MiamiMan Magazine V2N2

Marlins infielder Luis Arraez

PUBLISHER Ken Dunek

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Ashley Dunek

EDITOR George Brinkerhoff

ART DIRECTOR Steve Iannarelli

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

George Anastasia, Jan L. Apple, George Brinkerhoff, Sam Carchidi, Alan Espino, Vincent Mantuo, Jaxson Maximus, Mike Shute, Kurt Smith

Photographers

Joel Garcia, Natalia Garcia, Miami Lights Studio

Event Coordinator & Administrative Assistant

Alexandra Dunek

Website & Digital Coordinator Jamie Dunek

Editorial gbrinkerhoff@jerseymanmagazine.com

Advertising 856-912-4007

Printing Alcom Printing, Harleysville, Pa.

Controller Rose M. Balcavage

Sales Associates

Ashley Dunek, Jamie Dunek, Terri Dunek, Allison Farcus, JP Lutz

BY KEN DUNEK

These Stop Signs Lead to a Better Way

STOP hating.

STOP judging.

STOP putting yourself first.

STOP overindulging in food, alcohol, and drugs – your body is too important.

STOP procrastinating with exercise – anybody can find 30 minutes a day to take a walk.

The best advice I ever heard was from Clemson Head Football Coach Dabo Swinney when he was asked his secrets to success.

“I try to have my actions please God, put others before me, and worry about myself last.”  Chew on that for a moment – it is profound. And if everyone did it most of the world’s problems would disappear.

FULL STOP.

JOTTINGS

BY GEORGE BRINKERHOFF

Development or Preservation?

SO, THERE’S THIS SITE at the mouth of the Miami River that, after several years of study and digging, a team of professional archaeologists, indigenous people and other interested groups believe has huge historical significance. And it just so happens that that same site has been earmarked for development as it lies in one of Miami’s most upscale neighborhoods. So, what should be done? What’s best? Well, that’s exactly what Miami’s historic preservation board is being asked to decide.

The controversy surrounds three building sites on which archaeologists have found a treasure trove of over one million artifacts, ancient human remains and evidence indicating that a major native American settlement was active at least 2,000 years ago and possible as early as 7,000 years. Wooden tools, stone, shell and copper artifacts, post holes, shark’s teeth, basalt clubs, axe heads, bowls, beads and many other cultural items and physical evidence indicate a thriving, successful population of Tequesta natives had once traded with distant tribes while living on the banks on what is now the Miami River. In fact, much of the area surrounding the site that lies underneath current development may have been part of this cultural center. Nearby, in 1998, archaeologists had previously

discovered the Miami Circle, a perfect circle with 24 post holes outlined by and carved in the bedrock, which was thought to be the remnants of a ceremonial center. (The property was subsequently bought by the state and turned into a park.) In fact, it is the only site in Eastern North America where a prehistoric permanent structure has been found cut into the bedrock, and archaeologists think these sites are related.

BOTH SIDES of course, intend that the outcome for the site be determined in accordance with their own goals. While the developer intends to continue construction on the property, the archaeologists and other groups would like to see the site and its contents preserved, as they believe it has major historical significance. On April 4th, after an intense five-hour hearing wherein each side’s issues were aired, both sides appear at least somewhat satisfied in the aftermath of the hearing. While preservation of all the lots appears unlikely, the developer did not object to a 8-0 vote by the board to designate one of the lots as “historic” while dropping that designation on the other two lots. The two sides will now have time to reach an agreement and develop a plan for preservation and interpretation of the finds. Stay tuned.

Miami Circle Park

Photo by Marc Averette, Wikipedia

No More Soggy Straws

PLASTIC STRAWS don’t break down in the environment very well (and find their way into our water and wreak havoc with the environment while harming sea turtles and other creatures in our oceans.) So, many restaurants in the south Florida have turned to paper straws as an alternative. While better for the environment, paper can quickly turn soggy and useless.

Enter Greenprint, a company which focuses on building a sustainable ecosystem in the disposables industry. Among their many environmentally friendly product offerings are their PHA Straws, which are made from canola seeds and function as well or better than plastic or paper. “Our PHA straws are internationally certified as marine biodegradable. They are also certified for industrial & home compost as well as soil biodegradable.”

These straws are free of BPA’s (chemicals used in plastics) and PFA’s (forever chemicals), can be used for hot and cold beverages and as they note, you can “forget about soggy straws!”

Or check out Greenprint’s Natural Agave

Straws, another ideal alternative to plastic straws. They contain natural and organic pigments and are made from agave and other plant fibers. They also won’t get soggy in hot or cold drinks, have no BPA’s of PFA’s, and will break down naturally in landfills. “Our Agave line is bio-based and sourced from the agro-industrial waste that the tequila

industry in Jalisco, Mexico generates. These innovative products are lab tested to degrade in 1-3 years when in a biologically active landfill. In other words, you can dispose of our products like you regularly do in a trash can, where they will begin to decompose. A much better alternative to plastic products.”

For more information or to order, go to greenprintproducts.com.

Fly the Flag

THE CURRENT STATE FLAG of Florida, a red “saltire” [a symbol of heraldry with a diagonal cross, also known as a St. Andrew’s Cross] on a white background with the state seal in the center, was redesigned and officially sanctioned on May 21, 1985. It is one of 3 state flags, alongside Mississippi and Georgia, bearing the U.S. motto, “In God We Trust.” Curiously, while the state had no official flag when it joined the Union in 1845, at the inauguration of the then governor the flag of Florida used bore the motto “Let Us Alone.” Several different flag designs were used upon Florida’s secession from the Union in 1861. From 1868, after the state was re-patriated, the official flag of Florida was the state seal upon a white background. Later, in the 1890’s Florida’s governor noted that the flag looked like a surrender flag with the state seal and advocated for the red saltire, which in 1900 was officially added by referendum of the people. While there have been a few changes since, the official Florida flag has remained consistently recognizable to this day.

MiamiMan Legacy Club Event at O Lounge – Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

Photos by Miami Lights Studio

MOB SCENE

BY GEORGE ANASTASIA

A Deafening Silence

THEY’RE CALLING HIM the “last don” and hailing his capture as the final nail in the coffin of the Italian government’s war against the Mafia.

We’ve been here before.

The arrest of Matteo Messina Denaro outside a cancer clinic in Palermo back in January was certainly a major development in the ongoing battle against the notorious Sicilian underworld. But the fact that Denaro, 60, was able to live a prosperous and comfortable life during his thirty years on the run – yes THIRTY YEARS – says as much about Sicilian society as it does about law enforcement.

Denaro, according to police reports, had several safe houses in and around Palermo and lived a relatively normal life in a small village, Campobello di Mazara, just a few miles from the town where he was born and where family members – that’s family with a small F – still lived.

He dined at fine restaurants, dressed in fashionable clothes and was partial to expensive watches and other pieces of jewelry. He also, according to one Italian news agency report, “enjoyed orgies with Palermo women while on the run.”

That hardly sounds like a mobster constantly looking over his shoulder. And it underscores a comment by Italian Prosecutor Paolo Guido who told reporters there had been a “deafening silence…shown by the community that had sheltered” the mob boss over the years.

