Courtesy of Coral Morphologic

The Magic City. Vice City. Paradise Lost. The 305. Miami has a lot of nicknames and most locals love them. There is nothing short of cool in the four nicknames listed above -- vices, magic, numerology. These are all things that we enjoy.

But now there is a new name that's being pinned on the city in the sun, and it's one with a bit more of a natural vibe to it: The Coral City.

According to the aquaculturalists at Coral Morphologic, because Miami is built on dead coral, with buildings composed of fossilized coral facias and colonies of coral living around our shoreline, it only makes sense to rebrand the town as the Coral City. And how are they spreading the word about this initiative? By joining up with MIA Skate Shop, making coral printed decks, and throwing a top-shelf soiree at the every oceanographic Gramps in Wynwood.

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via Wikimedia CC

Paradise. That's what this city is. It may often be perverse or peculiar, but have no doubt: Miami is the paradisiacal metropolis of the south. And the beauty of this place won't be found within the pulsating walls of LIV or along the bustling, crowded sidewalk of the Corner. The sublime appeal of this town radiates from the trees and the sand and the mangrove-entwined waters -- from the natural fibers of Miami.

But as in all great cities, the expansion of Miami has made that natural beauty a bit harder to connect with. Enter the Miami-Dade County department of Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces, who've have helped carve out pockets of earth, both small and large, in order to sustain a few fine spots where one can wander, relax, and enjoy the sense of serenity that comes with entering a peaceful, green space. And as the sun hangs higher and longer with each passing day, nobody should go without a few strolls through those spaces. So, for your strolling pleasure, here are ten of the best parks in the county of Miami-Dade.

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Pop Tech/Wikimedia CC

What, you're not excited for Reggie Effing Watts?

Summer is in the air. You've already noticed the signs: heightened humidity in the air, regularly scheduled afternoon downpours, an influx of roaches and other creepy crawlies trying to move into your apartment.

But don't add "nothing to do in Miami" to that list, because it's just not true. Yes, the summertime is South Florida's slow season, which means that there are fewer events to look forward to in the months ahead. But the ones that are, in fact, on the horizon? They're pretty awesome.

Read on for eight events making summer in Miami a little less unbearable.

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Via Orofacial on Flickr

This is it. The last week we have left to enjoy the charms of our fair city before it's time for Memorial Day weekend's mass exodus. Live it up, folks, because the end is near.

And if you're planning to drop big bucks over the holiday, no worries -- there's lots of free stuff going on before Friday afternoon rolls around. So you can save your pennies for when you really need them.

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Courtesy of the Performing Arts Network

Miami can be an unforgiving city. Amidst the swaying palms and the sauntering sex bombs straddling the cracked sidewalks, there are some unpleasant individuals doing unpleasant things. Rapists and robbers, vandals and vagrants, assholes and arsonists. It was one of these fare that destroyed the Performing Arts Network (PAN), setting it on fire just shy of its ten-year anniversary.

In 2009, the nine-year-old PAN -- where scores of this city's dancers of all disciplines would come together and practice their craft, as well as host performances -- was turned from an artistic focal point of the community to a gutted hulk of charred drywall and broken glass. Over the last four years, PAN's creative director, Ilisa Rosal, and her husband, Michael George, who oversees World Arts Village Inc., owner of the plaza where PAN is located, have been working like madmen to bring this once grand establishment back to life. The process has not been an easy one.

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Wikipedia

Hang on to your Botox. The mob wives are about to invade our sunny shores.

The infamous raspy-voiced, big-lipped Angela "Big Ang" Raiola is headed to the Magic City. The top-heavy ex-mob wife has brought her ridiculous crew of horny housewives into town for the filming of the newest season of her VH1 reality treasure, appropriately titled Big Ang.

According to permits recently approved by the Miami-Dade County Mayor's Office of Film and Entertainment, Big Ang is now fully approved for filming throughout Miami Beach. Somehow, we think she'll fit in just fine.

Here are our top ten suggestions for where she should hang out while in town.

See also:
- What Reality TV Is Teaching the World About Miami (Hint: It's Not Good)
- Kourtney Kardashian Slaps Jonathan Cheban! Five Violent Outbursts That Should Replace the Reality TV Slap

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Paula Niño

Free coffee inside, courtesy of Lincoln.

You think you know Wynwood: the graffiti murals, the galleries, food truck village every second Saturday. But have you met the high-end side of Wynwood?

Lincoln Motor Company has set out to introduce select Miamians to Wynwood's luxury side, shuttling participants from Panther Coffee to art installations to the Wynwood Cigar Factory for interactive experiences.

And they're doing it all free of charge.

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Robert Dempster

Miami artist Jessy Nite may be as "Bad As [She] Wanna Be," but that doesn't mean she can't also use her art skills for good. Nite recently launched Nite Writer, her own design, illustration and typographic studio. So we asked her about the sites around town that inspire her creations. Here's her response.

Hunting down great signage is one of my favorite things to do. Everywhere I go, my only vacation photos are of signs, and in a place like Miami, it's a total dream for type fans of any persuasion. But asking me to choose my favorite signs is like asking me to choose my favorite band...I don't even know where to start! Every neighborhood has its own style, and there are pockets of typographic magic all over this city. There's the epic sprawl of Serge's hand painted work in Little Haiti, the neons on Calle Ocho, the funny spanglish hand-written notes in windows across the city, and of course the vintage gems from the early days.

I could drive around for months and never capture them all, so I decided to stick to my home court: The Beach! I skipped the expected Delano, Sagamore and Eden Rock, and tried to grab a variety of my favorites that range from the local spots I see daily on South Beach, to the big Collins hotels I used to dream about while on vacation at my Great Grandma's on 69th Street. So here you go: The Nite Writer Signage Tour of Miami Beach.

See also:
- Jessy Nite is a Bad, Bad Girl at Primary Projects
- Artist Jessy Nite on Porn, Wynwood Lovin', and Why Not To Take Art "So F***ing Seriously"

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You did your duty this weekend -- took your mother to a snooty brunch, bought her an overpriced bouquet, showered her with gratitude for your fabulous upbringing. Pat yourself on the back, you rock star son or daughter!

But now that you've endured the dog and pony show, the week ahead is all yours. From giant Jaws to gustatory treats, there are plenty of free ways to have some fun this week. No family time required.

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ruurmo/Flickr CC

If you and your mother aren't particularly close, a once-a-year, fancy-pants Mother's Day brunch can be more than a little awkward. There's the forced small talk, the uncomfortable silences, the potential for mimosa-induced drunken blathering.

So this year, branch out a little, and do something with your mom that'll lead to a little more bonding and a lot less weird squirming over eggs.

See also:
- Mother's Day 2013: The Ten Best Pop Culture Moms of the Year
- Best Mother's Day Brunch Deals in Miami

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