The Story Matters
Calendar p. 14, 15 & 16 Find out what’s fun to do in this city every day of the week.
Vol. XXIV No.46
November 12, 2009
Visit us at miamisunpost.com
LITERARY LOWDOWN A Totally Biased Guide to the Best of This Year’s Miami Book Fair
LETTERS P.2
MAYHEM P.4
PROFILE P.6
HISTORY P.8
POLITICS P. 9
CALENDAR P.14
411 P.18
BOUND P.20
FOOD P. 24
P. 10
FASHION P. 26
Letters De-mystify Voter Ballots To the Editor: If officials are really interested in more voter participation then may I make two suggestions. 1)Mail sample ballots to every voter before the election, and 2) phrase ballot questions so they are easy to understand. Even the ballot question "explanation" posted on the city website was incomprehensible. Gayle Durham Miami Beach
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Kim Stark kim@miamisunpost.com CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jeffrey Bradley
The Political Way To the Editor: Hypocrisy has reached an all time new high in the Miami Beach City Commission Group III runoff election. In the run up to the general election the voters of Miami Beach where bombarded by TV Ads, direct mail pieces, and robo telephone calls by one candidate attacking one his opponents for everything from his driving record, ethical standards or the lack there of to his connection to big money lobbyists. Well it worked, up to a point; the one doing all the negative attack ads forced his opponent into a runoff; but not with the attacker but with the third candidate in that race. So fast forward to three days after the general election and what do we all get in our mail boxes; an endorsement letter from the one that did all the attacking telling us all how this his opponent that he spent almost $100,000 attacking is now the best possible choice to represent the people of Miami Beach. This just shows how effective all these negative ads can be; but it also shows they are totally worthless in terms of identifying the best candidates. It is just inconceivable to think that a candidate could launch such a negative, nasty campaign against someone and then three days later endorse that very same person. The endorsement should be viewed by voters as totally worthless, shallow and potentially indicative of some back room deal. Miami Beach Commission elections have become a joke; they are more about how much junk candidates and their handlers can stuff into voters mail boxes than about substance; having run for office myself in 2007, and having run an issue based campaign I guess I should learn something from this absurd turn of events. Frank Kruszewski Miami Beach
PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER Kim Stark kim@miamisunpost.com ACCOUNTING Sandie Friedman
Stuart Davidson Marguerite Gil Mary Louise English Jennifer Fragoso John Hood
SALES DIRECTORS Jeannette Stark Jamie Nunez Stuart Davidson
Paula Pellegrino Joe Robertson Mary Jo Almeida-Shore
PUBLISHER EMERITUS Felix Stark (1929-1995)
Susan Richard Kim Steiner
WEB SITE
Michael Sasser
miamisunpost.com
COPY EDITOR
PRODUCTION
Mary Louise English CALENDAR EDITOR Jake Orsinni calendar@miamisunpost.com CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Stuart Davidson
Blue Studio MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 191870 Miami Beach, FL 33119 MAIN LINE 305.538.9797 MAIN FAX 305.538.9774
Eitan Moshe Klein Mary Jo Almeida-Shore
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Marguerite Gi Ines Hegedus-Garcial Jennifer Fragoso
Meet the SunPost Contributors Joe Robertson W RITER When Joe is not interviewing people and writing profiles for the SunPost, he does other things. Real business type things. Joe Robertson is a principal with R + M Collaborative, a strategic design and brand innovation agency, as well as a partner in Splenditty, a viral marketing and management services company. Joe can be reached at joe@RMCollaborative.com.
"Take your time, just hurry." - Joe Robertson Page 2 • Thursday, November 12, 2009 • The SunPost • www.miamisunpost.com
FOR ADVERTISING & RATE INFO: Please call 305.538.9797 or email kim@miamisunpost.com SUBSCRIPTIONS First class mailing subscriptions are available at $150 per year. Call 305.538.9797. Copyright: The entire contents of SunPost are copyright 2008 by Caxton Newspapers Inc. No portion may be reproduced in whole or part by any means including electronic media without the express written consent of the publisher. Covering Miami Beach, North Bay Village, Surfside, Bay Harbor Islands, Bal Harbour, Sunny Isles Beach, North Miami, North Miami Beach and Aventura, Coconut Grove, Brickell Avenue, Downtown, Design District, Wynwood, Upper Eastside, and Miami Shores.
www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • November 12, 2009 • Page 3
Tropical Mayhem BITS AND PIECES OF MIAMI LIFE
Miami through my iphone
Burger-centric!
by Ines Hegedus-Garcia - ines@miamism.com
Mmmm...I love a big, juicy burger and the guys at the 8oz Burger Bar, have just the thing to tittilate my taste buds. Niman Ranch, Lamb, Bison and Boar Burgers. A virtual who’s who of delectable choices. If none of those float your boat, then maybe the Thanksgiving Dinner Burger or the Smokehouse burger says you. Altogether, 8oz has eight new specialty burgers on the menu. The pricing rocks too. 8 oz Burger Bar, 1080 Alton Rd., South Beach. 305-397-8246.
150 Limbless Mannequins
ARCHITECTURE HEAVEN! The best part about Miami is that it has architecture to impress! Take a look at this home in Miami Beach, for example, known as The Temple House, it used to be a synagogue and is now the largest single family residence in South Beach - famous architects have have their hands on this one including L. Murray Dixon and Lester Avery. Art Deco meets MiMO - only in Miami.
Flower Photography Whether in your garden or a vase, flowers charm and enchant the eye with their dazzling colors and delightful shapes. This three-hour workshop will explore the many ways of visualizing flowers and how to utilize various techniques and the camera's controls in order to capture their beauty in your photographs. Bring a film or digital camera. $30. Sunday, November 15, 10am to 1pm. Miami Beach Botanical Gardens Butterfly Room, 2000 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach Page 4 • Thursday, November 12, 2009 • The SunPost • www.miamisunpost.com
The ALS Association Florida Chapter's Piece by Piece display of 150 limbless mannequins, each bearing the name of an ALS victim, represents a life that has been affected by the devastating disease, also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. By using graphic imagery to act as a metaphor for the destructive effects of ALS, the display is meant to grab the public's attention and create awareness. Since January, the Piece by Piece Tribute Display has traveled to more than 20 locations around the state of Florida, and is now making its debut in Miami. Steve Franks, 50, who has been living with the disease for six years, delivers the mannequins to each stop. Friday, November 20 from 3-11pm at the Miami Beach Community Church, 1620 Drexel Avenue.
“I always read the last page of a book first so that if I die before I finish I'll know how it turned out.” ~ Nora Ephron
www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • Thursday, November 12, 2009 • Page 5
PHOTO: SAMUEL ZAOUI
PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY YOU SHOULD KNOW
Miguel Paredes: Color Beautiful Artist By Joe Robertson You think you know Miguel Paredes, Urban Impressionist, the artist? Actually, Miguel is the quintessential businessman — focused, driven and always moving forward. He is nonstop as president and CEO of PK Graphics — affordable printing — and Paredes Publishing. The publishing company offers the highest quality prints, all created by emerging as well as established artists. Two of the newer artists in the portfolio include New Mexico’s Fran Hardy and Australia’s Gwenda McDougall. Miguel is an avid collector of vintage comic books with hundreds of rare finds he’s picked up along the way. This love of comics has a profound influence on his style — childlike and innocent while also sophisticated and challenging. It is a never-ending interaction where you are constantly viewing details you did not see before. Miguel also happens to be a devoted family man with a wonderfully supportive and generous wife, Joyce — she allows him to make mistakes — two young children and a big, happy dog. He states with a kind heart that his children are his best creation. Look at his art and his children smile back at you. His father, a self-taught artist and restaurant entrepreneur, inspired as well as encouraged Miguel’s creativity. No wonder his art is filled with life, forming an instant emotional connection with the viewer. Miguel Paredes paints vivid, brilliant images that create an atmosphere of question and mystery, immersing his audience in an unparalleled visual experience as well as inner journey. Every stroke, every pose, every shadow Page 6 • Thursday, November 12, 2009 • The SunPost • www.miamisunpost.com
is a thoughtfully constructed clue to the complex dialogue the artist is having with himself and with what he believes will be his legacy. His new exhibit, “The Manifestation of Cross-Over Art,” will be an explosion of colors. The previous and never before seen pieces from Paredes’ “Los Niños” and his Japanese anime influenced “Digital Art” collections will be shown. He will also unveil his new sculptures collection along with his gigantic anime balloon sculpture masterpiece ironically named Pulga (Spanish for flea). Collectors will have the opportunity to purchase any of the artworks displayed and will also be introduced to Miguel’s toy/figurine line inspired by his artworks. During the interactive Art Basel opening reception on December 2, Miguel will be creating a new piece of artwork live. Viewers will have the opportunity to catch him in action and also be introduced to the newest digital art technology being used today. Miguel is quite excited to show more of his artwork in his hometown during Art Basel. His installation will take place at a pop-up gallery located at 412 Lincoln Road on the beach. Without question, Art Basel Miami Beach is the most important art show in the United States, a cultural and social highlight for the Americas. The colorful spotlight that shines on Miami during the event is remarkable — bright, bold and beautiful. The same can be said for Miguel Paredes’ many talents.
