Creative Design-HAVANA
June 6-11, 2016
Here is your Itinerary
[1] Mon, 6 June 2016 - Miami Airport area
Checkin: Crowne Plaza Hotel MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
[2] Tue, 7 June 2016
- Miami Airport area
- Havana City
Checkout: Crowne Plaza Hotel MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Checkin: Hotel Nacional de Cuba
[7:00 am] - Breakfast at the hotel
[2:00 pm] - Arrive in Havana and check in to the Hotel
[5:00 pm] - Orientation and familiarization
We will take a few moment to offer an Orientation to the city and familiarization of the neighborhood around the hotel.
[7:30 pm] - San Cristobal Paladar
Rated by The Guardian as the number one Paladar in Havana, This paladar, is in a space that is cluttered and eclectic on the bottom floor of an early 20th-century mansion. Piles of old books are stacked atop beautiful old furniture; black and white photos jostle for space with antique record covers and bullfighting posters, while a selection of clocks, religious artefacts and, even a full-size zebra pelt, add to the mix. The food is Cuban-Creole: malanga, yucca, cerdo asado (roast pork), lobster, fresh fish, shrimp and other traditional fare. This is not, however, the bland standard cuisine found in many state restaurants. The dessert menu is expansive: pudding San Cristóbal (eggs, fruit, milk and almonds) is excellent while the fruit tart and rice puddings are pretty passable, as well as the omnipresent flan. The wine list is broad enough and reasonably priced. We will have a chance to speak with the Chef and the owner of the establishment to discuss food and new opportunities in the food industry in Cuba.
[3] Wed, 8 June 2016
- Havana City
[7:00 am] - Breakfast at the hotel
[9:00 am] - Old Havana Four Plazas
Tour Old Havana on foot, walking between the four main plazas that comprise Cuba’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site. Start at Plaza de Armas, the site of the oldest Spanish fortress in the Americas, the 1519 locale of the first mass in Cuba, and the massive Baroque seat of government, known as Palacio de los Capitanes Generales. Continue to Plaza de San Francisco de Assis and Plaza Vieja, where we will visit artists galleries and historic buildings and get a sense of the structure of the colonial city. Wind through historic streets spanning 5 centuries of historic architecture and end at Plaza de la Catedral and see the Baroque cathedral.
(10:30 am] - Home studio of Pepe Menendez and Laura Llopiz
Pepe Menendez, graphic artist, director of design at Casa de las Americas, and creator of the Club of Friends of Posters (CACA), is a diligent promoter of contemporary Cuban design. He has curated numerous design exhibitions and participated in various workshops abroad and at home. His wife Laura Llopiz is also a designer who particularly enjoys crafting books and fine art catalogs. This prolific pair have lovingly restored the Art Deco home studio of Pepe’s great granduncle, noted illustrator and commercial artist Enrique Garcia Cabrera (1893-1949). In this historic home, you’ll be introduced to current Cuban poster design by Pepe, and view a wide array of Cuban magazines, books, and more with Laura.
(12:00 pm) The Art of Cinema Posters: ICAIC visit
You’ll be greeted in the poster-festooned lobby of the Institute of Cinemaf Art and Industry (ICAIC) by Sara Vega, graphics specialist and author who has worked at ICAIC for over 17 years. With the Cuban Revolution, a new movie poster was born, and Sara will provide an overview of this significant design shift and how cinema graphics are still evolving and adapting to new times. ICAIC’s nearby store is the largest repository of cinema posters, which you’ll have time to visit during this stop.
[1:30 pm] - Paladar Los Mercaderes
In Old Havana "Los Mercaderes" paladar, combines the atmosphere of a typical colonial house (the tainted glasses, murals & frescoes, and original XIX century floors) with an excellent variety of plates coming from traditional to international with a special emphasis on fresh seafood. This restaurant is ranked as one of the six most important restaurants in Cuba by TripAdvisor.
[3:30 pm] - Taller experimental de Grafica
The Taller was established in1962 by a small group of artists lead by Orlando Suárez, a muralist whose initiative also helped found the Superior Art Institute. Mr. Suarez was supported in this effort by the Chilean Poet Pablo Neruda and by Che Guevara who applauded his efforts to create a center where all artists of the City of Havana can go to produce prints. The Taller is more than a workshop. It is a studio, a school and most of all, an art institution that preserves and develops the sophisticated art of print making with relative freedom of spirit and form. While at the center you will see artworks produced there and have a conversation with the artists present about their works, and about life as an artist in Havana.
[4:00 pm] - Drinks at El Floridita (Optional)
(5:30 pm) - Meet the Young Designers: Special Event
At Fabrica de Arte Cubano, a popular arts center, you’ll meet and mingle with many of the most talented graphic designers in Havana assembled for this special event. Along with an on-site exhibition, the designers will present and discuss their work, including some award winning music videos and promotions. The designers are eager to meet you, to share perspectives, and make connections in this informal setting. Fabrica will open its doors to the public at 8 p.m., and you’re invited to stay, or return after dinner, for the evening’s scheduled entertainment.
