The Story Matters
Mayhem p.4 Pampaloni Sterling Silver , designed by artists and desired by Princes and Popes.
Vol. XXV No. 11
March 18, 2010
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URBAN OASIS MAYHEM P.4
OPINION P. 6
POLITICS P. 7
HISTORY P.8
PROFILE P. 10
CALENDAR P.14
SOCIETY P. 16
City Approves Plans for Lincoln Park SEE PAGE 12
MUSIC P. 22
411 P.24
FASHION P. 26
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Kim Stark kim@miamisunpost.com SOCIETY EDITOR Jeannette Stark jeannette@miamisunpost.com COPY EDITOR Mary Louise English
PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER Kim Stark kim@miamisunpost.com ACCOUNTING Sandie Friedman SALES DIRECTORS Jeannette Stark Carl Zablotny
CALENDAR EDITOR Jake Orsinni calendar@miamisunpost.com
Pantoni Chair
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jeffrey Bradley Stuart Davidson Marguerite Gil Mary Louise English Jennifer Fragoso John Hood Thomas Quick Joe Robertson Mary Jo Almeida-Shore Kim Steiner Michael Sasser
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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 SunPost Media 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.
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www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • Thursday, March 18, 2010 • Page 3
Tropical Mayhem BITS AND PIECES OF MIAMI LIFE
Miami through my iphone
BICHIEROGRAFIA COLLECTION - DOUBLE CHAMPAGNE COOLER DESIGNED BY GIOVANNI MAGGI IN 1604. STERLING SILVER
Distinctive Sterling Silver Own a distinctive work of art in sterling silver from the Italian creative design genius Pampaloni. From private jets and yachts to residences and hotels, Pampaloni designs original pieces and uses 925 sterling silver giving it a unique quality and longevity and surpassing most, if not all, other silversmith’s craftmanship. Choose a one-of-a-kind piece from extraordinary artists like Marco Zanini, Alessandro Mendini, Gio Ponti, Lapo Binazzi and Ettore Scotsass who have all created for Pampaloni. Or choose an original Pampaloni design. And just so you know by owning a piece of silver from Pampaloni, you are in very exclusive company – the Vatican and the Grimaldi family all own pieces. And, just for SunPost readers, enjoy a 35% discount on all sterling silver cutlery sets though March 31st at the newly relocated store in the Design District. Pampaloni, 91 NE 40th Street, Design District. For info: 305-695-9370 Page 4 • Thursday, March 18, 2010 • The SunPost • www.miamisunpost.com
HYDRO-THRILLS by Ines Hegedus-Garcia - miamism.com - ines@miamism.com So what's more exciting? South Pointe Park? Fisher Island? Government Cut? Riding The Thriller? or capturing the capture? I took this photo of my husband Rick, while he shot a video of the mean ride going right in front of Fisher Island. It was a gorgeous afternoon in South Beach ... if I could only show you the rest of the photos from that day.
Chita Rivera Does Broadway Two-Time Tony Award winner Chita Rivera will perform songs from her legendary Broadway career in her own concert Chita Rivera: My Broadway coming to Miami for one show only. Rivera will be accompanied by an 11-piece orchestra, led by musical director Michael Croiter, and will perform selections from her most celebrated musicals, West Side Story , Sweet Charity, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Bye, Bye, Birdie and The Rink. Monday, April 19th at 8pm at the Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater, 1700 Washington Avenue, Miami Beach. Tickets will be available on LiveNation.com.