Sergio Mattarella, Italy’s president, offered a different take on the capture of Denaro. He hailed the “tenacity and dedication” of law enforcement and said the arrest marked “the supremacy of the law over crime and has strengthened citizens’ trust in society.”

Those two comments frame the issue. The reality is probably somewhere in the middle.

Trust has always been the issue in the fight

against organized crime in Italy and anywhere else where it has flourished. Too often the glamour and bravado of Mafiosi have pre-

Giovanni Falcone and Paolo Borsellino.

Falcone, his wife and bodyguards were killed in a massive explosion from a bomb planted under a highway as the prosecutor’s caravan made its way from the airport to downtown Palermo on May 23, 1992. Less than two months later Borsellino was killed when a bomb planted beneath his car was detonated as he was leaving an apartment after visiting his mother.

The Sicilian-born Falcone is credited with developing the Italian version of the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, a major tool in the war on organized crime. He did this while convincing mob boss Tommasso Buscetta to cooperate. Buscetta’s turncoat testimony was a major factor in the historic Mafia maxi trial in 1986 in which more than 300 mob figures were convicted.

(A movie The Traitor released in 2019 is an excellent biopic of Buscetta and captures the impact of his testimony on the Sicilian Mafia.)

sented a distorted vision of who they are and what they’re really about.

Greed, power and wealth, not honor, loyalty and family, are the cornerstones of the organization.

Denaro was a vicious Mafia boss, a leader of the so-called “massacre wing” of the Corleonesi clan. He was a successor to Bernardo Provenzano and Salvatore Riini, two equally vicious mob bosses who also were captured after years on the run. Both died in prison, the fate that appears to await Denaro.

All three were suspected of orchestrating two of the most outrageous mob hits in Sicilian history, the 1992 murders of prosecutors

Falcone and Borsellino were Italian heroes and their murders were major factors in turning public sentiment against Cosa Nostra in Sicily. Their assassinations were part of a national campaign of terror launched in the 1990s by Denaro and his clan against the Italian government. Bombings of public buildings in Milan, Florence and Rome that left ten people dead and forty injured further galvanized a populace that for decades had been either indifferent toward or resigned to the existence of the Mafia in its midst.

Denaro, who was convicted in absentia and sentenced to life in prison while on the run, once boasted, according to several news reports, that he had killed enough people to fill a small cemetery. One of his victims, according to police, was the 12-year-old son of a suspected mob informant. The boy was kidnapped and held for more than a year before he was strangled to death. His body

There had been a “deafening silence... shown by the community that had sheltered” the mob boss over the years.

Denaro

was then dumped in a vat of acid in order to deny his family an opportunity for a proper burial. Denaro also ordered the murder of a rival mob boss and the boss’s girlfriend. The woman, authorities said, was three months pregnant when she was killed.

SOMEONE ONCE WROTE that in order to understand the Mafia, you have to understand Sicily. This was a reference to the troubled history of the island which for centuries was ruled by outsiders. At different times, the French, the Spanish, the Greeks and the Moors dominated the island. Out of this came an almost innate distrust of authority and a sense that only family, only blood relatives, mattered. Only they could be depended upon.

The concept of “omerta,” now described as the Mafia’s code of silence, came into being during the era of occupation. Omerta, in a very literal sense, meant to be a man. And a man in Sicily during that era took care of his own problems. He never sought the assistance of authority since authority rested with outsiders. He never shared information with

those in power. He dealt with his own problems in his own way and in his own time.

“Revenge is a dish best served cold” is a Sicilian proverb that comes from that era. So is this: “He who is deaf, dumb and blind will live a hundred years.”

I visited Sicily with my wife and a half dozen of her family members back in 2007. This was a year after Bernardo Provenzano had been captured. He had been on the run for more than 30 years, but routinely visited the village where his wife lived. She often did his laundry.

I asked one of my wife’s cousins how it was possible that on such a small island – Sicily is about the size of Arizona and has a population of about five million – Provenzano was able to avoid arrest for so many years. How was it possible, I asked, that no one saw him?

My wife’s cousin shook his head and smiled at my naivety.

“People knew not to know,” he said.

I thought about that when I heard about Matteo Messina Denaro’s capture and read the news reports that detailed how he had avoided arrest and lived a luxurious life while on the run for thirty years. n

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BY VINCENT MANTUO

Recovery is Key!

AFTER an intense workout session, do you do a cool down or recovery session? If you don’t, you should start as soon as possible because it allows the body to recover and heal more efficiently. Examples of recovery sessions include stretching, breathing, ice baths, infrared saunas, hyperbaric chambers, cryotherapy, massage, foam rolling, and many more.

When stretching make sure you are allowing up to 2 minutes per stretch to get the maximum benefits. Now, you might think that is long for a stretch, but it’s not. You must realize people sit a majority of the time which is compressing and tightening areas such as the neck, hips, and knees. We should stretch these areas out more frequently to combat those areas which normally hold pain and tightness. There are a wide range of different stretches so try a few and see what gives you the best results.

As stated in a previous article, breathing is very important and plays a major role in recovery. “Breathing is very important to the body because it is not only supplying new oxygen to the body, but it is allowing the body to circulate newly oxygenated blood carrying more nutrients and supplements to the body during the inhale, while during the exhale it disposes of the waste known as carbon dioxide.” You can do breathing techniques before, after, or before and after your workouts to aid in the body’s recovery. Once again, there are a wide range of different breathing techniques so check some out and see what works best for you.

This might not seem fun, but ice baths are amazing for recovery because it reduces muscle pain, soreness, and inflammation after workout sessions. You can buy ice bags and dump them in your tub, you can buy ice bath-designed products, or you can use mother nature if you live in colder environments. Obviously, some ways are cheaper than other so see what fits within your budget.

IWANTED TO COMBINE the next three techniques only because they can be very expensive and bulky for some so it would be best to join a gym or medical facility that owns the equipment. The three techniques are infrared saunas, hyperbaric chambers, and cryotherapy. By

adding these recovery techniques to your pre-orpost workout session you will not only feel better but will have more effective workouts because you are healing the muscles with heat, oxygen, and cold. How, you ask? Infrared saunas use infrared light to heat your body, not heating the air around you like steam saunas, and penetrate deep into the muscles to heal them. Next, using a hyperbaric chamber allows for a quicker way to get the oxygen levels up to repair tissues and restore body function back to normal. It also helps with wounds and infections that aren’t healing fast due to lack of oxygen. Last, cryotherapy uses liquid nitrogen which is extremely cold dry air to induce

a response from the circulatory system, nervous system, or energy meridians to heal the body.

The last two techniques I am going to talk about are massage and foam rolling. Both these techniques help relieve muscle tightness, soreness, inflammation, and increase joint range of motion because they work on releasing the myofascial tissue that becomes stiff and stuck. They both open the muscles and increase blood flow which allows the body to heal quicker. Ask a licensed massage therapist for help if you are injured so they can properly work out the areas to aid in the best recovery. If seriously injured consult a medical doctor for further assistance. l

It might not seem fun, but ice baths are amazing for recovery from workouts.