Politics COLUMN
David v Goliath Tell the Underdog Candidate to Ready a Sling. The Philistines are Coming! By Jeffrey Bradley
Talk about your memorable battles: The Beach hasn’t seen these kind of showdowns since Rocky. And as a voter you’ve got a front row seat. Better still, you can turn this into Reality Election and vote the bully right off the Beach. Ain’t politics fun? There’s a top-heavy matchup, that seems all skewed to the side with the lawyers, guns and money. But here’s the problem: the lawyers, guns and money! That makes them suspect, and vulnerable. Can anyone say beholden to special interests? Maybe that’s why they leap into bed with snarky operatives whose political machines wave threatening tentacles over City Hall. <Sigh> These special interests always find someone to run. Me, I’m tired of being manipulated by cynical insiders who slap a fresh coat of paint over damaged goods and tell me it’s experienced. Last time I bought that nonsense, the guy imploded in public when he got busted exploiting a loophole. They told me back then he was the “best qualified” candidate. Didn’t Tricky Dick “I am not a crook” Nixon use that line, too? But this election isn’t about qualifications or even experience, is it? What it is about is integrity… and the lack of it. Let’s face it. You can’t have integrity surrounded by political whack-jobs, finaglers and schemers. You’d go into office crippled, in the palm of hard men of murky motive who cling to the edges and work the shadows. You’d be in thrall to their creepy election machine — The Machine — and be expected to open the door to deals and favors and contracts. And, you’d be obliged to join forces with their minions on the dais for that all-important, legislation-passing Fourth Vote. But which legislation would pass, and for whose benefit? Do you think it will be for the public good or for the good of the special interests? Again: If special interests fund The Machine, and influence peddlers run The Machine, then what kind of legislation do you think candidates beholden to The Machine are going to pass? Do you think it will be for the public good or for the good of the special interests? This isn’t “running on the merits,” not at all. This is old-boy cronyism, I’ve-scratched-your-back-nowyou-scratch-mine politics done on the taxpayer dime. Character’s just a word to these folks, integrity only a concept. They can’t afford to run a person of “merit.” The Machine practices ruthless, corrosive politics because it must. In every election it bulldozes and slimes its opponents with cynical disregard. That’s why it’s called a machine. Its only purpose is to gain, retain and expand power… then enjoy the spoils. By default that makes nearly any hand-selected candidate a dupe or willing accomplice. I refer to it as the Eddie Haskell Syndrome. We all knew guys like Eddie growing up. Eddie would make nice to your Mom and Pop — “Gee, Mr Smith, sure I’m the most educated!” or “Of course I’m listening Mrs Smith; that’s why my ears are so big!”— then he’d “borrow” your car and rack it up, or was somehow always explaining away something unsavory. But what could you do? He kept telling you all that stuff was ancient history, and you wanted to believe him. That a candidate feels they need The Machine speaks volumes. Haven’t you noticed how every election appears to get worse as the stakes for these machines get higher? And what does that say about us? Are we really willing to let jaded politicos lead us like sheep when we know it’s not right? Maybe these are the kind of commissioners we deserve: quick-buck artists who slap our backs and pick our pockets. Once in office they turn “what is the public good?” into “what’s in it for me, and mine?” Well, I want different. That’s why I scrutinize these races and vote for the best candidate that money can’t buy. One who’ll assume office unencumbered by the meathooks of graft. You know, the underdog — the one The Machine couldn’t coerce, co-opt or control. The one who’ll vote the issues based on their merit, not on who needs “fixing” this time out, or on payback, or on whoever’s turn it happens to be. It’s called doing the right thing, and it can’t be done with an anaconda wrapped tightly around you. Miami Beach voters are savvy. They don’t want commissioners plugged into some greasy machine, or squabbling on the dais. They know there’s all the difference in the world between a wagonload of snake-oil salesmen and a community activist that fights on their behalf. This column is an opportunity to look at issues from a different perspective. Opinions expressed are those of the contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of the SunPost Newspaper. www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • November 12, 2009 • Page 7
A Special Moment in Time COLUMN
Debunking the Orange Blossom Myth: Part Two By Seth H. Bramson mrfec@yahoo.com
As noted in this column last week, the Mother of Miami, Julia Tuttle, had implored Henry Bradley Plant, the famed developer of Central and West Coast Florida, to extend his railroad across the then-trackless Everglades almost 160 miles to a tiny settlement on the lower southeast coast of the state. Plant, courteously demurring through Tuttle’s first seven letters, would, upon receipt of her eighth, state with no small amount of brusqueness that he had no intention of extending his railroad to satisfy her ego and further advised her that she was not to communicate with him again. Julia was not the least bit deterred, for, as also noted last week, she was very well aware that her — and the area’s — salvation lay a scant 65 miles north. The railroad had reached West Palm Beach several years earlier and Henry Flagler had already built two of his grand resort hotels on the island across Lake Worth from West Palm Beach. She began writing Mr. Flagler, and with each missive he would explain that there was nowhere near the commerce that would be needed to support the expenditure required to extend the railroad through shrub palmetto and over sand dunes 65 miles to the small settlement that she believed would someday become a great city. In fact, at one point, one of Flagler’s associates inquired as to why he did not terminate the correspondence in finality. Flagler’s response was enlightening: “My dear friend,” he said, “that woman is the daughter of old friends — the Sturtevants — from Cleveland, and I would never be rude to the daughter of old friends. Fortunately for Julia, time — and the vagaries of weather — were on her side. In December of 1894 and January and February of 1895, the worst freezes ever to hit Florida destroyed the crops down to the middle of Dade County. But what our readers must remember is that the Dade County of that era was not the Dade County of today: it was huge, stretching from north of Stuart (today’s Martin County) all the way south to what remains today the Miami-Dade/Monroe County line, no more than a mile or so above land’s end at the bottom of the Florida peninsula. The freeze line, incredibly, was like an iron curtain: Everything north of the line was dead or dying, the citrus and produce turning black, while everything south of the line was alive and growing. As Greater Miami’s senior collector of FEC Railway, Florida transportation memorabilia, Miami memorabilia and Floridiana (it is now 52+ years since I walked into the FEC ticket office in downtown Miami and asked for timetables), I have spent an inordinate amount of time studying that phenomenon and it now appears that the freeze line (“in the middle of Dade County”) appears to have been somewhere between NE-NW 163rd Street and today’s DadeBroward line. In any case, the region south of the line was untouched by the freezes. Mrs. Tuttle knew that her moment had come and in early February of ’95 she cabled Mr. Flagler: “Region around shores of Biscayne Bay untouched by freezes. Please come and see.” But, contrary to what you may have been erroneously told (by those who give tours, perhaps, and who know so little), he did not. Rather, he sent his two now-famous-in-Florida-history lieutenants, James E. Ingraham, his land commissioner, and Joseph R. Parrott, his railroad vice president. Suffice to say, they were stunned by what they saw. Gathering up fruit and truck (produce) and filling boxes with the harvest, they also cut off two citrus tree limbs (the historical chronicles do not tell us if those limbs were grapefruit, tangerine, orange, lemon or lime), wrapped them in wet cotton, loaded it all back on the buckboard, proceeded to the boat awaiting them at Lemon City, and set off for Palm Beach, where Mr. Flagler greeted them. Upon their arrival, he likewise was stunned. He looked at them both incredulously, and said, “Are you sure? Page 8 • Thursday, November 12, 2009 • The SunPost • www.miamisunpost.com
Julia's home was in old Fort Dallas, the former Seminole Indian Wars army post.
Are you certain? If she was not telling the truth, I will never communicate with her again.” And they responded with these words: “Mr. Flagler, you sent us down there to report. This is our report. It is like nothing we have ever seen. Everything north of the freeze line was dying or dead and everything south of it, in the region around the shores of Biscayne Bay, was verdant and lush and green. She has told us the truth.” Mr. Flagler immediately wired Mrs. Tuttle, and the famous telegram contained these words: “Madam: What is it that you are seeking?” The rest, of course, did lead to the beginnings of the Magic City, and of that, more next week. Seth H. Bramson, the author of Miami Beach in Arcadia Publishing’s “Images of America” series and Sunshine, Stone Crabs and Cheesecake: The Story of Miami Beach (The History Press, of Charleston) is Adjunct Professor or History at both Barry University and Florida International University and is the single most published Greater Miami history book author in America.