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Opinion EDITORIAL
State Legislature Should Continue Arts Funding
PRIVATE
Tutoring in SPANISH Babies to Teens
Gloomy news is trickling down from Florida’s center of power in Tallahassee for those who work in or enjoy the benefits of the arts. The State Senate has proposed no funding for the arts in the next budget. The somewhat more generous State House of Representatives has proposed a $1 million reduction in funding for the arts statewide. In the absence of major change, the end result of the budgeting process is likely to be somewhere between the two proposals. In the case of one, the other or a compromise midway between the two proposals being ratified, the end result would be devastating to the cultural arts in Florida. The State would also lose revenue and cripple one of the best returns on investment it has. The positions represent an abdication of responsibility and departure from reality on the part of legislators. Arts funding is a convenient scapegoat at budget time. It is portrayed as being extraneous and frivolous and the total expenditure for it is often exaggerated. After all, when the State of Florida is cash-strapped to pay for essential services, the arts make a convenient target for cuts. But that approach ignores serious economic reality. Numbers paint a very different picture. There are 88,326 fulltime arts jobs throughout the state. Arts activities generate $3.1 billion in local economic activity annually; and arts organizations deliver $446.5 million in local and state government revenue. These numbers have been generated despite the fact that Florida invests only minimally in the arts. In recent years, state arts funding has been cut by more than 80 percent and Florida now ranks 49th nationally in state appropriations for its arts and cultural resources -- investing only 14 cents per Floridian. Despite that minimal investment, the arts in Florida have continued to capture attention and stimulate economic and cultural development. Too many organizations and institutions have already been lost or limited because of funding cuts, severely restricting the ability of the arts sector to continue attracting tourists and generating revenue for state and local government. It is smart business to invest modest state dollars in the arts when the returns are enormous: more tax revenue generated; more tourism; and more businesses staying or relocating to a state with vibrant arts and entertainment assets. Completely setting aside the philosophical debate about government funding of the arts and particularly in a difficult budget era, support for the arts makes good financial sense. The proposed fatal reduction or elimination of arts funding is economically irresponsible and a mockery of the reality of the benefits the arts bring to Florida and to her individual communities. Too many times government at all levels targets the arts for proposed budget cuts because it is more politically expedient than it is to make hard decision and to eliminate politically-motivated waste and bureaucracy. Each time this happens, it is a shame that it seems that ten responsible, apolitical members of the pubic with common sense and a decent education could, if asked, trim the budget elsewhere in a way that has less devastating results on culture, community – and the economic development – of the State of Florida. It’s not just a shame that the Florida Legislature seems unable to do that. It’s a damn shame.
WHAT YOU CAN DO: Outraged by this? Then send an email to the following legislators and let them know how you feel. Let’s all work together to prevent this and save South Florida’s Arts Programs. Act now!
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FLORIDA LEGISLATIVE APPROPRIATIONS LEADERSHIP House Speaker: Larry Cretul - larry.cretul@myfloridahouse.gov House Appropriations Chairman: David Rivera - david.rivera@myfloridahouse.gov Senate President: Jeff Atwater - atwater.jeff.web@flsenate.gov Chairman, Senate Policy and Steering Committee on Ways and Means: JD Alexander - alexander.jd.web@flsenate.gov FLORIDA SENATE Transportation & Economic Development Appropriations Committee: Alex Diaz de la Portilla portilla.alex.web@flsenate.gov (Miami-Dade Member) FLORIDA HOUSE TRANSPORTATION & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE Esteban Bovo - esteban.bovo@myfloridahouse.gov (Miami-Dade Member)
Politics COLUMN
On a Bicycle Lane Built for Whom? By Jeffrey Bradley
Prairie: Preserved 28th Street: Lost 34th Street: Lost Meridian: Maybe That’s the not-so-good bike-lane news from the March 8 Capital Improvement Projects Oversight Committee (CIPOC), where members of Bayshore argued for a change in their neighborhood Basis of Design Report (BODR) to narrow streets and remove bicycle lanes in the plan and on the ground. Former commissioner and current CIPOC Chair Saul Gross stated he would not be in favor of removing existing bike lanes on Prairie Avenue in central Bayshore, but reminded staff that the commission was clear about not adding asphalt to roads during resurfacing to accommodate bicycle lanes. But how does someone known for his political savvy think roadways with bike lanes are built? A BODR is a commission-approved narrative on current conditions with already approved outcomes to guide the project, so anything that delays implementation is a red herring. And talk of the BODR’s making no mention of bike lanes is at best disingenuous because the city already committed to building these much-needed alternative transportation options when the street projects fell due. But it does leave some quibble-room for obstructionists. If the issue at stake is too many cars going too fast on neighborhood streets, then isn’t the solution getting more bikes on those streets to reduce and slow traffic? Makes sense to us — or are we missing something? In fact, can we ever build a bicycle-friendly city in the face of such parochial NIMBYism? This is how out of touch this kind of backward thinking is, especially coming in mid-Bicycle Month: Rather than restripe wider streets with dedicated bicycle facilities to calm traffic, the residents hope by lumping bicyclists and motorists together (sharing a 10-foot-wide travel lane) they’ll slow or discourage the cut-through traffic. But topsy-turvy thinking like this makes them topsy and us turvy because it’s wrong. It will not make their