty roof. For starters, the Biltmore is a melting pot...

By Melissa Malamut

December 31, 2009

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They say Miami is a melting pot of cultures, but then those same people say Miami has no culture. Who are they anyway? Obviously, they've never been to the Biltmore, which has an embarrassment of history and culture under one lofty roof. For starters, the Biltmore is a melting pot itself. Once the tallest tower in Florida, the luxury hotel was frequented by presidents (Franklin D. Roosevelt set up a temp office for his fishing trips), various Vanderbilts and Rockefellers, the famous, and even the infamous. During World War II, it was turned into a VA hospital. A few decades later, it was back to a luxe hotel and named a National Historic Landmark. Now, spicing up the melting pot of cultures is Tropical Sundays.

Legendary Haitian entertainer Jean-Michel Daudier, who was nominated for the Ambassador of Hope for Haiti, plays live Caribbean music poolside (at one time, the pool was the largest in the world) from 1 to 5 p.m. Admission and parking are free. Cane drinks and specialty mojitos are half-price.
Sundays, 1 p.m., 2010

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