Above Left: Julia Tuttle, the beloved mother of Miami. Left: Henry Morrison Flagler would make the decision to extend the Florida East Coast Railway to the shores of Biscayne Bay. Right & Below: These are the views that Julia Tuttle experienced as she gazed around the region that, one day, would become "The Magic City."
Politics COLUMN
What, Me Biased? By John Hood
Cry about me being biased all you want. But how can I possibly not be biased toward the one candidate who showed a little chutzpah? I mean, really. You think I want drywall people running the Beach? Of course I don’t. And you shouldn’t want drywall people running the Beach either. They’re not very tasty at all. Furthermore, why wouldn’t I show some bias toward the one candidate who either answered the phone when I called or promptly phoned back, every time, not to mention replied to every single email message that was sent his way. There are still some candidates out there who haven’t returned my messages from before the first election! Now, I’m not talking about either Mayor Bower or Commissioner Libbin, both of whom were readily accessible at almost all times. And on the odd occasions when they weren’t, they made themselves so as quickly as possible. Come to think of it, perhaps that’s why both received enough votes to get re-elected without a runoff. They simply had called everybody back. Michael Gongora, the candidate who is the beneficiary of my bias, most likely called everyone back too; after all, why would I be any more or less special? But with a three-way race and the old 50 percent or nothing rule, he fell just a little short of the requisite majority. He sure didn’t fall short of any actual majority though. He beat both of his opponents fair and square. But it’s not enough for Miami Beach to hold one election that nobody shows up to vote in; they’ve gotta hold two. And Tuesday Gongora will again face off against Gabrielle Redfern, who has either been summoning her inner Clint Eastwood or just doesn’t have much to say. Alex Fernandez, the third candidate from that Group 3 commission race, is out, though he already very vocally endorsed Gongora. Too bad, though, that the winner didn’t actually get to win on November 3rd and we’ve gotta do it all over again. Redfern, who was given ample opportunity to reply and respond and ruminate at will, apparently is of the mind that I’ve been biased. That’s what one of her apologists leads me to believe anyway. I don’t know for certain because again, she barely spoke to me. I do know that I got inexplicably spammed by one of her own suspiciously close to the time that I first furnished her with my email address. Now I’d really hate to think she’d put someone up to something so childish, especially after all her talk against negativity, but it was an odd coincidence. Actually, now that I think of it, from the reticent way Redfern ran her campaign it’s unlikely she’s ever put anyone up to anything. So apologies please, all around. There’s another runoff: some Jorge Exposito against some Maria Mayer in that sullen Group 2, but since those were two of the most irresponsible responders, I don’t figure I owe either anything at all. Why should I spend anymore time on them than they spent on me? Granted I was seeking their views on behalf of the reading public, but hey, would it have killed either one of them to reply to an email? Apparently so, because they’re both still holed up wherever it is also-rans go. Listen, I get bored with politics just like anyone else who’s not in politics. But I never get bored with giving people a fair shake. Each and every one of the candidates running for office in Miami Beach was given the exact same amount of time and space to voice their opinions and make a case for their election. And, aside from the aforementioned Mayor Bower and Commissioner Libbin, only Gongora was responsible enough to respond. (To be fair, Alex Fernandez also behaved in an exemplary manner.) Granted it was very much a case of taking advantage of every opportunity that was placed before him, but wouldn’t you want someone in office who knows enough to take advantage of things? Sure beats a thumb-twirler. So yeah, I’m biased. I’m biased against complacency everywhere I find it, and that includes the election booth. No, I won’t be voting for the ones who couldn’t even be bothered to get away; I’ll be voting for the man who’s remained engaged, from day one on. That’s the kinda cat I wanna see seated at Miami Beach’s table. And so should you.
PRIVATE
Tutoring in SPANISH Babies to Teens GAMES READING SONGS DRAWING
This column is an opportunity to look at issues from a different perspective. Opinions expressed are those of the contributor and do not necessarily represent the views of the SunPost Newspaper.
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www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • November 12, 2009 • Page 9
COVER STORY
LITERARY LOWDOWN A Totally Biased Guide to the Best of This Year’s Miami Book Fair Written by John Hood Yes, the leaves of the trees have turned an orangey gold and a crisp chill has entered the air. The sweaters have come out, the mittens have come on, and the boots are standing ready to greet the first snow. It seems the season is upon us at last, and that can only mean one thing: We’re reading a book we picked up at Miami Book Fair. Of course you wouldn’t be caught dead reading a book as tritely written as what I just wrote. But bland as that passage may be, it still probably got you outta your head for moment (or at least mad at me for what’s in mine). And that of course is what good books do for us, day in and day out, throughout the entirety of our lives. And with Miami Book Fair, we get more books and more authors in one place for one week than just about anywhere else on earth. Dig it. This year’s “Evenings with” series is nearly over, but if you’re quick and you’re lucky you still might nab a ticket for Nobel Prize-winning novelist Orhan Pamuk’s Friday appearance. And I tell ya, if you do you may just come undone. The Turkish fablist, whose most recent fiction is The Museum of Innocence (Knopf $28.95), pushes reality to a place few dare even fathom, and he manages to do so while keeping to a grounded running commentary of what most matters on the banks of the Bosporus. Think modern storytelling that at once carries on and defies tradition and you’ll have the right idea. Naturally Pamuk is but the last preliminary for an onslaught of authors that begins early Saturday morning and doesn’t conclude until the sun sets Sunday evening. If you log on to Miami Book Fair’s site (www.miamibookfair.com/) you can read all about it. But if you stick with me, you can whittle your list to series of duly-fortifying highlights that’ll leave you time enough to hit the street fair. And that’s where a lot of the real action goes down to begin with. Ready?
SATURDAY’S BEST ACTION 9:30AM: AL GORE The compellingly keen and indelibly green for-
mer vice president sure has been busy since leaving office back at the end of the last century — and he’s got the awards to prove it. An Inconvenient Truth, of course, won two Oscars and a Grammy (Best Spoken Word), and he himself won a Primetime Emmy (for Current TV) and a Webby, as well as the Nobel Peace Prize (in ’07). Gore’s latest, Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis (Rodale $26.99), “draws on conclusions developed from” the 30 “Solutions Summits” our most visible eco-warrior conducted since Truth was told. It also serves as a clarion call to action. Chapman Conference Center (Building 3, 2nd Floor, Room 3210) Free admission – ticket required
11AM: PEN INTERNATIONAL
PRESENTS ANA MENENDEZ, FRANCINE PROSE, MARY GORDON MICHAEL THOMAS AND SAM TANENHAUS Any one of these writers would be worth hearing expound about anything at any time ever; to have them all join together and tackle censorship under the umbrage of an organization that’s as worthy and as dignified as PEN makes this a double-plus must. And whether your interest is piqued because homegirl Ana Menendez will be representing the MIA, Prose and Gordon happen to be two of the finest fictionists alive, or because Tanenhaus edits both the Times “Book Review” and “The Week in Review” really doesn’t matter. Just so long as you’re there. Chapman Conference Center (Building 3, 2nd Floor, Room 3210) Free admission – ticket required
11AM: JEFF LINDSAY,
RICHARD BELZER, PAUL LEVINE Levine, alas, is for the moment a new name to me, but since he got his start at The Herald and Book Fair’s pitted him alongside Lindsay and Belzer, he won’t be a new name for long. Lindsay, of course, if the scribe behind the infinitely successful Dexter se-
Please see Lowdown on page 12
Chapman Conference Center (Building 3, 2nd Floor, Room 3210) Free admission – tickets required
lowdown cont’d from page 11
SUNDAY’S BEST ACTION ries, the latest of which is Dexter by Design (Doubleday $25), and though it goes to Paris he’s not to blame for the series leaving Miami. Belzer’s the wise-cracking comic who helped to make Homicide one of the best police shows ever to air, and I Am Not a Cop (Simon & Schuster $14) is his crime fiction debut. You may wanna wear Kevlar for this one.
1:30PM: SENATOR BOB GRAHAM Former Senator and Governor Graham remains one of Florida’s most esteemed elder statesmen. He also happens to be among our most engaged. In America, the Owner’s Manual (CQ Press $16.95), the good man provides the key to effectively affecting the kingdom that is government — and getting it to work for you. Room 3208/3209 (Building 3, 2nd Floor)
2:30PM: TOM HAYDEN Perennial gadfly in the conservative’s ointment, Hayden is perhaps the most relentless man in America. And if the former California state rep and long-time election spoiler still sometimes acts as if the ‘60s never ended, well, a lot of what Hayden fought for way back when is only now just coming to pass, so who’s to blame him? In fact, that seems to be the very subject of his The Long Sixties: From 1960 to Barack Obama (Paradigm $26.95), the activist’s 19th book. And if anyone should know, it’s Tom Hayden. Room 3208/3209 (Building 3, 2nd Floor)
6:30PM: IGGY POP, ROBERT MATHEU Miami’s most sinuous rocker, Iggy Pop, joins long-time Creem lensman Mattheu to celebrate and chat about the oversized and fully photographed The Stooges: The Authorized and Illustrated Story (Abrams $35), probably the loudest book you’ll see at the entire fair. The proto-punk reportedly can be quite the raconteur. And with Mattheu’s pix serving as evidence, we’ll have to believe everything he says — no matter how far out it seems.