streets safer but more dangerous. Despite this, their desires are seriously considered by appointed and elected officials who think reelection hinges on appeasing local interests at the expense of the community. The term, we believe, is a lack of vision. Only ward-heels would continually place the misguided views of the few ahead of the needs of the many. It’s Miami Beach’s fatal flaw that these slapdash, ad hoc fixes come at the expense of the bigger picture. But then, “It’s all about the parking”, isn’t it? Meanwhile, autocentricity holds sway, and gridlock worsens as the goal of reducing, not adding, to traffic on a barrier island recedes further. This newest NIMBY assault could be a turning point that imperils even the feeble attempts by the administration to implement a master plan calling for more reliance on bicycles. But here’s the real deal: According to traffic experts, a wellused bike lane is the best and most natural traffic-calming device! If so, administration officials and NIMBYists seem to be conspir-
ing to keep Miami Beach in the transportation dark ages. To be effective, the city must lay down a network of marked bicycle lanes that riders actually feel comfortable using — else that gridlock graveyard of tires and tin will continue dominating and deteriorating our way of life. Of all places on earth, we should be taking advantage of the natural, tropical mobility opportunities that surround us. But now, with bicycles using the sidewalks, for Ford’s sake, pedestrians are near obliged to walk in the streets, even in dark of night. Until we say No! to the NIMBY posture of shifting bike lanes to the next block over — a ridiculous demand made by unsophisticates or worse — and proliferate them wherever and whenever possible, we’ll never fulfill our urban paradise potential. Unfortunately, sometimes people must be brought along kicking and screaming. Well, OK; if serving the greater good is the end, then aggressive advocacy must be the means. When NIMBYism kicks in, realize that it’s just fear. When the playground arguments over who’s right or what should get done or taken out at the last minute begin, consider this: The City Commission adopted the Bicycle Master Plan in the fall of 2007. Ratified by commission vote, this overlay to the 13 neighborhood BODRs reflects years of coordinating street improvement projects of Public Works and CIP GO BONDs to incorporate bicycle lanes throughout the city. After this 1999 bond was passed, the city brought in a consultant and produced the plan to build a system with the required work undertaken when city projects improved neighborhood streets. The city has since adopted a posture that prohibits bicycle lanes from being built with new asphalt, simply because new lanes, not phased in until construction began, necessitated a costly change. The commission naturally expressed shock, but the delay —and overruns — were their own. The Bicycle Master Plan calls for bike lanes along all of Prairie north of 44th Street. However, a deal was hatched during construction of the new high school between the then-principal, some neighborhood bitter-enders and compliant city staff to narrow the road and exclude bicycle lanes. When details spilled out, instead of scuttling all plans for the street, the commission, specifically Commissioner Gross, promised on the record that the lane would shift north at High-Tide to Meridian — not a bad compromise; if the marked lane could be got to Lincoln Road (along Meridian), there is ROW and asphalt aplenty. Chairman Gross, much to his credit, reiterated that promise during Monday’s meeting. This whole argument strikes at the heart of autocentricity, because required bicycle lanes and complete streets will easily and dramatically improve our community. When it comes to bicycles, too often we’ve seen projects change to exclude bicycle facilities because of competing interests for the streetscape. And, decision-makers steadfastly refuse to see the numbers of riders out there. But until the city shows true leadership in making non-motorized facilities equitable, we’ll continue to endure gridlock and discourage the utilization of our excellent temperate environment and flat terrain for mobility. As a small, urban island, we desperately need congestion solutions to ensure a high quality of life and strong economic future. Interested in becoming part of the transportation solution? Contact BASIC, the Bicycle Activists for a Safe, Integrated City at bikemb@gmail.com. This group networks riders to advocate for expanded bicycle facilities before municipal boards and committees where decisions are made regarding funding and programming. The change can’t come till you want it to.
“It’s Miami Beach’s fatal flaw that these slapdash, ad hoc fixes come at the expense of the bigger picture. But then, “It’s all about the parking”, isn’t it?”
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www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • March 18, 2010 • Page 7
A Special Moment in Time COLUMN
The Five Terrible Events of 1926 – Part Three By Seth H. Bramson mrfec@yahoo.com
Over the past two weeks, SunPost readers have learned of the first four of the five terrible events that made 1926 one of the most memorable, and to some extent, legendary years in Greater Miami’s illustrious and glorious history. Just by surviving those events, which occurred in and during Miami’s 30th year as a city — and Miami Beach’s 11th year as an incorporated municipality (Miami Beach was incorporated as a town in 1915 and became a city in 1917) — the region proved its mettle and was prepared thereafter for anything and everything that fate and the four winds could throw at it. As we have noted, the four events leading up to the catastrophic final and disastrous event — the terrible hurricane of September 17th and 18th — were the capsizing of the Danish sailing schooner Prinz Valdemar (at the time the largest vessel ever to enter Miami’s port) at the entrance to the turning basin of the Miami harbor; the embargoing of itself by the Florida East Coast Railway; the subsequent negative nationwide publicity; and the default and abandonment of their Miamiarea land, buildings and property purchases by literally thousands of buyers throughout the country. Miami and Miami Beach might — and probably could and
HARDY'S CASINO, WRITTEN ABOUT IN THIS COLUMN SEVERAL WEEKS AGO, WAS MANGLED BY THE STORM.