Formula One and the city of Miami look like a match made in heaven so far, with the first Miami Grand Prix event last May being a massive success on nearly every level. The city, the sport and the Dolphins are working together to make this year’s event an even better one. MiamiMan caught up with Tyler Epp, the President of the Miami Grand Prix, to tell us all about it.

Miami’s Grand (Prix) Design

A lot goes into hosting a party of over 200,000 for a weekend.

And as we learned last May, that’s exactly what makes Miami and Hard Rock Stadium the perfect destination for a Formula 1 event.

Tyler Epp, President of the Miami Grand Prix, oversees it all. He says that while the stadium location was initially chosen because downtown was too logistically difficult, it’s worked out exceptionally well.

“When [Stadium owner] Stephen Ross and [Dolphins CEO] Tom Garfinkel developed a plan to build a racetrack at Hard Rock Stadium,” he says, “it became an amazing opportunity to create an event that is unlike anything else on the Formula 1 calendar.

“We basically had a blank sheet of paper to design an exciting track along with the campus, and fan experiences that exist around it.”

The track layout itself is designed to give F1 superstars a real challenge and give fans great racing.

“We have three straights, the longest being 1.28km in length, and three DRS [Drag Reduction System] zones. Turn four is one of the most challenging sections, as the drivers turn in at about 180 mph in top gear, but as they go through the corner, they’ll be shifting down to take turn five and six, and they will be

The 2022 Miami Grand Prix attracted nearly 250,000 spectators for the weekend.

Grand Design

BY KURT SMITH

pulling 5G laterally through this sequence. Turns 11 and 17 are some of the best overtaking opportunities. Then there’s also turn one.”

A football stadium parking lot doesn’t seem like an ideal racetrack location, but Epp and his team turned it into an almost obvious advantage.

“Any fan coming to the race can access the 300 level, to see spectacular aerial views of the track. New this year, fans can also go into the seats inside the stadium, view the race on the video screens, and find shade, restrooms, and concessions.”

In addition, Epp says, inside fans can “look into the paddock village where the teams’ racing operations are based and see drivers and engineers moving throughout the paddock.

It’s a behind-the-scenes look that does not exist anywhere else,” he proudly asserts.

“We wanted Hard Rock Stadium to become a global entertainment destination that showcases the best Miami has to offer.”

It does take a lot of effort. For last year’s event,

Epp recalls that “the biggest challenge, really, was that we had a very tight timeline. We also have annual logistical challenges of trying to build all of this around the Dolphins season, the Miami Open tennis tournament, and many other events.

“We’ve challenged ourselves again this year by repaving the track, constructing a permanent Paddock Club building, and getting all the seating and hospitality structures built around the track.

“It requires a lot of hard work and long hours by our amazing staff and vendors,” he continues. “It takes a great team, which we have, and it’s truly a credit to them for bringing the campus to life.”

Late Dolphins owner Joe Robbie’s stadium may not have been popular as the home of the Marlins, but Robbie likely had it built with just this sort of thing in mind.

“The Dolphins are the reason we’re all here,” Epp says. “Without them, we wouldn’t have this beautiful stadium that affords us the opportunity to put on such wonderful events.”

Construction of the Formula One grandstand underway around Hard Rock Stadium

Max Verstappen’s thrilling victory in the inaugural Miami Grand Prix was very well received. Sports Business Journal declared it the Best New Event of 2022, and it was an easy call.

The race drew 2.6 million viewers, the largest live audience for an F1 telecast in U.S. history. Live attendance wasn’t too shabby either. According to the SBJ article, the crowd totaled 85,280 on race day, with 242,955 total for the weekend. In addition, the 15,000 hospitality guests “included a nearly endless list of celebrities and luminaries.”

That’s plenty of encouragement to build on, which the Miami Grand Prix folks are doing for 2023’s event. For starters, they’re adding to the hospitality areas.

“Our premium 72 Club and invite-only Palm Club are partially based in the stadium,” Epp notes, “and we’ve built out trackside seating for both right next to the podium. We’ve also invested in a new permanent Paddock Club building, which sits right on top of the garages on the north side of the stadium, for premium hospitality guests.”

They’re also taking advantage of the opportunities presented by last year’s experience.

“Now that we’ve had a year of racing and seen where some great views are, we’ve tried to maximize opportunities for guests to see that.

“We’ve added trackside viewing platforms for all campus pass holders along Turns 8 to 10. The MIA Marina area spans the challenging section from Turns 4 to 6. We’ve created a new hospitality option, the Boathouse, which has breathtaking views of the track.

“In our new Paddock Club, guests will be able to go up to the rooftop and see potential action looking back at Turns 17 and 18, as well as be right on top of the start/finish straight with views down towards turn one.”

That’s not to say they’re catering exclusively

to VIPs, of course. There are some sweet improvements around the stadium for motorsports fans. Like the new Race Street, where fans can “view luxury car displays, street art by local artists, listen to music, and experience food and beverage that showcases the Miami culture,” according to Epp.

“We’re also introducing Miami Grand Prix merchandise this year. For the motorsport enthusiast, we will be welcoming Porsche Carrera Cup as our support series alongside F1, which will feature an open paddock that is accessible to all fans.”

Parking for crowds this size can always be a potential detriment, but Epp’s team is working on that, too.

“We’ve worked this year to expand our parking options, and to communicate this in advance, to encourage guests to plan accordingly and make selections that best fit their needs to minimize walking to and from the event.”

The racetrack and grandstands surround the football stadium

Reigning Formula One World Champion Max Verstappen.

The new Boathouse Hospitality area offers great views of the racing action

There’s

politicians push for Super Bowls, All-Star Games, and other major events to be held in their town. It employs an awful lot of people.

Epp is happy to cite statistics about the positive impact the Miami Grand Prix is having in the Miami Gardens community.

“Last year we carried out an economic impact analysis that indicated more than 3,000 local workers were paid in excess of $100 million, in the

He adds that “14 minority-owned restaurants were featured throughout the campus, with the opportunity to showcase their businesses and cuisine on a global platform.”

The Miami Grand Prix people dedicated themselves to outreach in Miami Gardens as well. As Epp states, they’ve donated food to local shelters through Food Rescue U.S. South Florida, Sodexo, and Turn 5 Kitchen.

They’ve also initiated an “F1 in Schools” program (where was this when we were kids?), through the Miami Gardens Parks & Recreation Department and Seeking Education Empowers Knowledge (S.E.E.K). The initiative, Epp notes, brought STEM education directly to Miami Gardens students. They gave 12 internships to local students and 1,500 tickets to local residents in 2022.

All of this, Epp says, is being continued and expanded in 2023. He is looking toward a bright future all around.

“I truly believe the opportunities we’re providing the local youth today can positively impact their lives and impact the future of Formula 1.”

The Miami Grand Prix

offers everything sports should…civic pride, outstanding competition, a state-of-the-art facility, and a true benefit to the local community. Tyler Epp and his people have plenty to be proud of so far.

“I am proud of a lot of things,” Epp says, “but the first one is the impact this race has had in the South Florida community, both to this point but also in the future.”

Like any effective leader, he speaks glowingly of the team that makes it happen.

lead-up and during the event,” he states. “Visitor spending in the Greater Miami area during race week reached over $150 million, with the average visitor spending a total of $1,940.”