POSNER As I mentioned in these very pages some weeks back, Posner’s Miami Babylon (Simon & Schuster $27) stirred up no small amount of ire among Magic City power brokers before the book even hit the streets. And while I don’t know Bardach, I do know that the reporter’s Without Fidel (Scribner $28) is as anticipated as the sentiment expressed in its title. The two should make for one keen reading. Auditorium Pavilion A (Parking Lot #9)
12 NOON: GEORGE PACKER, CHRIS HEDGES, SAM TANENHAUS If New Yorker staff writer Packer’s Interesting Times (Farrar Straus & Giroux $28) is nothing but the truth behind the cold, hard facts, and Truthdig columnist (and Pulitzer winner) Hedges’ Empire of Illusion (Nation Books $24.95) is nothing but the lies we hide behind, then New York Times-man Tananhaus’ The Death of Conservatism is the theory that definitely got away. Whether you wish for it to stay away depends on which side of the aisle you think from. Not for the feint of mind. Chapman Conference Center (Building 3, 2nd Floor, Room 3210) Free admission – ticket required
12:30PM: NOIR I’ve covered Akashic’s gritty-cool Noir series for every publication that would have me write about it. And whether I was handling
3:30PM: JONATHAN LETHEM, BEN GREENMAN, MICHAEL THOMAS Lethem’s just-out Chronic City (Doubleday $27.95) is a well-crafted flashback (of sorts) to a very uncertain future. Greenman’s equally current Please Step Back (Melville House $16.95) is a flashback (for fake) of a certain person’s promise. Thomas I don’t know, but with a title like Man Gone Down (Grove $14) it’s hard to see why. If you dig hip fiction written by the very with-it who care not a whit if it’s either, then this event is for you. Auditorium Pavilion A (Parking Lot #9)
PM: MELVIN VAN PEEBLES Van Peebles’ Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song not only set the stage for the blaxploitation rage of the ‘70s, it’s hands-down one of the ballsiest indies ever lensed. Hell, do you know any indie directors who performed their own unsimulated sex scenes and then finished their films with the money worker’s comp gave ‘em for contracting an STD? Me neither. Van Peebles’ Confessions of an Ex-doofus-ItchyFooted Mutha is the graphic novel version of his same-named (and latest) movie. I’m taken aback already. Chapman Conference Center (Building 3, 2nd Floor, Room 3210) Free admission – ticket required
KIDS STUFF AT THE BOOK FAIR
5PM: JACK E. DAVIS, ABBY SALLENGER, IAN SHIVE The main attraction here is Davis’ monumental An Everglades Providence: Marjory Stoneman Douglas and the American Environmental Century (University of Georgia Press $34.95), a 750-page account of the grande dame of the Everglades and her fight to keep it pure. But both Sallenger’s foreboding (and historical) Island in a Storm (Public Affairs $24.95) and Shive’s scenic (and beautiful) Our National Parks (Earth Aware Editions $39.95) also boast pedigree and cause, and are duly concerned with our lands. Makes for a great set piece. Room 7128 (Building 7, 1st Floor)
11AM: ANN LOUISE BARDACH, GERALD
London Noir for Paste or Havana Noir for these pages, I’ve always insisted the collections were the best way to see the dark side of any given city’s streets. Today the editors of Los Angeles Noir (Denise Hamilton), Miami Noir (Les Standiford), Mexico City Noir (Paco Ignacio Taibo II) and the two very latest — Bronx Noir (S.J. Rozan) and Boston Noir (Dennis Lehane) — explain how the series gets slung. Auditorium Pavilion A (Parking Lot #9)
Who Says Books Are Only For Adults? By John Hood CHILDREN’S ALLEY Someone must be reading more than doom-and-gloom books, because each year Miami Book Fair has more and more children running around, and we all know folks don’t have kids if they don’t see a future. To accommodate all the optimists’ kids, Book Fair has added two new elements to their Children’s Alley: Let’s Get Fancy and The Treehouse. Let’s Get Fancy is based upon Jane O’Connor’s Fancy Nancy books and involves all kinds of hands-on interactivity. There’s the “Ooh La La!! Bracelet Extravaganza,” “Create Your Own Spectacular Handbag” and “Make Your Own Zany (Very Silly) Mask!,” an “Excursion Into a Magical Carousel” and a visit with the “Glamorous Explorer’s Club [to] learn about the beautiful world of butterflies,” as well as “Expressly for You! Create FAN-tastic Designs” and a performance by Oopsy the Clown. The Treehouse “features readings, activities and arts and crafts, many of them centered on monsters and bugs [from] Where the Wild Things Are.” Here you can “Become King of the Wild Things!,” make a poster of “My Friend the Mon-
Page 12 • Thursday, November 12, 2009 • The SunPost • www.miamisunpost.com
ster,” and build your own bug-catcher box to use in your next outdoor adventure in “Buzz-a-ruzz-abuss-a- ruzz. Grick-grack. Bugs Are Cool.” Both Let’s Get Fancy and The Treehouse run from 9 a.m. through 2:30 p.m. on Friday, and 9 a.m. through 5:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, and are sponsored by The Children’s Trust. In addition to the above, there are the Book Fair favorites such as the Dr. Seuss Tent (presented by Miami Children’s Museum), Green Planet (presented by Reading Is Fundamental), Let’s Play and Learn (presented by WLRN Ready to Learn), What’s Up, Doc? (presented by the MDC Medical Center Campus) and both the Children's Alley Stage and the Children's Alley Storytelling Stage, all of which run on the same time frame.
KIDS’ COMIC CON ComicCon is one of the largest events in entertainment, so it would make sense that someone smart would start a Kids’ Comic Con; that those smarties would be in New York is no
surprise whatsoever. This of course is for the kids who are a little older and already adept at deciphering comic books and graphic novels, both of which they’ll have ample opportunity to read and create through the Art of Making Comics Workshop (Kids and Teen), Drawing Cool Characters Workshop and Dynamic Visual Storytelling. Then they can have the Portfolio Review Crew come in and assess their work. If the kids get there on Friday at 1 p.m. for Sci-Tech Heroes, they can meet Kids’ Comic Con founder and Blackjack creator Alex Simmons; on Sunday at 2:30 at Where the Action Is, they can mingle with Dawud Anyabwile, co-creator and illustrator of the megahit Brotherman: Dictator of Discipline. Kids Comic Con activities begin at 10am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and run throughout each day.
www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • Thursday, November 12, 2009 • Page 13
Calendar WHAT TO DO IN MIAMI THIS WEEK
CELEB CHEF ERIC RIPERT
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NOVEMBER 13, 14
COMEDY It’s Pauly, Pauly Shore
SAVE THE DATE:
NOVEMBER 13
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 28:
FRESH PHISH ON NEW YEAR’S EVE
Funnyman Pauly Shore will be doing his brand of stand-up at the improv this weekend. An ittybitty player in the movies and on TV, Shore grew up as comedy royalty in the family business, L.A.’s famous Comedy Store. Should be an interesting evening. 8:30 & 10:30pm $23.54. Miami Improv, 3390 Mary St #182, Coconut Grove. For info: 305-441-8200 or miamiimprov.com
NOVEMBER 13
ART An Artistic Sacrifice The grand re-opening of Butter Gallery featuring Sacrificial Offering, a solo show by artist Rick Falcon. A purist with a cause and a box full of fine brushes. His message is divine and he is a man on a mission. His are not paintings, but contemporary relics. They are sacrificial offerings. 7pm. No cover. Butter Gallery, 2303 NW 2nd Ave., Miami For info: 305-303-6254 or buttergallery.com.
NOVEMBER 13
MUSIC La Quinta Estacion La Quinta Estación the Latin Grammy-award winning Spanish pop/rock band will be performing in a one-night only show at the Jackie Gleason. The duo, lead singer Natalia Jiménez and guitarist Ángel Reyero hail originally from Madrid. 9pm. The Fillmore Miami Beach at The Jackie Gleason Theater, 1700 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach. For info: 305-673-7300.
NOVEMBER 13
FOOD Battle of the Celebrity Chefs Calling all Miami foodies! The Celebrity Chef Series is back and once again hosted by brave, country-hopping, gastro-god, Anthony Bourdain. The first competitors are celebrity chefs Jacques Pepin and Eric Ripert. The evening starts with a meet and greet interview style with both chefs chatting about their lives, experiences and favorite foods. And then, during an audience Q&A, the two chefs will perform their own brand of kitchen magic. 8pm. $25-200. Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. For info: 305-949-6722 or arshtcenter.org. Below: La Quinta Estacion. Left: Rick Falcon, Not by Sight,Acrylic on canvas, 2008
For all Phish fiends, this one’s for you! At the end of December, Phish returns to Florida for a four-night run at American Airlines Arena in Miami, including a three-set New Year's Eve show. The shows are the band's first performances in Florida since 2003. They will play on the 28, 29, 30, & 31 of December. A limited number of tickets for all four shows are available directly through Phish Tickets’ online ticketing system at phish.com. Tickets go on sale to the general public on Saturday, November 21st at 10am Don’t miss it!