would — have recovered from all of those setbacks had it not been for the fifth and final of the five terrible events, which, in sum, proved to be the harbinger of the Great Depression that would envelop the country three years later. Although there were muted warnings several days ahead of the storm that “a hurricane is coming,” few people knew what the significance of the warnings was. As the radio broadcasts and newspapers (there were four daily papers in Miami at the time) did not seem to be expressing a great deal of concern (unlike today’s hysterical, shrieking, hyperventilating talking weather-heads), the warnings, which seemed mostly to be coming from ships at sea that had encountered the storm, were taken far too lightly. That lack of concern and disregard for the power of the storm would bring a hideously high death toll and immense property damage to all of Greater Miami. The storm would roar out of the Atlantic on the evening of September 17th and would, for hour after Page 8 • Thursday, March 18, 2010 • The SunPost • www.miamisunpost.com
ABOVE AND LEFT: TWO VIEWS OF THE MIAMI SIDE OF BISCAYNE BAY GIVE MORE THAN A HINT OF THE SEPTEMBER 17TH AND 18TH, 1926 HURRICANE'S DEVASTATION.
terrible hour, blast away at Miami Beach, Miami, Coral Gables, Fulford-by-the-Sea (where it destroyed the Fisher-Fulford Speedway, the famous all-wood, steeply banked, used-for-one-race automobile race track at approximately today’s NE 18th-19th avenues and 188th189th streets, the site of the track now under the water of Sky Lake), the Shoreland Company’s properties (today’s Miami Shores), as well as a good bit more of then-Dade County and much of eastern Broward County. L. F. Reardon, a noted journalist of the time, would go on to write, illustrate and publish a hardcover book detailing the horrors of the storm. His own home, although not completely destroyed, was severely damaged. Reardon’s book, one of several composed following that terrible natural disaster, vividly describes not only what he went through but what the area was like — the sheer, utter devastation — following the storm. “Bringing it all down to brass tacks?” Beyond awful: More than 400 people killed, hundreds of buildings destroyed, Coast Guard cutters and other large ships thrown up on land, sand piled to the third floor of the then-brand-new Roney Plaza Hotel at 23rd Street and Collins Avenue, the Flagler System’s Royal Palm Hotel on the banks of the Miami River so badly damaged that it would, except for about 30 days in the 1928 season, close for good following the storm. Even Hurricane Andrew, with all its horrors, THE DAMAGE TO THE RONEY PLAZA HOTEL, AT 23RD STREET was equaled or outdone by the horrific Miami hurAND COLLINS AVENUE WAS EXTENSIVE. ricane of September 17th and 18th, 1926. Seth H. Bramson is Adjunct Professor of History at both FIU and Barry University, where he serves as Historian-in-Residence. The Company Historian of the Florida East Coast Railway, he is America’s number one published Greater Miami history book author, with 12 of his 17 books dealing directly with the villages, towns, cities and people of Miami-Dade County.
Perspective COLUMN
Being Me Smoke-Free By Jennifer fragoso
Name: Jennifer Fragoso Age: 38 Years smoking: 23 SMOKE FREE: Two Weeks
WEEK 2: JEN FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO’S NEST “I think I’m going crazy,” is how I begin a telephone call to Meg, my best friend of more than 20 years. I call her because she knows me better than anyone else, and I figure if I am going crazy she’ll be able to tell. Meg’s response is “Why?” so I begin to tell her of my hectic work schedule — six-day work weeks with a couple of double shifts sprinkled in — my intense mood swings and “Oh, I quit smoking two weeks ago.” Meg laughs, just a little and says, “You are going through withdrawals, honey.” “Really?” I ask in my best Scooby Doo voice. “You mean I’m not going crazy?” “No.” “Oh, I thought the body’s need for nicotine left the system after a few days.”