“My hope is that we will soon be hosting people at the race who grew up in Miami Gardens, went to our STEM education program, or participated in the MIA Academy as an intern, and because they had the opportunity to experience motorsports in their hometown and learn wonderful skills, they pursue a career in Formula 1. I don’t mean as drivers necessarily. They could be engineers, marketing people, journalists.

“This is not an easy event to pull off,” he says. “I’m constantly inspired by how this group of people – not just that work at Hard Rock Stadium, but also all of these vendors and contractors that we utilize in South Florida – can bring this world-class event to life in such a short period of time, and create an awesome week of racing for drivers, teams and fans.

“It’s a rewarding moment when the lights go out and the race begins, but especially so knowing all the work and heart that so many people poured into it.” l

an obvious reason

F1 driver Pierre Gasly visits with one of the minorityowned restaurants featured at the Grand Prix.

BY SAM CARCHIDI

Sandy Alcantara was magnificent in 2022, going 14-9 with a 2.28 ERA. He was the first Marlin to win the Cy Young award, and he said his goal was to repeat in 2023.

Fish Wish

at .500, Taking a Step Toward Contention

The Miami Marlins

, playing in one of the best divisions in baseball, aren’t expected to be major players in the National League East this season.

But they ARE expected to make strides and be highly competitive throughout the summer.

Coming off a 69-93 season, their quest to finish at .500 in 2023 is underway, and they were highly competitive in April.

To finish at .500 in a full season for the first time since 2009 and make a statement that they are a team on the rise, here are five things that need to happen:

1. Young pitchers Jesus Luzardo, Edward Cabrera, and Trevor Rogers need to take positive steps.

Luzardo, a 25-year-old lefthander, is coming off a strong season (3.32 ERA, 30% strikeout rate) and must continue his growth if the Marlins are going to make progress. With Pablo Lopez traded in the offseason, he will take on a bigger role. The Marlins need him to embrace it.

Cabrera, a 6-foot-5, 217-pound righthander, recently turned 25 and is just coming into his own. He showed his potential in 14 starts last year (6-4, 3.01 ERA) as he allowed just 44 hits and struck out 75 in 71 2/3 electric innings. His development made Lopez expendable.

As for Rogers, the Marlins need to see the 2021 All-Star version instead of the lefty who struggled mightily in 2022.

Things didn’t start out as planned in 2023 as Rogers, 25, had to exit an April 19 start against San Francisco because of left forearm tightness.

The Marlins need Rogers to resemble the pitcher who finished second in the NL Rookie of the Year race in 2021. He had a 2.64 ERA that year, but it ballooned to 5.47 last season, a year in which he struggled with back injuries.

In addition to the young pitchers, it wouldn’t hurt the Marlins if 37-yearold Johnny Cueto showed he still has something left in the tank.

2. The Big Two must continue to be elite performers, and the offense needs to be much better.

The Marlins boast the defending National League Cy Young winner (Sandy Alcantara), and last year’s American League batting champion (Luis Arraez).

They will be the leaders on a team that hasn’t finished at .500 (in a full season) since Derek Jeter was still in his prime.

“I think there’s a lot of talent on this club,” general manager Kim Ng told reporters before the season started.

Arraez was the Marlins’ biggest off-season addition. The Fish got him from the Minnesota Twins for Lopez and highly regarded prospects Jose Salas (shortstop) and Byron Chourio (outfielder).

In 2022, Arraez hit .314 and had more walks (50) than strikeouts (43). The 26-year-old second baseman got off to a great start with the Marlins, taking a .400-plus average into late April.

The Venezuelan is now the centerpiece of an offense that needs to show much improvement. A year ago, the Marlins averaged a paltry 3.62 runs per game, third worst in the National League.

While Arraez is the straw that stirs the drink, as Reggie Jackson used to say, the offense is also counting heavily on All-Star Garrett Cooper, star-in-the-

Photo Miami Marlins

making Jazz Chisholm Jr. (see below), Bryan De La Cruz, Jorge Soler, and Jon Berti, who led the majors with 41 steals a year ago.

Alcantara was up and down this April, but, based on his superb career, he should be back to his old self shortly. He was magnificent in 2022, going 14-9 with a 2.28 ERA. He allowed just 174 hits in 228 2/3 innings while striking out 207 and walking only 50.

He was the first Marlin to win the Cy Young award, and he said his goal was to repeat in 2023.

“The hard work, the positivity, fighting for my team every day,” he said of his mindset. “My mentality all the time is to be aggressive and try to get better every day.”

3. Chisholm and Jean Segura must adapt to new positions.

Chisolm, normally a second baseman, is playing center field for the first time, and Segura is moving from second to third.

Chisholm, 25, is the Marlins’ table-setter out of the leadoff spot. Injuries limited him to 213 at-bats last season, and he still managed 14 homers and 12 steals.

He is Mr. Excitement, a fiery player capable of reaching the 30/30 club in homers and steals if he stays healthy. But he strikes out too much and has had back and hamstring issues.

If the Marlins are to take a step toward joining the Braves, Mets, and Phillies as NL East heavyweights, Chisholm is the key.

While Chisholm’s career is on the rise, Segura’s is winding down. But he’s still a valuable player. He batted .277 for the Phillies last year and helped them win the National League Championship.

A career .284 hitter, the 33-year-old Segura has averaged 28 doubles and 13 homers per 162 games.

There don’t seem to be many questions about whether Segura and Chisholm will help the Marlins’ offensive production. But there are questions about whether they will be defensive liabilities in their new positions.

Stay tuned.

4. The bullpen needs to assert itself.

One word best describes the Marlins’ bullpen in 2022: Ineffective. It was the biggest reason Miami led the majors with 40 one-run losses. The bullpen added several relievers in the offseason, including JT Chargois, Matt Barnes, and closer A.J. Puk.

Puk, Barnes and Chargois got off to strong starts with Miami. Puk had three saves and a 1.13 ERA in his first seven games with the Marlins, while Barnes won his initial decision and compiled a 2.70 ERA in his first seven appearances.

Chargois did not allow any runs in his first five games with the Fish, but he was placed on the injured list in April with a right oblique strain.

The trio gives the Fish reason for hope. They were added to a bullpen that includes returnees Dylan Floro, Steven Okert, Tanner Scott, and Huascar Brazoban. Rookie George Soriano also could help.

“We’re going to be nasty,” Scott, a lefthander who had streaks of wildness last season said in spring training.

Three of the Marlins’ relievers have been closers at some point, including Floro, who had that role the previous two years in Miami. He has been consistent, putting together a 2.91 ERA in that span.

Okert, another returnee, blossomed last year as he pitched in a career-high 60 games and held opponents to a .186 average.

The Marlins need him to rebound from a groin injury, which sidelined him early in the 2023 season.

They also need the bullpen newcomers to show they are an upgrade.

A year ago, Marlins’ relievers had the sixth-worst ERA (4.15) in the NL, and their WHIP was the third worst (1.41).

5. New manager Skip Schumaker needs to find his way and make his mark.

Schumaker was hired after last season, becoming the 16th manager in the Marlins’ history.

When Ng named him, she said she liked the fact Schumaker was part of a winning culture – he played for two World Series-winning teams in St. Louis, and last season was the bench coach for a Cardinals team that reached the playoffs.