POETRY Open Mike Night Catch a little poetry, some prose and a little music at Acoustic Flow an open Mike Night sponsored by B-Side Entertainment. This Friday's special musical guest is crooner Gordon Chambers. $10. 9pm. Literary Cafe & Poetry Lounge, 933 NE 125th St., North Miami. For info: 786-234-7638 or myspace.com/literarycafepoetrylounge.
NOVEMBER 13
MUSIC Dabble in the Moonlight This Friday catch Jan Sebon performing with his daughter the talented prize winning composer, poet, and performer, Inez Barlatier. 8pm. $7. Luna Star Café, 775 NE 125th St., North Miami. For info: 305-7997123 or lunastarcafe.com.
NOVEMBER 13, 14, 15 FESTIVAL Book Fair Street Fest
Don't miss one of the most anticipated parts of the Miami Book Fair, The Street Festival. This weekend prepare to immerse yourself in hundreds of booksellers and exhibitors all showcasing every genre of author, jazz, dance, world music and fabulous food. There is a wonderful section just for younger kids in Children's Alley and for older kids in Comix Galaxy. Expect major crowds of book lovers and an amazing time. 10am. $8. Kids free. Miami Dade College Wolfson, 300 NE 2nd Ave., Miami. For info: miamibookfair.com.
NOVEMBER 13, 14, 15
FESTIVAL Antique Goodies Galore Collectors from all of the world hit Miami Beach this weekend for the 17th Annual Miami Beach Antique Jewelry & Watch Show. Picture a football field packed choc-o-block with furniture, memorabilia, jewelry, art, china and you get the picture. 10,000-square-feet of divine opulence. 11am. $15 for all 3 days. Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach. For info: 305673-7311.
NOVEMBER 14, 15 MUSIC Music Sublime
Principal Guest Conductor Alasdair Neale returns to the New World Symphony this weekend for a two-night concert series. Let your emotions be swept away with Prokofiev’s American Overture, Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony and Osvaldo Golijov’s The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind. Special guest highlight is klezmer clarinetist David Krakauer. 7:30pm $33. Lincoln Theatre, 541 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach. For info: 305-673-3331.
www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost •November 12, 2009 • Page 15
Calendar WHAT TO DO IN MIAMI THIS WEEK
NOVEMBER 15
FESTIVAL Showing a Little Flash Calling all car nuts, enthusiasts and their girlfriends...this weekend is Festivals of Speed, the festival where all the big, beautiful, fast and flashy vehicles come out to play. Expect to see the ultimate in cars, bikes and boats. $20. 10am. Bayfront Park Amphitheater, 301 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. For info: 305-358-7550.
NOVEMBER 15
SPORTS Fish Football Well, once again, both our Florida football teams are not doing so well. Sigh. The Dolphins play the Bucks play each other this weekend in a home game. Should be a fun time with the Buck's new quarterback finally getting field time. $41. 1pm. LandShark Stadium, 2267 Dan Marino Blvd., Miami Gardens. For info: 305-623-6100 or landsharkstadium.com.
NOVEMBER 16
FILM Being Jewish in France The National Center for Jewish Film and the Miami Beach Cinematheque have collaborated to show Being Jewish in France, an account of the complex history of Jews in France. 7pm. $10. Miami Beach Cinematheque, 512 Española Way, Miami Beach. For info: 305-673-4567 or mbcinema.com.
Paulie Shore
the Anishinabe Grandmothers. A documentary about Ojibwe women trying to restore and preserve their Native American culture and heritage. 7pm Free. Upper Eastside Garden, 7244 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. For info: 305-9843231 or uppereastsidegarden.com.
NOVEMBER 16
BOOKS Andre Agassi Tennis fans, do not miss Andre Agassi when he reads from his tumultuous new autobiography, Open. As part of the Books & Books continuos stream of interesting author readings, the Agassi event will be an evening to remember. Critics are calling Open a book that will be read and cherished for years. Like Agassi’s game, Open sets a new standard for grace, style, speed, and power. 6:30pm. $28.95. Temple Judea, 5500 Granada Blvd., Coral Gables. For info: 305.442.4408 or booksandbooks.com.
NOVEMBER 18
NOVEMBER 16 FILM
Indian Lore Part of the Big Read film series by the Florida Center for the Literary Arts and Miami International Film Festival is a showing of Nokomis: Voices of
WALLET FRIENDLY DATE: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 13: A LITTLE FRENCH FESTIVAL This sounds like a really fun evening for a wallet friendly date. Part of the Miami book Fair is Twilight Tastings, a food sampling from some of Miami's restaurants. This Friday night is Francophone Night, so the wine and munchies will be from France, Haiti and Canada. (free) We suggest starting at 6pm, so there is plenty of time to take in more of the fair's friday night author offerings like An Evening of Francophone Literature with five authors from Morocco, Haiti and Cameroon (free) or take in Turkish author Orhan Pamuk. $10. 7:30pm. To round off your evening, drive up to Uva 69 on Biscayne and 69th for their delicious ten buck Cobb Salad. Twilight Tastings are in room 6100 (Building 6, 1st Floor, on N.E. 2nd Ave between 4th and 5th Street). The fair takes place at Miami Dade College, 300 NE Second Ave., Miami. miamibookfair.com. Uva 69 is located at 6900 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, 305-754-9022.
DO YOU HAVE A WALLET FRIENDLY DATE SUGGESTION? SUBMIT IT TO DATES@MIAMISUNPOST.COM. IF YOUR DATE IS PUBLISHED YOU WILL BE ENTERED INTO A DRAWING FOR A FREE DINNER FOR TWO AT A LOCAL MIAMI RESTAURANT. Page 16 • Thursday, November 12, 2009 • The SunPost • www.miamisunpost.com
FILM A Venetian Odyssey The journey of James Deering as he spent eight years constructing Viscaya, is documented in an breathtaking new film, Viscaya, narrated by Andy Garcia. Just nominated for an Emmy, this documentary is well worth seeing. 7pm $15. Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, 3251 S Miami Ave., Miami. For info: 305-250-9133.
PLAYDATE FOR KIDS NOVEMBER 15
SPORT Family Fun Day It's Sunday and the day looms long and large. Two bored kids and one frazzled mom. (Dad's watching football and won't be disturbed). Pack up your brood and head to the Scott Rakow Center for an afternoon of fun. Swimming, ice skating, bowling, basketball, gym, arts and crafts, games or volleyball. Mom, you can either join in or bring a book and lounge by the pool for some mom time. $10. Scott Rakow Youth Center, 2700 Sheridan Ave., Miami Beach. For info: 305-673-7767.
DO YOU HAVE A KID PLAYDATE SUGGESTION? SUBMIT IT TO KIDS@MIAMISUNPOST.COM. IF YOUR DATE IS PUBLISHED, YOU WILL WIN FREE TICKETS TO THE MIAMI CHILDREN'S MUSEUM. To contribute events to our calendar section, please send info with images to events@miamisunpost.com
$3.00 OFF HAND CAR WASH Not combined with other offer
$15.00 OFF HAND CAR WAX Not combined with other offer
$15.00 OFF A FULL CAR WINDOW TINTING
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www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • Thursday, November 12, 2009 • Page 17
The 411
Make A Wish Ball -The Strongman
Make A Wish Ball -Yellow Submarine
COLUMN
Imagine By Mary Jo Almeida-Shore Lyrics: John Lennon Photography by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore
maryjoshore@aol.com
IMAGINE THERE'S A HEAVEN, IT’S EASY IF YOU TRY
Shareef Malnik, Richie Rich and Michael Capponi
Pamela Anderson
The Annual InterContinental Miami Make-AWish Ball brings a little taste of Heaven to those who need it most. At Saturday’s ball, where “Imagine” was the theme, the beautiful, 16-year-od Marina Diez gave a poignant speech, detailing the thrill of having her wish to go to Wimbledon fulfilled and explaining what having a wish granted means to a sick child.
NO HELL BELOW US Just a dance floor vibrating to the sounds of DJ Irie, who packed the dance floor before dinner. Guests showed no intention of sitting down until Lifetime Benefactor Al Malnik took the stage, almost an hour behind schedule. DJ Joe Dert had the same effect at the Make-A-Wish Nightclub, until about 3 a.m.