“OK,” I thought, “so I have a little demon living inside me trying to, at all costs, get me to satisfy every little craving.” I imagined my inner demon looking like a mini, more menacing, Tazmanian Devil, with little droplets of blood on his protruding fangs, snifing and grunting hurriedly looking for a fix.” Meg explained to me that although physically I might no longer be addicted to smoking, mentally I was. Which made the fact that I felt like I was in the detox scene from Trainspotting somehow feel perfectly normal. So I decided to do a little research, a refresher course in Psych 101 if you will. I discovered that my id, forever seeking pleasure, was doing battle with my ego, the rational side of the brain responsible for dealing with reality. “OK,” I thought, “so I have a little demon living inside me trying to, at all costs, get me to satisfy every little craving.” I imagined my inner demon looking like a mini, more menacing, Tazmanian Devil, with little droplets of blood on his protruding fangs, sniffing and grunting, hurriedly looking for a fix. When I smoked, he — we’ll call him Chaz — was riding high, constantly being fed the pleasure he desperately sought. Now, he’s got nothing, not even candy — I gave that up for Lent too — so Chaz is seeking retribution by making me feel like I’m going crazy. One day I’m super happy, the next in tears every other minute and the next, Snappy Spice. Talk about a roller coaster ride. But what Chaz may have forgotten is that I love a good roller coaster ride. And now that I know my enemy, I can face him and beat him. I can be me smoke-free and no one, not even Chaz, is going to stop me. www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • March 18, 2010 • Page 9
PHOTO: MITCHELL ZACKS/MAGICAL PHOTOS
PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY YOU SHOULD KNOW
Aaron Resnick Entertainment Attorney By Thomas Quick
To be presented with the "Shining Star" Award by the Arts & Business Council of Miami, Inc., is a highly recognizable accomplishment in itself, but to top that with being acknowledged by Florida Trend magazine as one of the top attorneys in Florida in both 2009 and 2010 as well as the top young professional in South Florida by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, is taking overachievement to a new playing field. Aaron Resnick, a 37-year-old counselor and attorney, began his venture into professional law in 1991 working for a distinguished Florida firm, Gunster Yoakley & Stewart, P.A. After attending academic institutions such as University of Florida, Emory University and Universite de Montpellier in Montpellier, France, the young graduate seemed well-suited to the large firm, but he knew there were greater things out there for a man with his determination. Spending almost seven years in the large firm, Resnick decided it was time for his sprouting career to finally bud. Two college companions from Emory, Jonathan Davidoff and Derek Schwartz, partnered with the goal-driven lawyer in August of 2005, fabricating what they labeled the SRD Law Firm. As a law student, Resnick had found his core aspirations in sports. Now that he was working for himself, he thought there would be no better time to pursue what his heart was set on. “Two years ago the Florida Gators were in the NCAA championship game here in Miami,” Resnick recalls. “We threw a party for the UF alumni, the former Gator football players and some professional football players and invited them to the dinner party. So I'm sitting there in a room with 100 professional athletes that I either know or am Page 10 • Thursday, March 18, 2010 • The SunPost • www.miamisunpost.com
being introduced to and I'm thinking, ‘Why am I not their attorney?’ That was the launching pad of really going straight forward on this.” Providing more than most other legal representatives, offering accommodations such as concierge services, charity efforts, risk management and crisis management, the young lawyer shined and found success in no time. "I own an entertainment company, I played sports growing up, I’ve got clients and friends who are involved in the sports and entertainment industry, so I’ve been able to leverage those things to really provide those added benefits," says Resnick. His perseverance drove him in different directions, which led the attorney to develop other businesses, including his entertainment company and nonprofit work, which he integrates into his successful firm. Being part of so many organizations, Resnick has found ways to merge his personal and professional lives and continually promote his numerous services while still attending each of his events, dinners and galas. Representing anyone from athletes and entertainers to a single business owner or potential real estate monger, Resnick prides himself on being able to perform his tasks to the best of his ability and then some. With a "shoot for the moon" attitude and a natural go-getter ambition, he hopes to one day take his philosophy to a new level of legal representation, providing a blend of three key components: counsel, comfort and the imperative quality of trust.
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www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • Thursday, March 18, 2010 • Page 11
Urban COVER STORY
CITY APPROVES PLANS FOR LINCOLN PARK
AN ARCHITECTS RENDERING OF LINCOLN PARK AND THE NEW PERGOLA
Oasis Written by Michael W. Sasser
People who have long known New World Symphony Trustee Bruce Clinton wouldn’t exactly call the 74-year-old a big fan of government in general. After all, the longtime developer was once featured on 60 Minutes in a segment about his 15-year — and ultimately successful — battle with the federal government. “I guess you can say I have a real chip on my shoulder when it comes to government agencies,” said the affable and earnest Clinton. However, even Clinton was pleased when the Miami Beach City Commission recently approved plans for Lincoln Park, the $13 million park in the heart of Miami Beach designed by the landscape architecture firm West 8. “When we got the unanimous vote, it was like a warm wind blew over me,” said Clinton, who is the chair of the NWS Park Committee and point man on the project. “We have worked so hard to make a good park.”