She also called him someone who is tenacious and gets the most out of his ability – and others.

Schumaker, who replaced Don Mattingly, has a tough challenge. The Marlins have had a losing record in 12 of the last 13 years. The exception: They went 31-29 in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.

Can he turn around a long-struggling franchise?

In time, yes. But the Marlins will need a few years before they can compete for the division title in the powerful NL East.

That said, getting to .500 would be a positive first step. If the Marlins get there, maybe ownership will be a player in the free-agent market and add a key piece or two to help get Miami to the next level. l

Luis Arraez was the Marlins’ biggest off-season addition. The Venezuelan is now the centerpiece of an offense that needs to show much improvement.

Photo Miami Marlins

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HURRICANES HOOPS HIT NEW HEIGHTS

BY MIKE SHUTE

UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI MEN AND WOMEN MAKE HISTORY IN 2023 NCAA BASKETBALL TOURNAMENTS

Miami Hurricanes guard Isaiah Wong

The adjectives can go on and on, but the 202223 college basketball season at the University of Miami saw both Hurricanes men’s and women’s teams advance to uncharted waters. And the school can parlay that into future success not just on the field of play, but also off.

The Miami men, led by 73-year-old head coach Jim Larrañaga, advanced to the first Final Four in program history, falling in the national semifinal to eventual champion Connecticut. The ‘Canes, seeded No. 5 in the Midwest Region, knocked off

three higher seeds to capture the regional title. The Miami women, under the guidance of 55-year-old Katie Meier, reached the Elite Eight for the first time in program history. Like the men, the Hurricanes women were also eliminated from their tournament by the eventual champion, losing to LSU in the regional final. Miami was seeded No. 9 and along the way, beat top-seeded Indiana in the Hoosiers home arena on a basket by grad student forward Destiny Harden with just 3 seconds left in the game.

Larrañaga, who completed his 12th season as the men’s head coach in Coral Gables in 2022-23 and his 39th overall, has been helping the Hurricanes steadily rise. He’s led Miami to 255 wins in his time at the helm. The recently concluded season (29-8 overall, 15-5 ACC) marked Miami’s sixth NCAA Tournament appearance under his watch and came a year after he guided the team to its first-ever Elite Eight appearance in the 2022

tournament.

“For us, to beat Drake and Indiana and Houston, a number-one seed, and Texas, a numbertwo seed, and to accomplish what we did, getting to the Final Four or the first time in the school’s history, is something to be very proud of,” said Larrañaga, a day after his team fell to eventual national champion Connecticut at the Final Four in Houston. “I’ve told our players, I’ve told our fans, this is a lifelong memory. You will never forget this.”

Meier, who completed her 18th season as Miami’s head coach and 22nd overall in 2022-23, has guided Miami to the NCAA Tournament 10 times in the last 13 seasons. She has collected 346 wins in Coral Gables. Her team ended this past season with a 22-13 overall record and went 11-7 in the ACC.

By knocking off No. 1 seed Indiana, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington, IN, the

Photo Kylie Greenwell/Miami Athletics

Hurricanes women’s head coach Katie Meier celebrates the ‘Canes Sweet 16 win.

Hurricanes women made their first Sweet 16 since 1992. In the next round, they overcame foul trouble and a furious comeback by Villanova to reach the Elite Eight for the first time in program history before getting bounced by LSU. It marked the second straight year Meier’s team was eliminated by the eventual champion (South Carolina in 2022). They finished the season ranked No. 18 in the final USA Today Coaches Poll.

“When we were at South Carolina and they were clearly the best team in the country last year, and you think, well that’s a tough draw. And this year, you look at Indiana, they could’ve won it and they were a legit No. 1 seed,” Meier explained in an early April press conference after the season

ended. “So, the difference in that is, we beat the one this year on their home court. In women’s basketball, it’s a lot different being in the Sweet 16 when you do that. I don’t think the average fan knows the difference there. You’re in the tournament, it’s supposed to be neutral sites and boom, you get put in South Carolina, and boom, you get put in Indiana. … We know that formula and we know that we can take down any team on a neutral court with our defense.”

PRIMETIME PLAYERS

Both teams were powered by star players with pro aspirations.

Isaiah Wong, who was the 2022-23 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year and an AllAmerican selection by several outlets, led the Hurricanes men’s team in scoring, assists, free throws made and attempted, and steals. The guard, who has announced his intentions to enter the 2023 NBA Draft in late June, is just the second player in school history to be a threetime All-ACC selection and finished his ‘Canes career ranked No. 4 in program history in scoring (1,866 points).

“We are so grateful to Isaiah for all he contributed to the University of Miami, both as a basketball player and as a human being,” Larrañaga said. “It is rare to find someone like Isaiah, who was not just a star on the court during his four years at The U, but also an incredibly hard worker who improved each season, while treating people the right way.”

Destiny Harden heard her name called at the 2023 WNBA Draft back on April 11, taken in the third round by the Phoenix Mercury. She became the seventh player in women’s program history to become a WNBA Draft choice. A second-team All-ACC selection this past season, she averaged 11.9 points and a team-high 5.9 rebounds per game.

“Destiny’s never going to let you down,” Meier said about Harden when speaking to the media prior to her team’s win over Villanova. “She is reliable, dependable and honorable… I’m blessed to have her on the team.”

But the Hurricanes hoops success wasn’t just limited to the court for both teams.

Five members of the Hurricanes women’s program – Haley and Hanna Cavinder, Karla Erjavec, Kyla Oldacre and Jasmyne Roberts – landed spots on the All-ACC Academic Team.

Filippos Gkogkos, a member of the men’s team who is double-majoring in business analytics and finance, was named the Elite 90 Award winner for the 2023 NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship. The award recognizes a student-athlete who not only has reached the highest level of competition by reaching the national championship level but also who has achieved the highest academic standards by earning the top cumulative GPA among those athletes participating at the finals site of each of the NCAA’s championships. Gkogkos’s GPA is 3.541.

Head coach Jim Larrañga cuts down the net during the celebration of the Hurricanes making it to the Final Four

Photo Kyle Rivas/Miami Athletics

FINAL FOUR INFLUENCE

As if Miami wasn’t already a preferred destination for college-bound students, its athletic success is sure to increase the university’s profile and make it even more appealing to those applying to colleges and universities in the coming year.

According to an April 2018, story in Forbes, 75% of schools that make it to the NCAA Men’s Final Four see a larger-than-normal surge in applications received in the following admission season. In that story, they detailed that the schools that made the NCAA Men’s Final Four in the five seasons between 2009 and 2013 received 12.9% more applicants the next year compared to the nationwide average of 4.2% during that period.

Meanwhile, for women’s teams that reached the Final Four, the Forbes article’s research covered the seasons from 2009 through 2015 and saw that those schools saw applications rise by 6.8%. And with the huge television ratings that the women’s tournament received for this past tournament, that can only keep the pace rising and help any of the schools that had notable success – Miami included.

reached the 2006 Final Four and received an estimated $677 million in free media attention and advertising during its surprising run. Afterward, the school’s overall admissions increased by 350%, its out-of-state applicants increased by 40% and there was a 25% increase in alumni activity.