ABOVE US ONLY SKYHardy Hill and Louis Aguirre
Anne Owen and Alan Roth
“Lucy in the Sky” that is, along with giant jellyfish, an enormous lobster and a host of other characters from Octopus’ Garden that paraded around and escorted guests into the ballroom.
IMAGINE ALL THE PEOPLE-
Rene Ruiz and his girls
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More than 800, having a blast, including Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, along with wife Carole; actress and live auction emcee Pamela Anderson; tennis star Venus Williams; retired NBA player Scottie Pippen and wife Larsa; director Brett Ratner; Market America founders J.R. and Loren Ridinger; Lifetime Benefactors Al and Nancy Malnik; President of The Collection Ken Gorin; Lady Monica Heftler, South-
ern Wine and Spirits’ Wayne Chaplin and wife Arlene; designer Rene Ruiz; shoe designer Donald Pliner and wife Lisa; CEO of Greenberg Traurig Cesar Alvarez; Latin pop star Ana Cristina; director Michael Bay and New York-based fashion designer Richie Rich.
LIVING FOR TODAY… …One of the most fun days (nights) of the year, with performances by Beatlemania Now and Tokyo Diiva and a fashion show by Richie Rich and Pamela Anderson.
IMAGINE THERE ARE NO COUNTRIES, IT ISN'T HARD TO DO This is a tough one, with an A-list crowd of international jet-setters bidding on gift certificates to InterContinental Hotels worldwide, including Hong Kong, Rio, Shanghai Pudong, Madrid, Prague, Athens, Rome, London, Tahiti, Bangkok and Abu Dhabi, to name a few.
NOTHING TO KILL OR DIE FORExcept for incredible auction items, such as the Ferrari California and St. Andrews and Punta Mita trip, that went to James Ferraro after a fierce battle.
AND NO RELIGION TOOJust a shared mission of granting the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions, providing “hope, strength and joy.”
Make A Wish Ball- an ocotpus' garden
IMAGINE ALL THE PEOPLE, LIVING LIFE IN PEACE... Drinking, dancing, lobster and Pamela Anderson — what’s there to fight about?
YOU MAY SAY I'M A DREAMER Or slightly delusional, when I describe the yellow submarine composed of thousands of balloons, the giant strawberries with dancing dudes, the carousel flanked with circus freaks, including the strong man and bearded lady, Sergeant Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band or the giant bobblehead Beatles, so please check out my photos!
BUT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONEI’m in the company of some great folks, including: President/CEO of Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida Norm Wedderburn; Ball Chairman Shareef Malnik; InterContinental Miami’s recently appointed General Manager Robert B. Hill; former GM Jack Miller; Lifetime Benefactors Al and Nancy Malnik; Grand Benefactors Stanley and Gala Cohen; Founding Benefactors Howard and Barbara Glicken; Wish Star Benefactor, James L. Ferraro; Wish Benefactors Harvey and Roberta Chaplin; Stuart A. Miller of Lennar Corporation; Robert Press of Trafalgar Capital Advisors; Principals of Tara, Ink. Tara Solomon and Nick D’Annunzio; Gil Dezer from The Apprentice; Edward Freedman, founder/CEO of Total Merchants; businessman and former football star Bernie Kosar; Craig Robbins, CEO/president of Dacra Development; David Siegel, president of Westgate Resorts; Deco Drive’s Louis Aguirre; attorney L. Robert Elias; Dr. Lenny Hochstein, David Grutman, Michael Dreiling, Rich Santelises, Aaron Resnick, Matt Heien, Suzy Buckley, Jacquelynn Powers, Jose Ortiz, Jamie Jo Harris, Jeffrey and Yolanda Berkowitz and Yannick and Hadley Henriette.
Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds
Make A Wish Ball All you need is love
AND THE WORLD WILL BE AS ONE. IMAGINE NO POSSESSIONS, I WONDER IF YOU CANNot at this gala, with more than 140 auction items from top hospitality, entertainment, fashion and luxury brands, including Saks Fifth Avenue, Ocean Reef Club, Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Lines and Christian Dior.
NO NEED FOR GREED OR HUNGER-
Natalia Diaz, Loren Ridinger, Scarlett Brooks and Michelle Pooch
Done — lobster, lamb chops, sushi, stone crabs and steaks!
A BROTHERHOOD OF MANCurrent and former nightlife impresarios came together, such as Michael Capponi, Shareef Malnik, Eric Milon, Hardy Hill, Nicola Siervo, Antonio Misuraca, Tommy Pooch and Alan Roth; as did publications such as Ocean Drive, 944, Florida International Magazine and newcomer Miami Pop.
IMAGINE ALL THE PEOPLE… SHARING ALL THE WORLD… Thanks to the sponsors, organizers and attendees, this year’s gala raised more than $1 million.
Larsa and Scottie Pippen with Nancy Malnik
Tokyo Diiva with Frederic Dechnik
YOU MAY SAY I'M A DREAMER, BUT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONETo date, the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida has granted 1,700 wishes.
TAKE MY HAND AND JOIN USHow about today? Make a donation to: www.sfla.wish.org.
I HOPE SOMEDAY YOU'LL JOIN US-
AND THE WORLD WILL LIVE AS ONE.
Save the date: Next year’s gala is November 6, 2010.
See more 411 pictures on page 25
Jacquelynn Powers, Rich Santelises and Suzy Buckley with Beatlemania Now
www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • November 12, 2009 • Page 19
Bound COLUMN
Japanese and Thai Specialties! "Enjoy Exotic Dishes of the Orient" THE FRESHEST INGREDIENTS: Sushi, Yakitori, Sashimi, Teriyaki, Tempura, Pad Thai, Curry Lunch/Dinner/Drinks Open 7 Days
2775 NE 187th St., Aventura, FL 33180 305-932-8080 Kendall 11768 N. Kendall Drive I 305-275-9003
Love to Write? Then the SunPost Wants You! We are looking for freelance contributors to write on a whole host of subjects: WINE POLITICS ART MUSIC PEOPLE THEATRE ARTS COMMUNITY KIDS SUBMIT A WRITING SAMPLE TO: kim@miamisunpost.com
Manhattan Marijuana Drama Jonathan Lethem Gets Leafy Keen By John Hood
Long before irony came with obligatory air quotes and people started yawning for a living, there existed a certain type of person who truly knew what it was to be both utterly ironic and devastatingly jaded. That type, which mostly flourished in the wilds of pre-Giuliani Manhattan, was part of a shadow world that existed at once offthe-grid and intrinsically within the grid’s minutiae. You might say they dwelled in a sort of cultural grey zone, where everything was connected to everything else and ideas were the most treasured form of currency. You might also say that they were as likely to give you a line-by-line reading of the John Cassavetes documentary I’m Almost Not Crazy as they were the location of the last best place for dumplings in Chinatown. Purvis Tooth is of that type. And, one suspects, so is Jonathan Lethem. That’s undoubtedly why the writer leads with Purvis in his kaleidoscopic new novel Chronic City (Doubleday $27.95), and also
arcane haranguing, even if he can’t always keep all the facts straight. Of course it doesn’t help that the two are constantly under a cloud of the story’s titular chronic. Then again, all that weed does kind of ensure that things don’t hurt much either. And to be sure, both Purvis and Chase have pain to spare. Purvis’hurt is the most acute: a monthly bout of debilitating cluster headaches and untold loads of regret. Chase, on the other hand, seems most pained by his inability to really feel things. Though, to be fair, he does make a concerted effort to go through the requisite motions. Unfortunately for Insteadman, the motions include feigning he cares that the love of his life is literally lost in space. Well, not lost, mind you. But stuck out in orbit on the wrong side of a phalanx of Chinese mines and forever prevented from returning to Earth. It’s a must-read story — sad, tragic and of explicit human interest. And each
“And that seems to be the whole bright idea behind Lethem’s riotous romp through things real and unreal: that people have pushed themselves to a point where their humanity is no longer even in evidence.” probably why Mr. Tooth is always leading with his chin. It’s the end of the world as he knows it, and, no, he’s not feeling fine. In fact Purvis is making much of the fact that yesterday’s beloved reality has become nothing but today’s fleeting apparition, though no one seems to care very much. Thank Zeus Tooth now has a certain Chase Insteadman around to serve as a sort of sounding board. Otherwise he’d have no one to yell at about the injustice of it all. Chase, a former child TV star who really is a bit of a blank slate, eagerly accepts his new friend’s
Page 20 • Thursday, November 12 , 2009 • The SunPost • www.miamisunpost.com
day the “war-free” New York Times breathlessly goes to great efforts to keep it alive. Here on terra firma Chase takes up with one Oona Laszlo (after Victor?), a ghostwriting flit of a woman who has some very odd ideas about intimacy. On occasion he also turns to a New Age healer named Strabo Blandiana, who’s almost absurdly adept at reading people in order to find out just what ails them. And then there’s Richard Abneg, the turncoat who went from militant to mayoral aide without breaking much of a sweat. That Abneg has fooled
himself into believing the well-worn sneakers he wears with his bureaucratic, off-the-rack suit keep him linked to the useless glory of his relative youth doesn’t make the man much of a pal, however, to either Chase or Purvis. Nor does it make him much of a man. And that seems to be the whole bright idea behind Lethem’s riotous romp through things real and unreal: that people have pushed themselves to a point where their humanity is no longer even in evidence. Like Purvis Tooth, we exist in a kind of fugue state, a place between places. And in many respects, we’re neither here nor there. Sure, it’s fun stuff, all this questing after impossible objects and seeking of synesthetic connections without a care in the world. But like the hapless Chase Insteadman, it can also leave us seasick. There’s also a sense that Lethem, who was around to see a good many Purvis Tooths in his heyday, not only laments the loss of that type; he misses the helluva town where that type thrived, and where they were permitted to live free and unfettered by Disney. That it takes a surrealistic slapstick for him to get to the heart of what matters surely is indicative of the avatars we’ve all become. Contrary to popular cliché, back then wasn’t a simpler time. If you wanted to see somebody, you actually had to leave the apartment. And if you wanted to learn something, you actually had to open a book or go to a museum or — perish the thought! — ask another actual human being. In Chronic City, Lethem leaves all that behind, and in its stead we get a tomorrow that’s as uncertain as our memories. It’s risky business, this using fiction to forecast our future. Kinda like skydiving without the proverbial chute. But that’s what makes the story so enjoyable. Purvis Tooth never played it safe; neither has Lethem. And this increasingly far-out world wouldn’t be worth visiting if he had.