[7:30 pm] - Dinner on your own
Tonight dinner is in a paladar of your choice from a list of the hottest foodie scenes in the City. The tour guide will make the reservations. This is an opportunity to get away from the larger group and dine with a smaller group of friends. You will take a taxi to the meal that we will find for you. The group will have a chance to speak with the Chef and owner of the establishment to discuss food and new opportunities in the food industry in Cuba. The cost of this meal is not included in the trip price.
[4] Thu, 9 June 2016
- Havana City
[7:00 am] - Breakfast at the hotel
[9:30 am] - Capitolio Central Park and Prado
Lying on the border of Old Havana and Centro Havana municipality, this area is notable for containing numerous architecturally and historically significant buildings that exemplify mid-19th c. urban center. We will begin at the 1877 Central Park, then walk along the 1772 Prado Promenade, see the Moorish-style Inglaterra Hotel, oldest in the city, the 1929 Capitolio building, which is modeled on the US capitol, and the Bacardi building, the best example of tropical Art Deco.
[10:00 am] - Museo de Bellas Artes Cuban art collection/Bellas Artes Museum
You will visit the Cuban collections in this striking modernist building which was completed in 1953 and exemplifies the combination of sculpture with architecture in Cuban mid-century modernism. The Palace of Fine Arts houses a collection of Cuban visual art that spans 4 centuries.
[12:30 pm] - Ivan y Justo Restaurant
(2:00 pm) - Political Graphics: The Legacy
Look back at Cuba’s renowned political posters of the 1960s and 1970s, the graphics that captured the spirit and drive of the Revolution and continue to inspire Cuban designers today. Damian Vinuela and business partner Michael Corria have amassed the largest private collection of political posters in the city. At a special event for our group, Damian will share his collection and the many stories that go with them.
(3:30 pm) - Clandestina
The newest thing in Old Havana is Clandestina, a shop created by a design collective as an alternative to standard tourist fare in the area.It’s an innovative “full-circle” enterprise where designers work together upstairs creating items to stock their ground floor retail space. Meet lead artist Idania del Rio and others on hand who will discuss their commercial and community goals and challenges.
[7:30 pm] - Dinner on your own
Tonight dinner is in a paladar of your choice from a list of the hottest foodie scenes in the City. The tour guide will make the reservations. This is an opportunity to get away from the larger group and dine with a smaller group of friends. You will take a taxi to the meal that we will find for you. The group will have a chance to speak with the Chef and owner of the establishment to discuss food and new opportunities in the food industry in Cuba. The cost of this meal is not included in the trip price.
[5] Fri, 10 June 2016
- Havana City
[7:00 am] - Breakfast at the hotel
[9:30 am] - Vedado and Havana Moderna visits
After breakfast - Visit Vedado, Plaza and Modern Havana districts. The morning starts with a visit to Plaza de la Revolucion or revolution Square followed by a visit of the Vedado district which highlights the architecture of the area, drive by the Maine monument and the Malecon, Copelia park the Havana Libre hotel and the Rampa district. The group will visit the farmers market, and other places of interest in Havana where they will have the opportunity to interact with the Cuban people.
(10:30 am) - Printing Workshop
Near Revolution Square, we’ll visit ICAIC’s vintage printing workshop. Here silk screen posters are produced with rudimentary equipment dating back over 55 years, by both the young and veteran print staff.
[12:30 pm] - Paladar Mediterraneo
Elegance and locally sourced food are the remarkable characteristics of this restaurant, the creation of a Cuban dreamer who lived in Italy for many years and a Sardinian chef, where you can enjoy the most delicious ravioli in Cuba.
(2:00 pm) - Institute of Superior Design school
Founded in 1984, the Instituto de Diseno Industrial (ISDi) is the only design school in the country. Although education is free in Cuba, there is rigorous testing for applicants and a demanding five-year design program. There are about 120 graduates each year. We’ll visit the campus to talk with students and staff.
(3:30 pm) - Contemporary Decor
Taking the lead in design and fabrication of modern sustainable Cuban furniture is Factoria Espacios. Director Vilma Bartolome will guide you through this busy private enterprise and explain how the business is setting new standards as it brings a fresh look to city establishments.
[6:30 pm] - Classic cars
We will be picked up by a fleet of classic American cars and ride through Havana in style to dinner tonight.
[7:30 pm] - La Guarida
Anyone who has been to La Guarida will find it difficult to disagree that Enrique and Odeisys have managed to create their own magical place. It oodles a cosy atmosphere with soft lights, fine table linen, German silver cutlery, candles, Cuban music and good jazz. The effect is magnified by the entrance from a run-down Central Havana street. The building, originally known as La Mansión Camagüey, shows its former grandeur from the magnificent wooden entrance door through the marble staircase up the two flights of stairs to the restaurant itself. Fidel’s famous explanation of [why he said] Patria o Muerte (country or death) is a photographer’s dream on the way down. For visitors to Havana, La Guarida has become a must experience. This is deservedly so for while it may be busy, expensive and has been discovered before, it retains its intimate (somewhat formal) charm and provides a quality dining experience with sensitivity and professionalism.
[6] Sat, 11 June 2016
- Havana City
Checkout: Hotel Nacional de Cuba
[7:00 am] - Breakfast at the hotel
[11:00 am] - Check out of Hotel
[12:00 pm] - Transfer from a Havana hotel to the airport
[3:00 pm] - Depart Havana to Miami