It brings to mind the old adage, “Success breeds success.”

“One of the things that the Final Four run does, it creates a vision, a crystal-clear picture of what other student-athletes know we can accomplish,” Larrañaga said. “We’re not saying, ‘Oh, we’re dreaming about getting to the Final Four.’ We can say, ‘We were in the Final Four, now we’re trying to win a national championship.’ And I think every high school player who followed March Madness, every college basketball player who is thinking about entering his name into the transfer portal, I’m absolutely certain Miami will come up in their conversations.”

LOOKING FORWARD

As the Miami hoops teams marched through the tournament, the excitement continued to grow on the campus and in the surrounding community with watch parties at the home of Miami basketball, the Watsco Center.

The two coaches – both of whom have already been elected to the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame – hope that the momentum carries over into next season and beyond.

Logically, increasing applicants increases the number of high-quality students who are interested in the school. It also means that the school could increase its admitted-student totals and, in turn, increase revenue. Basically, getting to the Final Four is great advertising, the ultimate in mass marketing.

One specific example has the current Miami men’s coach right smack in the middle of it. According to a story on highereddive.com, George Mason University’s men’s team (led by Larrañaga)

This phenomenon of a significant bump in applications following athletic success isn’t something new and, in fact, the University of Miami was at the center of this concept when it first became noticed. It’s been called the “Flutie Effect,” named for former Boston College quarterback Doug Flutie whose Hail Mary pass defeated the Hurricanes in a nationally televised football game in November of 1984. In the ensuing admission year following that game, applications to BC surged, unfortunately for Miami fans, at the Hurricanes expense.

“Everyone that came to the watch party needs to come back when we start next season,” Larrañaga urged upon returning back to campus after the Hurricanes loss to UConn. “We’ve laid a foundation that is very strong. We are the only school in the country to be in the Elite Eight two years in a row (in 2023) ... We’re building a tradition. We’ve done that with the help of our student body, the students who came out and cheered us on, the community of Coral Gables that was here every night, our season-ticket holders, our alumni, our faculty, our administration, everybody is behind this team.”

“I do think that what we’ve done in this run has shown what Miami basketball is all about, Meier said after her team’s loss to LSU. “I think we’ve shown absolutely raw emotion. No one steals our joy, never can, never will. You’re always going to see a joyful, intense team… I am certainly not going to worry about the future. I think it looks pretty darned good.” l

GETTING TO THE FINAL FOUR IS GREAT ADVERTISING, THE ULTIMATE IN MASS MARKETING.

Photo Kylie Greenwell/Miami Athletics

Hurricanes guard Jasmyne Roberts

#The Sandra Effect

BY KURT SMITH

Sandra Madjdi is an Iranianborn immigrant who has built a successful business as a stylist and image consultant here in Miami… she’s worked with names like David Justice, Clinton Portis, David Ortiz and former Marlins outfielder Lewis Brinson. MiamiMan caught up with Sandra to talk about her success and what makes her stand out in a bustling fashion city.

Photo courtesy Sandra Madjdi

All I know about fashion is my wife likes when I wear blue because I have blue eyes. I’m 6’4”, and I weigh just under 210. Do you have any fashion tips?

I do…try lavender for your color! It would definitely nail it to where you will see the difference. Can you review for MiamiMan’s readers everything you do?

I’m a full image consultant. I do hair, makeup, and wardrobe, but my focus is the entire image of the whole.

I’ve built a strong clientele, and I continue to, but the pandemic happened. I had a storefront and a studio, and we had to close. I moved my business into the garage in my home, and I’ve been operating there.

I’m a member of a not-for-profit called Fashion Group International. Recently I’ve been nominated and chaired as the Regional Director for South Florida’s chapter.

Currently, I am working on coming out of this setup and opening another storefront.

I read that you attended a football game in Washington, and that sparked your interest in styling athletes.

Dad took me over 35 years ago, and I fell in love with the sport and everything to do with sports. I started thinking, these guys are in these boring uniforms, do they ever dress up? And if they do, why not me?

My first client happened to be [former Redskins RB] Clinton Portis, then my career just evolved from there. Actually, it started before him, with David Justice. That was very brief, I was working with his then-fiancée, and with them as a family.

I’m a great “manifest-er”. I was like, “I want to work with this sort of person, and I will do everything I can to flood the network of my community, to put it out there.” And God just brought him to me, a very serendipity kind of thing.

Your family is from Iran. When did you move here?

We initially moved in 1979, but my mother was missing home. We were on the last flight back to Iran when the hostages were taken. We circled

in the air for three days. We went to Turkey, to Pakistan, back to Turkey and then we finally landed in Iran.

Our passports and travel documents were taken, and we were forbidden to leave the country. Because of political and religious reasons, we became exiles to a convent in Northern Italy. We were there for almost two and a half years, then we came to the U.S. in late 1984.

You started in NYC?

We landed in Northern Virginia; I went to college in Virginia. I graduated and went to New York at 21.

I did every job possible, working in a hair shop, working in major department stores. I was schlepping around clothes, scissors, makeup cases. There was no Uber, it was me and my MetroCard.

What would you say your big break was?

I think when I realized what AOL meant. I started emailing people, and they were like, why is she emailing? I was like, I want to create a business. I have a clientele and the power to do so. That was in 2007, and right when I said that I landed my biggest client.

I was like, wow, I can do this!

How would you describe #TheSandraEffect?

Everything that you’ve wanted to try, say, do, or be, I come in and tell you it’s okay. I guarantee you, at one point in our journey together, I will help you allow yourself to be free of some of those fears.

Style is deeper than clothes and skin. There’s a whole different side of it. I am the architect of that.

Can you describe your image consulting process?

I’ve always treated people as people. You are sharing your vulnerability; I am not going to tear it down. I’m going to give you that being your next strength. We dive deep into what you want, your dislikes, and why did you choose to work with an image consultant?

For me, it’s relationships, that relationship with every product and entity that touches

them, that clothing, the hair product, or the new style they’re adopting.

You had Lewis Brinson perform exercises to become comfortable in his own skin. What are some exercises you do with people?

One of them, it’s ridiculous, but it’s true. I make people write three positive statements each day for six weeks in a journal, that has to do with a body part. Just stand naked in the mirror, and not judge yourself. You’re just looking at yourself and saying, what am I fighting here? Is it really my body, or my insecurity?

That’s interesting!

Try it! And people pay me to say that, so you’ve just gotten a free lesson! (Laughs.) You’re gonna find something really incredible about yourself, I promise you.

You’re also training other stylists. What is the most important thing you teach them?

To be authentic and true to themselves and that client. And trust the process. Nothing is given to you. Wisdom is earned by experience and failures and triumphs.

Contentment is your biggest failure in life. It’s incredible, as a teacher, a mentor, a business owner, a mother, and a wife, to witness how much we, as the human race, thrive on contentment. Do you think Miami is the ideal place for what you do?

I think right now, God has me in the right place at the right time, for the right reason. I’m very much a woman who follows quickly to His lead, and I know I’m here for this moment in time in Miami.

I’ve been here for 13 years, and in just the last five years, seeing her grow from being just a boutique, Riviera-type thing of the U.S., to now being a possible competitor in the fashion game and competing with New York.