www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • Thursday, November 12, 2009 • Page 21
Potation COLUMN
Dabbling in a Little Greek By Ewan Lacey
I attended the Sommelier Cru tasting, entitled 'Forgotten Styles and Up-&-Coming Varieties, New Winemakers' in London’s, West End while I was in Europe, last month. Sommelier Cru is monthly event that aims to indirectly serve the drinking masses by providing sommeliers with a wide ranging choice of wines to place on their tables and bars. The venue was the 'Hellenic Centre' in Marylebone, so it was suitably fitting that Vickbar Wines had chosen to display a great selection of truly unique wines from Greece. The Sigalas Santorini, was described as having a "focused" nose, which I am inclined to agree with. The true success of this wine is in the mouth where subtly rich fruity flavours are fused with a tangy mineral zest in the mouth. This is a delicious wine that is already proving a hit with some big names and, no doubt, goes some way to exciting those familiar with Santorini to seek it out both for drinking here and on their next visit! It is also worth mentioning the Greek desert wines. These were exceptional. Other favorites included: Riccolo Grassi, Valpolicella, 2002 from the Veneto, available from Novum. This is the same wine, though a later vintage by one year, that I had with my memorable lunch in Verona back in January. Delicious and highly recommended. Barbaresco Vanotu D.O.C.G., Pelissero available from Alivini. The classic nose always reminds me of a dark fruity iced tea. To taste it was very tannic, begging for succulent red meats to play with! Top Summer Tip: Innocent Bystander Pinot Noir Rose, Victoria, Australia. On the nose, this wine is all about spring time, offering roses and the light scented herbs of... Provence! To taste, this is crisp and zesty wine that delivers a light plummy and black-curranty sensation that keeps the mouth dripping. This unusual but recently popularised wine from the Pelee winery in Canada: Pelee Island, Vidal Ice Wine 2003. This dessert wine is honey sweet and richly smooth, concentrated aromas of apricots and peaches. A real treat. Champagne Moutard, 6 Cepages 2001. This Champagne mixed from 6 grapes, is very fresh and full of flavour. I detected a certain toastiness in the mouth! There were plenty more wines tasted at this
event. The Sommelier Cru event next month is rumoured to be looking at wines that pair with ethnic and / or spicy foods.
A Chance Meeting of 87’s By Ewan Lacey
MUGA RIOJA VERSUS COONAWARRA PYRUS ‘87 While I was in London, last month, I walked a couple of miles along the Thames on a Thursday night to meet an old friend visiting from Sydney. It was a very hot Earth scorched evening and I took a bottle of Muga Rioja Prado Enea Gran Reserva’87. I’d been saving this last bottle of the case for a while and the promise of a steak and salad barbecue with my Spanish friends seemed an ample time to liberate it. To compound good fortune Richard had brought with him from Aus, a bottle of Lindemans Coonawara Pyrus‘’87 Vintage that had a very Bordeaux-esque blend of grapes and said so too on the bottle. After allowing a little time for the wines to aerate we tucked in with glee. Also with us were our good friends Mel and Charlie, as well as Ricardo, relative to Richard and host. The first impression was that the Coonawara had bags more fruit. The Muga was drier and more tannic and seemed a little over the hill to start with. The former was certainly more of a hit with Charlie in her quest for fruitiness! Funnily enough as the food was served and we tucked in heartily, we all but one made an unconscious shift to preferring the Muga. I’m not sure if it opened up a bit more or was better paired with the meal but it certainly had more depth and was adept at clearing the palate for the next mouthful. The Coonawara seemed a little too sweet in comparison and not such a good food wine. It seems to be a well-known fact that in Australia good wine is consumed bad wine is exported to us. I was very pleased for once to be
Page 22 • Thursday, November 12, 2009 • The SunPost • www.miamisunpost.com
on the receiving end of much better stuff smuggled out for the benefit of our supper. Altogether the fine steak and fine wine made up a lovely evening chewing the fat and shooting the breeze!
seen in Britain. In fact, having just returned from San Sebastian I couldn't help noticing how freely available Cune Crianza 2005 is. If you see it, grab it!
TASTING NOTE:
TASTING NOTE:
Grant Burge Barossa Vines Cabernet Sauvignon / Merlot 2006 Barossa Vines Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot 2005Quite a big complex wine and very enjoyable. I drank it on its own and enjoyed the black cherry flavours and licquorice characteristics. It's a fine wine alright but could do with a couple of years in the horizontal position. A fine example of how nice it is to drink a decent Australian wine outside of Australia (as opposed to the swimming pools of branded puke that has for so long clogged the shelves of our wine sellers).
Louis Jardot, Beaujolais Village, 2007. When the days start to lengthen, the suns rays tingle warm on the skin and the howling British winds reduce to a mere whistle on the windows, we know that it must surely be... Gamay time. The last winter was a long one and those of us condemned to serve out our damp sentence on Pudding Island can do nothing else but raise our glasses cheerfully and wait for them to be filled with this delicious summery grape variety. The Louis Jardot Beau Village is young, thirst quenching and ideally suited lightly chilled and in your glass. If you're feeling particularly Bacchic then why not let a little run down your chin... I do! The fruits are light raspberry and glistening red on the tongue. One glass inevitably leads to the next and the next to all things summery and mischievous.
TASTING NOTE: Cune Crianza 2005, Rioja Cune Crianza 2005Cune Crianza is widely consumed in Spain and not surprisingly. If I was going to wax lyrical I'd say that this wine is bursting with red fruits - cherries and strawberries - with subtle hints of a balsamic glaze. One glug is not enough, try another... and another... throw in a charcuterie and enjoy. This is a lovely drop and not that frequently
Providing Badly Needed Relief for Miami-area Small Business Financial and government leaders all agree that small business is the lifeblood of the American economy, providing more than half of all private sector jobs and nowhere is that more true than in Miami Dade. Yet while local contractors in the building trades, small retailers, restaurants and professionals of all kinds are being squeezed like never before in our crippled economy, most of the U.S. government relief is flowing to the giants of corporate America. With Miami-Dade s small businesses struggling to control their expenses while they wait out the return of better times, Atlantic Broadband is launching a very timely new package of communications services that will save them serious money to help them weather the economic storm. Atlantic Broadband s new business-class services provide all the features necessary for the vast majority of offices and small companies, beginning at $79.95 a month for a package of unlimited local and long-distance phone service and broadband-speed Internet. The phone company competition, whose services aimed at small business have suffered from benign neglect for years, charges nearly that much for just one-line business phone service, not including long distance or Internet. Hundreds of dollars more in yearly savings over the competition area available on more full-featured Atlantic Broadband phone/Internet packages.
For the first time, we are offering an extremely cost-effective alternative for small businesses such as doctors and dentists offices; law, accounting and insurance firms; restaurants; small retailers; building, plumbing and electrical contractors; and local nonprofit organizations, said Mary Hughes, Atlantic Broadband Director of Commercial Development.
And, Atlantic Broadband makes choosing and configuring a business plan simple a huge advantage over the complex service options and complicated bills of the phone company, Hughes said. Among the features of Atlantic Broadband Business Service: • Support for up to eight phone lines. • 20 business-focused advanced features at no extra cost, including receptionistfriendly call hold, transfer, line hunt and userdefined extension dialing; as well as optional voice mail.
