Meet Priscilla Cordoba Tarkington | Casita Mariposa owner & Interior Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Priscilla Cordoba Tarkington and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Priscilla Cordoba, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Togetherness. Providing a comfortable, visually appealing environment that attracts family or friends wishing to spend time together at a relaxing home base.

What should our readers know about your business?
I had the opportunity to combine two of my businesses, Penelope Studio (interior design) and Casita Mariposa (a short term rental home stay) with one setting the scene at the other. As an interior designer, set decorator for TV and frequent traveler, I was able to create a Floridian, retreat style home, while remaining friendly to travelers by providing amenities and conveniences I pictured our family and friends needing when staying at a home away from their home. What makes us unique at Casita Mariposa is the fact that we’ve embraced the tropical environment in our city, and made it available for our guests or short term residents in the interior design without being cheesy or too overt. We focused on using quality materials such as rattan, cane, grasscloth, palm-leaf shaped ceiling fans and incorporating the Caribbean colors coral and deep blue. We found that so many short term rentals decorated their homes in sleek modern whites and grays lacking the character that made classic Floridian interiors so unique! Owning and running a short term rental is definitely not easy. While we have a management company (we love) handling the hosting details and maintenance, there is a constant wear and tear we are always doing our best to keep up with. Our brands at Penelope Studio and Casita Mariposa are closely aligned where we want to provide an escapist experience in a beautiful setting… with “experience” being a true operative word. At Penelope Studio, we always want you to dream of a more beautiful world, and why not while staying at Casita Mariposa? Included are some photos showing Penelope Studio’s work as a Set Decorator and Interior Designer…including a very Floridian living room at Casita Mariposa

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Wow, there are so many gems and amazing things to do in Miami! I am definitely a proud Miami girl. I think most tourists or people who aren’t savvy to our culture often misconstrue Miami with Ocean Drive only – many even thinking it’s just about nightclubs. While the party scene is (in my opinion) the best in the U.S., there is so much more to Miami than nightclubs! There are so many trendy hotspots (hard to keep it with), so I’m going to stick with the classics on this itinerary. I would make sure to introduce my out of town bestie to the neighborhoods of Coral Gables and Coconut Grove! In Coral Gables, I would say after a pit stop at La Carreta for a cafe con leche and tostada, (ordered at the window of course), we’d drive to the elegant old Florida setting of the Biltmore hotel for brunch! I’d follow it by driving to Miracle Mile under the shade of the banyan trees for an afternoon of browsing the shops and then dining at one of the many international cuisine cafe’s on Giralda Ave. Twinkling lights hang across the car-free square, making it truly magical! My favorite restaurant there is Calista Greek Taverna, but there are many great options to choose from. I would spend another day touring my friend on a driving cruise around the rugged, yet charming roads of Coconut Grove. I would start at Fairchild Tropical garden for a nature immersion before driving up the scenic Old Road to Main Street at the Grove. An old favorite eatery is Greenstreet Cafe, but I hear great things about Berries and Glass & Vine. My favorite tropic-chic shopping in Miami has always been at the Grove. Ochie on Main Hwy and Edite Mode in Cocowalk offer gorgeous Miami style beach and party wear. There are new shops popping up all the time and its really worth just strolling the streets! I love driving to Brickell from S. Bayshore drive in the Grove. It runs along the bay and turns into S. Miami Ave. In fact, I’d probably dedicate a day just to enjoy the romance of the historical Viscaya museum and Gardens off of S. Miami Ave and then drive my guest up and over Rickenbacker causeway to Key Biscayne.. Side bar here, Rickenbacker causeway is a family favorite of ours with my dad having a tradition of starting our Sunday mornings either jogging or biking riding over the bridge ending with brunch at La Boulangerie Boul’Mich in Key Biscayne. For an extended day after brunch, we’d head over to beautiful Bill Baggs Florida state park. Scenic view lovers should take the stairs to the top of the Cape Florida lighthouse or enjoy a beach day at Cape Florida beach and nature lovers shouldn’t miss a hike along the coastal trail to Boater’s Grill overlooking a peaceful harbor. All of that at Key Biscayne! Thats at least three very full days of activities I’ve covered in Miami so far and I haven’t mentioned the amazing local nightlife scene at Brickell. There are so many amazing lounges in Brickell and again new ones opening all the time, but a personal favorite is “Crazy About You”. If my bestie had a young one in tow, I wouldn’t miss a day at Jungle Island on MacArthur causeway. In South Beach, a family favorite is the delicious Isreali cuisine at Abbale! Also worth mentioning for out of towners or locals (celebrating a special occasion) is a night out at Jaya at The Setai, or the outdoor dining scene of Matador Room at the Miami Beach Edition. No tourist should miss gelato or the shops and cafes at Lincoln Road Mall. Perhaps at this point I would suggest purchasing a spa day pass at Carillon Wellness center (with beach access)! Or a treatment at the spa at The Standard Hotel with day spa access. For gorgeous window shopping, (unless you have big bucks), the Bal Harbour Mall certainly leaves an impression, or a little further up north in Aventura (close to Casita Mariposa) is the stellar Aventura Mall. My bestie and I wouldn’t miss a dinner and drinks at Aventura’s – Bar Taco!! There are also the neighborhoods of Wynwood and the Design District! The artwork on the Wynwood walls are worth another day of exploring with a meal at KYU or… if you just want amazing tacos and a margaritas with great tunes pumping, Coyo Taco is fabulous. I’d probably ask my bestie to get all dressed up and head to the the Design District (the Rodeo Drive of Miami), for a chic dinner out at Swan with such good music, I know she won’t want to leave. After all that walking and dancing, I’d spend a day at the beach with a picnic from Le Sandwicherie. On her last day en route to the airport, I’d make a pit spot at Aguacate Sanctuary of Love to begin our detox!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband and my family (Shannon, Jill, Vanessa, Eva, Vero, my mother and John) who all rolled their sleeves up and labored alongside us!

Website: priscillatarkington.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/priscillatarkington/?hl=en

Other: casitamariposaflorida.com @casitamariposaflorida – Instagram

Image Credits
All images by Priscilla Tarkington