It’s a beautiful city. It’s grown, and I’ve grown a lot too.

Sandra thanks so much. My wife thanks you for the lavender advice!

[Laughs.] You’re welcome, anytime! l

Nothing is given to you. Wisdom is earned by experience and failures and triumphs.”

BY JAN L. APPLE

Radio Personality Creates Foundation to Help Families in Need DOC

WHEN DOC RENO WAS DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER more than five years ago, he was stunned. The radio personality, host of the afternoon drive show on iHeart’s Classic Rock Big 1059 Miami (105.9 on the FM dial) for the past 21 years, describes himself as an overall healthy, active, athletic guy. He had competed in marathons and half marathons and was immersed in the community, including charitable work with Joe DiMaggio’s Children’s Hospital. So, when Reno heard the words “Stage 4 cancer,” his reaction was disbelief. He soon realized that cancer doesn’t discriminate. And he became a quick study, voraciously reading and learning all he could about the disease and the myriad of symptoms and intricacies.

Photos courtesy Doc Reno

“Cancer doesn’t care who your favorite football team is, what race or religion you are or who you voted for,” said Reno who decided early on that he would make lemonade from lemons. He was not about to give up on the fight of his life. “I went right into defiant mode,” recalled the 61-year-old.

While undergoing radiation and chemotherapy, the Delray Beach resident said he never missed a day on the air. “The treatments really beat the hell out of me,” said Reno, but he didn’t want to alarm his dedicated listeners by being out for a period of time. “We’re the longest-running afternoon drive show in Miami.”

Reno is proud to share that he grew up in Cleveland, the “Rock and Roll capital of the world.” He’s also quick to point out that he loves all things Rock and Roll. In fact, he collects autographed guitars and in his younger days, played the drums. And although his roots are in Cleveland, he’s become a South Florida guy.

Reno, who hosts three iHeartRadio shows, five days a week – in Miami, Washington, D.C. and nationally – was heartbroken to learn that there were parents struggling to pay bills while treating their child for cancer. And it wasn’t just a few. Reno met many families during his treatment regimen and listened to countless stories relayed by parents, single mothers, caregivers, physicians, nurses. He discovered that there were organizations that helped families with medical bills, but very few that assisted with groceries, house or car payments or transportation to take a child for treatments. He was saddened to learn that all too frequently a caregiver’s pay was docked while taking a child for a medical appointment or a cancer treatment.

ALTHOUGH RENO WAS HURTING,

he realized he had the power and microphone to make a difference. “I work for a 100,000-watt powerhouse radio station in Miami,” said Reno, adding that his radio career has spanned 39 years. “I was in a position where I could do something.” He first considered raising money for an existing foundation. “But then I wouldn’t really know where the money was going,” said Reno, who also realized that many non-profits had salaried staff members. “If I created my own foundation, I would be the one cutting the checks.” Reno trusted his instincts and leadership abilities. His driving inspiration: the children who are bravely battling cancer.

In the fall of 2018, Reno launched the My Family Matters Foundation. He then partnered with Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital Foundation to help the many South Florida families in need. “There are a lot of families struggling,” said Reno. “Our mission is to help families with cancer-related costs that are not covered by insurance.” Reno elaborated that although their official partner is the hospital’s foundation, they also assist other South Florida families when there is a need. He

explained that the My Family Matters Foundation never gives money directly to families; rather they fund a variety of expenses and services needed while a child is undergoing treatment.

The foundation’s board of directors is comprised solely of volunteers who share Reno’s commitment to the cause.

Since establishing the non-profit, Reno has been heartened by the outpouring of community support. The foundation has held a variety of well-attended music and food festivals in the region, which have been sponsored by iHeartRadio. In the coming months, several more festivals will take place. Reno noted that there are always new and innovative ways to raise funds. In fact, it’s not unusual for an organization to offer to name the foundation as the recipient of proceeds from a fund-raiser. He is grateful for the outreach and welcomes such support.

Reno explained that for two years, at the height of the COVID pandemic, the foundation didn’t host any in-person events. That has started to shift. In 2022, they held their first Celebrity Golf Tournament. Participants included

Tico Torres of Bon Jovi, Nicko McBrain of Iron Maiden and legendary rock drummer Carmine Appice, to name a few. Reno was told that often such inaugural tournaments break even, and if they were lucky, they might raise about $5,000 to $7,000. “The tournament raised over $25,000,” said Reno. This was encouraging news.

On May 5, the Second Annual South Florida Broadcaster’s Celebrity Golf Tournament will take place at Pembroke Lakes Golf Club in Pembroke Pines. According to Reno, there’s still time to become a sponsor, register to play golf and donate to the event.

Reno also shared some long-awaited news. When he visited his oncologist in February, he was told that he is now cancer-free. Yet, understandably, the entire experience has been lifechanging. And although he doesn’t share the harrowing, yet triumphant journey with his listening audience, he talks up the foundation while on the air. “I mention the foundation about twice during every show,” said Reno.

At last year’s golf tournament, Reno stood before a captive audience and shared his personal story. He told those in attendance that the kids fighting cancer are his inspiration. He plans to again share his story of survival at the May event.

Reno is laser-focused on strengthening the foundation and helping as many families as possible. “My number one, long-term goal is that the foundation outlives me,” he said.

Learn more at https://myfamilymattersfoundation.org, info@myfamilymattersfoundation.org or 561-878-1343. l

Reno was heartbroken to learn that there were parents struggling to pay bills while treating their child for cancer.

And it wasn’t just a few.

At the 2022 South Florida Broadcaster’s Celebrity Golf Tournament (From left): Jeff Jones, Mitch Tanne, Nicko McBrain, Doc Reno, Tico Torres, Paul Castronovo.

THE BREW BEAT

BY ALAN ESPINO

Great bourbon is not easy to find

AT BEAT CULTURE BREWERY, we’ve been doing our best to up Miami’s beer standards for four years. But as I’ve discussed in past issues, craft brewers have been “disrupting” the American beer industry for even longer. For my other passion – bourbon – that disruption is really just beginning, and one group in Miami is doing its part.

Great bourbon, it turns out, is not easy to find. That’s because in the distribution process retailers or wholesalers snatch up the good juice to keep for themselves or to sell it on the heavily gouged black-secondary market. In the secondary market, flippers are moving those same products for a multiplier of what you would pay at the retail store. And because it’s an easy way to make a quick buck, the sought-after brands sometimes never make it on the shelf or simply don’t even make their way down to Miami. And if you’re one of the lucky few who have been at the right place or the right time you cherish that bottle and only bring it out on special occasions.

Enter Miami Bourbon Society: a free-to-join, private barrel-buying club that finds real single bourbon and brings it to members at cost. Started in 2015 by Emilio Machado and run by volunteers who are serious about standards, the group has an audience of over 7000 aficionados looking to enjoy exceptional bourbon at great prices. And exceptional it is. In a world of commoditized beverages, MBS is taking the elitism out of elite bourbon and making it accessible to its members.

on its unique flavor and flair. Distilleries supply samples or even requires MBS to fly out to their distillery to pick the best barrels for its members. Next, the distillers bottle the selected bourbon, and MBS notifies its members that bottles are available. Often, the bottles are uniquely labeled for Miami Bourbon Society, which gives a personal touch to a typically impersonal bottling process.

events, customized bottles, and local partnerships, MBS gets every drop of fun out of every single barrel they purchase.