• Direct connection to existing standards-compatible phones, faxes and credit card machines; plus hassle-free switchovers that retain existing phone numbers. • Next-generation tools, including an Online Phone Manager that delivers unprecedented on-premises and remote control of the system, including voice mail settings and viewing, and instant re-routing/forwarding. • Attractive upgrade/replacement programs for outmoded T1 lines; as well as inflexible, failure-prone proprietary phone systems. • of calls in the event of electricity outages. • The business-class reliability born of delivering 70 million calls just last month alone, plus 24/7 technical support and personalized service through dedicated account executives. • High-speed broadband Internet service at 3 or 8 megabits per second, with faster speeds to come; plus money-saving phone/Internet service packages. • Only a one-year commitment, versus the three-year contract required to get the phone company s best rates. Single-line, one-year phone/Internet discount packages, including unlimited local and long-distance calling including Canada and Puerto Rico , plus a free voice mail box and phone modem, start at $79.95 with basic 3 Mb Internet service, and $94.95 with basic 8 Mb Internet Service. Additional business lines, up to a total of eight, are $44.95 per month, little more than half the competition s price. Atlantic Broadband also offers an even less expensive business phone plan, which includes unlimited local calling plus long distance at flat rate of 5 cents per minute. Discount package savings are open to both existing and new business customers. More information is available by calling 305861-8069 x3903. Atlantic Broadband serves 98,000 customers in Miami Beach, Aventura, Bal Harbour Islands, Golden Beach, North Bay Village, Sunny Isles Beach, Surfside, South Miami, Pinecrest, and unincorporated portions of Miami Dade County.
www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • November 12, 2009 • Page 23
Food COLUMN
Waxy O’Connor’s Irish Pub By Marguerite Gil (megs@famae.org)
Located in the bustling western Brickell area of downtown Miami, Waxy’s, as the locals refer to it, is a place with yummy food items and has become a relaxing after-work gathering mecca for residents of the revitalized Mary Brickell neighborhood. This 7,000-square-foot, 222-seat, indoor/outdoor friendly pub offers guests a great view of the Miami River, as well as delicious menu dishes, beers from around the world, affordable prices and a friendly wait staff. Stroll into the cool, Celtic-inspired lounge, which includes dark hand-carved wooden structures, wood-framed ceilings, handsome leather quilted booths and an overall welcoming ambience. The interior was designed and built in Ireland, then shipped and assembled in-house by the craftsmen who built it. With a name like O’Connor’s, you can anticipate finding an ample beer list. Belly up to a 64-foot chocolatecolored bar and taste brews such as a Belgium Chimay, Stella Artois or an English New Castle Brown Ale. Half pints are $4.50, while an imperial pint goes for about $6.75. There are plenty of local bands that entertain guests weekly as well as flat screen TVs, a pool table and of course, the obligatory dart boards. But we were there to taste the goodies. Open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch, Waxy’s offers a melding of authentic Irish dishes and beverages with an emphasis on fresh seafood and produce. Current items include a full raw bar, local fish of the day specials, oysters Rockefeller with spinach, basil, Pernod sauce and bleu and gorgonzola cheeses, ceviche of the day and house-made smoked fish dip, among other choices. Also available: rustic flatbreads of homemade dough, flavorful chicken wings, juicy burgers, sandwiches, tender steaks and lamb chops as well as Bangers and Mash, corned beef and cabbage, fish and chips and the traditional Shepherd’s pie. I wasn’t sure I would like Irish food, but let me tell you, I was very pleasantly surprised. The corned beef and cabbage was served on lovely oval plates. The corned beef is blanched and seasoned with bacon and a hint of flour. It’s homemade, cured on the premises and sliced to order. Meats are cut daily. The Shepherd’s pie was also very good. I had Shepherd’s pie in London and it was awful! Waxy’s version was delish. Potatoes are a staple in Irish cooking and they are omnipresent in many of Waxy’s entrees. But remember, it’s comfort food at its best. So let the diet go for a moment and just relish the yummies. Their Bangers (sausage) and Mash combo is sublime and the potatoes (from Idaho) are lump-less! Many of the sausages on the menu are imported from Ireland. Ultimately this place serves simple food that is inexpensive and yet rendered delicious because of the way it is prepared. Twenty-eight-year-old Chef Reginald Collier is the genius behind the menu choices. Previously a sous-chef at Doraku (Japanese dining place in Miami Beach), he now oversees Waxy’s kitchen. I asked him how one goes from being a sushi master to becoming an expert in Celtic dishes. He said, “When you love to cook, you progress. I like stability. I want to learn and get better. My grandfather was a chef in Coral Gables. I always wanted to be a chef and early on had the love of a kitchen. My staff and me are going to take this place to another level. I take pride in my food. I want you to know that a chef made your food for you. Satisfaction in work makes a difference. Even cold it’s good. I consider myself a hands-on chef, not giving orders, but hands on.” Expect to find appetizers that include deep-fried Buffalo wings with your choice of mild, medium or hot sauce, served with blue cheese dressing, celery and carrots, or sautéed Gulf shrimp drenched with garlic butter over a bed of avocado and mixed greens, both for $8.95. Among the salads: salmon fillet on a bed of mixed greens, red onion, tomato and carrots, tossed with a dill vinaigrette or honey mustard sauce. There are sirloin burgers on Kaiser rolls as well as sandwiches and a variety of flatbreads. Entrees include fresh-caught fish grilled or blackened, presented with a choice of house sides and veggies. For dessert, there’s Jameson bread and butter pudding with a scoop of Irish custard that will make you smile from ear to ear. Waxy’s is located riverside in the Neo Vertika Building, 690 SW First Court, next to Andu. Details: 786-871-7660 or visit www.waxys.com Page 24 • Thursday, November 12, 2009 • The SunPost • www.miamisunpost.com
Teas, Tonics and Tinctures Lecture By Kim Steiner
If you haven't explored the Miami Beach Botanical Garden yet, then you are missing a small slice of green heaven. The grasses are lush, the flowers bright, the sculpture riveting and the atmosphere calming. Located right in front of the convention center, the garden continually plays host to a large assortment of events. From Halloween and birthday parties for little kids, to using the garden as a photographic muse, the folks at the garden fill the days with a roster of fun events. This Saturday, Teas, Tonics, and Tinctures will be a riveting two hours spent on herbs. Herb guru, Dr Sandra Breiterman will be the guest speaker. She will talk on the role of herbs in our lives. Herbs that enliven our diets, are 'natural' cures with medicinal properties, and key ingredients in health and beauty treatments. She will demonstrate the making of herbals teas and tonics. Tour the herb garden and explore the plants and trees with nutritional and medicinal uses. Fresh herbs and other plants will be for sale. Saturday, November 14. 10am to noon. Miami Beach Botanical Garden, 2000 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach. For info: mbgarden.org or 305-673-7256.
1. Beers at Waxy's. 2. Samplings of Waxy's Irish dishes. 3. Chef Reginald Collier. Photo: M. Gil
411
Ken Gorin and his wife
Jack Miller and Jackie Mailhe
Vince Offer the “Shamwow” pitchman with Omar Dewindt.
Michael Capponi and model, Taylor Erickson
Jilian Sanz
Michelle Pooch
Maryanne Salvat, Mary Jo Shore, Maria Jose Almeida
James Wall and the Webster's Frederic Dechnik and Laure He´riard Dubreuil
Tara Solomon and friends
www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • November 12, 2009 • Page 25
Fashion COLUMN
Yigal Azrouel Personal Appearance at Saks By Jennifer Fragoso (fragosofashion@aim.com) Saks Fifth Avenue in Bal Harbour was the place to be last Thursday. Yigal Azrouël was on hand to locally unveil his Spring/Summer 2010 Collection for men and women. The mood on the floor was ripe with excitement, music pumping, champagne flowing and crowds of people shopping. And why not — this guy has got some serious game. With jersey tops slashed in all the right places, lightweight leather jackets and metal details, Yigal’s designs are modern yet refined. Easy elegance with a razor-sharp edge best describes the line, while the muted colors of the clothes are a breath of clean air, light and refreshing. The hands-on approach Mr. Azrouël applied to working with his clients was a joy to watch from the perspective of this fashion devotee. Women everywhere want to feel special and Yigal seems to understand that, not only in the way he designs his clothes but also by how he interacts with the people who wear his clothes. Find out for yourself the next time you are in Bal Harbour. Just run into Saks and ask one of the associates in the designer department to help you get the Yigal Azrouël experience. You won’t regret it.
Models wearing fashions by Yigal Azrouël
Page 26 • Thursday, November 12, 2009 • The SunPost • www.miamisunpost.com
Models wearing fashions by Yigal Azrouël
Ashlee Harrison with Yigal Azrouël in the background
Shulamit Katzman and Aileen Youtie making selections from the collection
www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • November 12, 2009 • Page 27
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