New World Symphony Park, better known as Lincoln Park, will sit adjacent to the Frank Gehry-designed new campus for the New World Symphony and also to a Gehry-designed 520-space parking garage with first-floor retail. (NWS is acting as developer of the garage for the city.) The park replaces a surface parking lot and will occupy 2.5 acres bordered by 17th Street and Lincoln Lane and by Washington Avenue and Drexel Avenue. Drexel will be closed to traffic between Lincoln Lane and 17th Street. The development of the park has overcome challenges, including budgets and the departure of Gehry from the project in a debate over city funding and perceived slights. Gehry was eventually replaced by Dutch firm West 8 and Adriaan Geuze, lead designer of the project and company founder. The transition of architects was just one of the hurdles Clinton faced in leading the project. Initially a selection committee tasked with rating potential architects based on a Request for Qualifications was second-guessed by the city, prompting Clinton to resign from the project. Eventually, however, Clinton said, City Hall reversed itself and he returned. “Friends had asked me in the first place why — given my feelings about government in general — I took this on,” Clinton said. “I couldn’t have started this any deeper in the end zone. I was not a fan of Gehry. I did not think that symphony needed a new home at the time. But I took on the chairmanship because I was the trustee with the most experience in developing parks. I ran into that pothole six Please see Park on page 23
Calendar WHAT TO DO IN MIAMI THIS WEEK
LEFT: MARY J. BLIGE AND RIGHT, MELANIE FIONA WILL PERFORM AT JAZZ IN THE GARDENS THIS WEEKEND.
Page 14 • Thursday, March 18, 2010 • The SunPost • www.miamisunpost.com
SAVE THE DATE:
March 19
FRIDAY, APRIL 30
ART Crayola Art Looking at the huge pieces from artists Dead Dads Club Corporation you would never know they are done using crayons. Basic, bright-colored kiddie crayons. The subject matter will surprise you as well. No kindergarden style here. Massive photorealistic canvases feature faces frozen in moments of surprise, terror, or excitement all in subtle pastel colors except for vivid red splashes. Worth seeing up close. Free. Through April 3. Spinello Gallery, 155 NE 38th St, Miami. For info: 786-2714223 or spinellogallery.com
March 19
THEATRE Wicked Emerald
STRAIGHT NO CHASER THE MALE A CAPELLA GROUP STRAIGHT NO CHASER WILL HIT MIAMI FOR A ONE-NIGHT ONLY PERFORMANCE ON APRIL 30. THE GROUP HAS FORGED A UNIQUE STYLE BASED ON A COMBINATION OF MUSICAL BRILLIANCE BALANCED WITH A HEALTHY DOSE OF SELFDEPRECATING HUMOR. THEY ARE REINVENTING THE IDEA OF A CAPPELLA ON THE MODERN POP LANDSCAPE. 8PM. $30. GUSMAN CENTER, 174 E. FLAGLER STREET, MIAMI. FOR INFO: 305-374-2444 OR GUSMANCENTER.ORG.
Don't miss the last few days of this amazing production. When Wicked first played in Miami in 2007, it broke box office records and sold out in record time. The musical is the back story to the Wizard of Oz. Long before that girl from Kansas arrives in Munchkinland, two girls meet in the land of Oz. One – born with emerald green skin – is smart, fiery and misunderstood. The other is beautiful, ambitious and very popular. How these two grow to become the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda the Good Witch is part of this wonderful tale. 8pm. $41.50-$153.50. Ziff Ballet Opera House, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. For info: arshtcenter.com.
March 19
FOOD Boca Bacchnal Eighth annual Food Festival featuring the world's most popular chefs and vintners. Dinners, seminars, tastings and an auction are just some of the notable events. Chefs worth meeting are Cass Abrahams of Zomerlust Restaurant in Paarl, South Africa, Paula DaSilva of 3030 Ocean in Fort Lauderdale and Donna Scala of Bistro Don Giovanni in Napa, Calif., to name a few. Through Mar 21. For locations and info: 561-395-6766 or bocabacchanal.com
March 19
MUSIC Akon
Akon and Palm Beach polo? Yes well...the Pop and R&B crooner will be live in concert to kick off the equestrian event, Puissance International. He will be performing hits from his new album, Freedom. Also performing is Andrew Knowles and Justin Carlos. $48-$300. 7pm. Polo Stadium at Palm Beach International Equestrian Center, 13420 South Shore Blvd., Wellington. For info: angelstoneproductions.com
March 20
ART Gallery Grafitti Local graf artist Ahol Sniffs Glue, (love that moniker!) has his first solo exhibit, 7.625 Fl Oz this month at the Butter Gallery. Don't expect to see the same old Ahol graf tags that pop up all over the city. For this exhibition, Ahol has looked inward to his own per-
sonal urges and struggles. Not to be missed. Free Butter Gallery, 2303 NW 2nd Ave., Miami. For info: 305-303-6254 or buttergallery.com.
