MIAMI For travelers looking for respite from South Beach clubs and the oh-so chic Design District, the offbeat Miami Modern District also known as MiMo offers a welcome change of pace.

No Segway tours here. This is the real Miami, a place to pass a lazy afternoon by the bay, peruse independent boutiques and enjoy some surprisingly delicious local bistros including celebrity chef Michelle Bernstein’s flagship restaurant, Michy’s.

The stretch along Route 1, which recently received a historic designation, lies just north of midtown, dividing Biscayne Bay’s hidden residential neighborhoods from Miami’s Little Haiti corridor.

MiMo is easily distinguished by a string of 1950s-era or midcentury Modern motels along Biscayne Boulevard, and by the original, kitschy, three-story sign of the Coppertone Girl and her dog on a building overlooking the traffic at 7300 Biscayne Blvd.

Flourishing ’50s

The hotels flourished in the 1950s as affordable, family friendly lodging before the advent of freeways so, too, did the first franchised Playboy Club (now defunct), which flouted segregation rules in the waning years of Jim Crow.

Then, like much of Miami, the neighborhood fell into disrepair. But today, MiMo (pronounced Mee-mo) is once more on the rise though, as in the days of old, it’s helpful to have a car to explore the area.

“People come here because they want a real experience…. We’re not trendy. We’re not trying to be something we’re not,” said Bernstein, a guest judge on Bravo TV’s “Top Chef,” who lives in the neighborhood. (Full disclosure: so does this reporter.)

Bernstein, a Miami native, was first attracted to MiMo, part of Miami’s broader Upper East Side, as an untouristy place to experiment with her menu. But the crowds kept coming, so she stayed, even as she opened other restaurants in more upscale neighborhoods.

MiMo is still a mix of naughty and nice.

A couple of the hotels, such as The New Yorker at 6500 Biscayne Blvd., have been revamped in the sleek style of their 1950s heyday and are drawing young, European budget travelers. But calling the area family friendly is a stretch; midnight police sirens aren’t uncommon.

Still, it’s fine for day-trippers with families, who can start the morning just outside MiMo’s northern border at Yiya’s Gourmet Cuban Bakery and Cafe, 646 N.E. 79th St. An outdoor mural by Miami graffiti artist Daniel Fila, of a seagull stealing a woman’s bread, makes it easy to spot. Enjoy a cafe con leche and sugar-dusted vanilla croissant or a guava cheese Danish and chat with the superfriendly staff.

Then head for the sun. Off the southeast end of MiMo is Morningside Park, where shaded benches offer tranquil views of the bay. Turn east off Biscayne Boulevard at 58th Street and ask the guard at the gate for directions to the park.

During the winter, kids will enjoy the covered playground and a nature miniwalk through mangroves. In the summer, you can rent kayaks and visit one of a handful of the bay’s uninhabited islands. Also fun for families, bayside Legion Park at 64th Street features two sets of playground equipment beneath giant mango and banyan trees.

Unlike South Beach’s Lincoln Road, when it comes to shopping, MiMo boasts a bevy of locally owned stores, ideal for fashionistas on a budget.

On the west side of Biscayne at 72nd Street, there’s the vintage store Divine Trash. Two blocks north, award-winning designer Julian Chang creates samples for his international line of women’s wear. Next door, The Consignment Bar displays Gucci and Hermes beneath a ceiling of rose printed-paper and crystal chandeliers. Consignment Bar co-owner Ilissa Whitehead, who opened the store earlier this year, said she wanted to support the neighborhood in which she lives.

“There’s a long way to go, but MiMo is undiscovered. It’s eclectic, and things are changing a lot,” she said.

Weekend nights

The boulevard comes alive weekend nights with inexpensive valet parking at a host of restaurants. Bernstein, together with her husband, David Martinez, helped jump-start the MiMo revival in 2005 with their casually elegant Michy’s at 6927 Biscayne Blvd.

Its bright orange and blue dcor and mismatched flowered chairs were inspired by Bernstein’s childhood Barbie doll houses. Michy’s white gazpacho and crispy duck confit regularly draw locals, downtown theatergoers and even New York snowbirds.

Meanwhile, the patio oasis and Moroccan-inspired bar of UVAS Restaurant and Lounge at 69th Street provide one of the neighborhood’s liveliest happy hours.

Then there’s Red Light, a hip eatery at 7700 Biscayne Blvd., archly named for the neighborhood’s late night and early morning inhabitants.

New Orleans’ chef Kris Wessel uses local ingredients to whip up dishes such as citrus steamed mussels, green tomatoes and crunchy plantain chips. The riverside locale offers patrons rare city views of old Miami nature, as well as a glimpse of the neighborhood’s remaining corner strip club … just like old times.


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