For example, they recently partnered with my brewery to host an event for members where we served beer aged in some of the barrels purchased by MBS. These same barrels can quickly turn into multi-course beer and whiskey dinners. Some members brought cigars to the monthly bottle share; some brought their dogs; and everyone brought their enthusiasm for good spirits.

That enthusiasm translates directly to appetite, as MBS-purchased bourbon flies off the proverbial shelves. Barrels sell out fast, but members get notified before everyone else through the Miami Bourbon Society Facebook page. (The fastest, Blanton’s Barrel, sold out in 15 seconds!)

Over the years, MBS has developed relationships with quality bourbon and whiskey distillers, each of whom has their own process, recipes, aging process (and even the wood itself which allows for unique single-barrel products.) That means each barrel has its own personality, and the whiskey that spends years aging inside it will take

THE SOCIETY has kept its grassroots feel because it’s run by wildly competent volunteers. They work in unrelated fields like finance, law, and cruising, but when it comes to bourbon, their palettes and expertise belie their “day jobs.” Their talents have created a community that makes the joy of drinking bourbon a little more intimate and makes Miami feel a little smaller.

But drinking is just the start. With member

If you, like me, are afflicted with the appetite for single-barrel quality craft bourbon without having to chase it or line up in front of liquor stores before they open, join the Facebook group and check out the MBS Instagram (@miamibourbonsociety), where you can see some of the events, custom bottles, and unique barrels they’ve offered. It’s free to join and the bottles range in price from $40-$200 each. In fact, you should join even if you don’t yet know whether you have a passion for excellent bourbon because, either way, you’ll have a great time finding out. l

The Society has kept its grassroots feel because it’s run by wildly competent volunteers. Their talents have created a community that makes the joy of drinking bourbon a little more intimate and makes Miami feel a little smaller.

Miami Bourbon Society managing members.. Ryan Rost, Javier Gutierrez, Emilio Machado, Brandon Williams, Flaccido Domingo, Alan Espino, Jorge Delgado

Mike Adada Black Steel Group

Ernesto Alvarez Gutters by TK

Keith Asplundh Asplundh Tree Expert Company

Amie Balchunas Lamacchia Realty

Fred Bean HotelPORT Inc.

Mayra Barragan Launch Ventures, LLC

Stephen Bellosi Apex Consulting

Alex Bort MedPro Healthcare Staffing

Louis Bucelli Bucelli & Company LLC

Garren Burton iTrip Vacations

Tim Campbell 1/ST + Gulfstream Park

Ethan Capri Capri Bookkeeping Solutions, LLC*

Daniel Checchia Colliers Engineering & Design

Ann Conlin Philly’s Original Milan

Kristoffer Doura 1847Financial

Natalia Garcia Miami Lights Studio

Jimmy Gibson Alcom Printing

Fernando Gomez TD Bank

Jason Gonzalez DGA Security

Jim Jacobs Focus Insite

Mikayla James Payroll/ HR/Workers Comp

Andrea Klaus Capri Bookkeeping Solutions, LLC

Matt Lill Corcoran Group Real Estate

Vincent Mantuo Copesetic Therapeutic Bodywork

Robert Marovic Mechanical Piping Solutions

Isabelle Martinez Paramount Residential Mortgage Group

Dean Parsons Epic Cigars

Rob Paul SwagWorld, Inc.

Kristi Price KP Matchmaking

Rich Rogers 6 Degrees Golf

Robin Rosenbaum Albacorps

Jason Ross Bauer Gutierrez & Borbon, PLLC

Frank Sisto The Insurance Doctor

Steve Solomon CBMC South Florida

Brian Spector Elite Leads

Joy Strempack Sol Inspire LLC

Dianna Vasturo Lazy Days Restaurant

Mark Vasturo Ziggie & Mad Dogs

Josh Waxman PHP Agency

Taryn Williams Resy Clicks

Howard Wolfson Mack Ventures Realty LLC

*Chairman’s Club Members

For information on how to become a member, contact Ashley at adunek@jerseymanmagazine.com

WHAT WE WEAR

The Complete Guide to Men’s Facials

GETTING A FACIAL TREATMENT

isn’t just about feeling relaxed after a long week. While that is a large perk, facial treatments improve your skin’s health and appearance.

With the average human face having around 20,000 pores, getting a facial massage can help improve lymphatic drainage and reduce puffiness.

Dermatologists even recommend that men get facial treatments more so than women! Why is that, you might ask? Men’s skin differs from women’s in several ways, including its thickness, oil production, and texture. As a result, men’s facials should be tailored to their unique needs.

Our skincare experts here at Jaxson Maximus have put together this fantastic guide on everything you need to know about the benefits of getting a facial.

WHAT IS A FACIAL?

A facial is a type of skincare treatment that typically involves cleansing, exfoliating, and nourishing the skin on the face. It is a type of treatment that aims to improve the appearance and health of the skin.

Facials usually involve a series of steps, which may include the use of various products, such as cleansers, masks, toners, and moisturizers. Some facials may also involve using specialized tools, such as steam machines or extraction tools, to cleanse and purify the skin thoroughly.

During a facial, a licensed skincare professional will assess the individual’s skin type and concerns and tailor the treatment accordingly. The facial may also include a facial massage or other relaxation techniques to help the individual relax and unwind.

Facials can benefit a range of skin types and

concerns, such as dry skin, oily skin, acne-prone skin, and aging skin. In addition, they can help to improve skin texture and tone, reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and promote a healthy, radiant complexion.

HOW LONG DOES A FACIAL LAST?

The duration of a facial treatment can vary depending on the facial and the specific spa or salon you visit. Generally, a standard facial treatment can last anywhere from 30 to 90 minutes.

A basic facial typically lasts about 30 minutes and may include cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturizing. A more advanced facial, such as a chemical peel or microdermabrasion, may take up to 60 minutes or more. Additionally, a spa may offer extended facial treatments that may include massages, masks, and other specialized treatments, which can last up to 90 minutes.

It’s worth noting that the benefits of a facial can last beyond the duration of the treatment. Regular facials can improve your skin’s overall health and appearance, leading to long-term benefits. However, it’s recommended to speak with a licensed esthetician to determine the best facial treatment for your skin type and needs, as well as to get an idea of the duration of the treatment.

HOW MUCH DOES A FACIAL COST?

The cost of a facial treatment can vary greatly depending on several factors, including the location, type of facial, the products used, and the experience level of the esthetician.

On average, a basic facial at a spa or salon may cost anywhere from $50 to $100, while more advanced treatments, such as chemical peels or microdermabrasion, can cost up to $200 or more. In addition, some high-end spas or specialty clinics may charge even more for specialized facials or treatments.

It’s worth noting that some spas and salons may offer package deals or discounts for multiple treatments, so it’s always a good idea to check if any special offers are available.

Additionally, prices can vary by region, so it’s recommended to research local spas or salons in your area for pricing information.

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