March 20
FESTIVAL MiMo Madness Celebrate an historic, classic neighborhood with MiMo Madness, the third annual Biscayne Blvd. street fest. Antique and crafts, street performers, stilt walkers, face painting, music, tons of food from area restaurants and historic tours are all on the agenda for Saturday's fest. Free. 10am. For more info: 305-609-4288 or mimoboulevard.org.
March 20
DANCE Veggie Ballet Don't miss Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida's version of Chipollino, Gianni Rodari's tale about vegetables. The two act ballet is choreographed by ballet master Vladimir Issaev. $27, $22 seniors. 6pm. Julius Littman Performing Arts Theater, 17011 NE 19th Ave., North Miami Beach. For info: boxofficetickets.com
March 20
ART Gals Gone Wild Golden Gals Gone Wild, the world’s first traveling art show dedicated to erotic depictions of the four ladies of TV Sitcom, The Golden Girls hits Miami this week. Exhibit Curator Lenora Claire came up with the show’s concept when purchasing the now infamous nude oil painting of Bea Arthur by Chris Zimmerman. Claire contacted her artist friends to contribute their own erotic homages to Dorothy, Rose, Blanche and Sophia. Exhibiting will be Chris Zimmerman, Ed Mironiuk, Plastic God, Misha, and Glen Hanson to name a few. 7pm. $15. WEAM, 1205 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. For info: weam.com. Please see Calendar on page 20 www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • March 18, 2010 • Page 15
Society COLUMN
The 2010 Women of Distinction Luncheon By Jeannette Stark Society Editor jeannette@miamisunpost.com
An exciting luncheon will take place on Friday, April 9, at 11 a.m. at the Hotel Inter-Continental, to benefit the Hebrew Homes Foundation of Hosted by the Ambassadors Council, the Board of Directors and the Luncheon Committee, it will benefit The Caregivers Comfort Corner of the Plaza Health Network. The 2010 Women of Distinction & Caring are: Melanie Cohen, founder of SocialMiami.com; the Honorable Katherine Fernandez Rundle, Miami State Attorney; Tracy Mourning, founder of Honey Shine Mentoring; Jennifer Valoppi, journalist, author and founder of Women of Tomorrow; and Marlene Berg, volunteer leader and chairwoman of Cancer Link. Luncheon guests will enjoy a cocktail reception and silent auction, as well as an inspirational video featuring each of the recognized women. For more information, please call 305-917-0406.
PAT BERKULE, VIOLET STORER, PAST REGENT OF THE BISCAYNE CHAPTER, YVONNE ELDREDGE.
MIAMI BABYLON The Daughters of the American Revolution held a luncheon and book signing and talk by popular author Gerald Posner. He discussed the painstaking interviews and events that led to his book Miami Babylon, which has caused much controversy in the community. Miami Babylon uncovers the politics of Miami Beach and is definitely a book to read. All in all, it was a very successful luncheon with a large turnout because of the interest in the author.
GERALD POSNER AND DONNA CULLEN, STATE VICE REGENT, BISCAYNE CHAPTER.
GERALD POSNER SIGNING HIS BOOK MIAMI BABYLON FOR ANNA GARY AND FRIENDS.
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TRISHA POSNER, CONNIE DANLUCK AND GUEST.
Society VANITIES
Ednagene Schofman EXTRAORDINARY SOCIALITE By Jeannette Stark
E
dnagene Schofman is a woman of great charm, beauty and elegance. She channels her vibrant energy into doing good things for her favorite charities, like the Miami Children’s Hospital Auxiliary, which named her their Queen of Hearts. A longtime fixture on the Miami social scene, Ednagene works with numerous charities and boards. Currently she is focusing on Barry University, where she is a member of the Order of Flame and Florida International University’s Arts and Sciences program. She has been active on the Women’s Committee of the Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, a Prima Donna and board member of the Men’s Opera Guild, an active member of the Vizcayans and worked on the Beautification Committee for the City of Bal Harbour, where she lives. For fun, Ednagene hosts her legendary Monday night soirees at the prestigious Surf Club. She can be seen moving from table to table, sparkling as she greets longtime friends in her genteel Southern style. She is also a longtime member of the La Gorce Country Club. Ednagene dotes on her children, Paul Dudley and Karen Landrum, and is the very proud grandmother of grandson Dr. Jason Landrum. A native of Texas, she graduated from Southwest Texas University and the University of Texas. She also attended the University of Miami. A little-known fact about Ednagene is her love of the color pink. She can often be seen dancing the night away in a sparkly, pale pink designer gown surrounded by friends and family. As those who know her can contest, that is her favorite place to be. www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • March 18, 2010 • Page 17
Founding Chairman Norma A. Quintero, and Founder Marysol Patton, Luncheon Chairman
Founder Betty Brandt
2010 Vizcaya Preservation Garden Party Hat Luncheon
Vizcayans President Donald Kress and Founder Leslie Bowe
Founders Allison Weiss Brady and Tim Johnson
Founders Mojdeh Khaghan Danial and Mari-Alarcon Grimalt
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Founders Jon and Nancy Batchelor
Marile Lopez and Debbie Lang
Philanthropists who typically wear many hats in their lives as professionals, parents and community leaders, put just one more hat on for The Vizcayans at the Second Annual 2010 Vizcaya Preservation Luncheon — widely known as the “Hat Luncheon.” The luncheon was postponed from Wednesday February 24 to Friday February 26 due to thunderstorms, and reprised the fashionable daytime garden parties which were commonplace in Vizcaya’s early years as James Deering’s European-inspired home, opened in 1916. Founded by Norma Quintero during her three-year term as President of The Vizcayans, during a time when The Vizcayans were faced with the challenge of protecting its viewshed, the Hat Luncheon is also a nod to the high-society Central Park Conservancy “Hat Luncheon” held each year in Manhattan. Glasses brimming with Chateau D’Esclans Rosé – the finest wine from Provence, France, clinked gaily as the event unfolded in the elegant Casino Mound. Gentlemen indulged in Don Pepin Garcia My Father’s Cigars. Cufflinks and brooches imprinted with the Golden Caravel, one of Deering’s enduring symbols for Vizcaya, were given to preservationists who have transformed a community, including Ian Simpkins, Vizcaya Horticulturist honored for continuous efforts in restoring the world-famous Italianate gardens; Luis Quintero, for his unwavering support of his wife, Norma Quintero’s, dedication to Vizcaya’s preservation; William Jones; and Dr. Joel Hoffman who was also named an Honorary Preservation Founder. Brooches were presented to Preservation Founders Trish Bell, Allison Weiss Brady, Sylvia Collins, Victoria Cummock, Mojdeh Khaghan Danial, Swanee DiMare, Mari Alarcon Grimalt, Tova Leidesdorf, and Marisa Toccin. After honoring the Vizcaya Preservation Luncheon Founders, guests raised their glasses to the next generation of Vizcayans, the Junior Preservation Board, including Alessandra Quintero and Chloe Watters. And, as the sun settled overhead and guests descended into the Formal Gardens to the luncheon al fresco, event Chairs Marysol Patton and Norma Quintero, and Honorary Chair Stella Holmes joined Neiman Marcus, Bal Harbour and Coral Gables, both corporate sponsors, to present the four-course gourmet luncheon catered by Thierry’s. Nearly 300 guests attended. Upon departing, guests delighted in receiving gift bags with Chanel Coco Rouge lipsticks in colors complementing beloved Vizcaya gardens and couture chapeaus. Preservation Founders not pictured: Lynn Wilson Spohrer, County Commissioner Carlos Gimenez, Katrina Peebles, Anne McDougal, Lola Jacobson, Cynthia Carr, Max Blumberg, Marla Bergmann, Jayne Abess, Adam Rose and Peter McQuillan.
www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • Thursday, March 18, 2010 • Page 19
Calendar WHAT TO DO IN MIAMI THIS WEEK
CLOWN OF UNIVERSOUL
March 20
March 21
Catch a weekend of jazz with 17 acts set to perform at what has become one of the premier jazz festivals in the country. Mary J. Blige, John Legend, Robin Thicke, Teena Marie, Boyz II Men, Melanie Fiona, Cassandra Wilson and David Sanborn to name a few, will all be performing. $55- $145. 4pm to midnight. Sun Life Stadium, 2269 Northwest Dan Marino Boulevard, Miami Gardens. For info: jazzinthegardens.com.
An authentic flamenco show dedicated to preserving the art of flamenco by Siempre Flamenco. The fifth annual event has two major performances, a guitar recital, and a flamenco workshop. Featuring Cantor George Mordecai, Joe Zeytoonian on Oud and guitarist Paco Fonta. $20. 4pm. Temple Emanu-El, 1701 Washington Ave Miami Beach. For info: siempreflamenco.com
MUSIC Jazz in the Gardens
DANCE Flamenco Fest
March 23
PERFORMANCE Soul Circus
March 20
Led by comedian Tony Tone as the ringmaster, Atlanta's UniverSoul Circus hits Miami with a big, loud boom! Dance in the aisles to classic Motown and top 40, while watching Chinese aerialists, elephants dancing to Rihanna, contortionists bending and twisting and tightrope walking twenty feet in the air. At UniverSoul Circus, the audience is always part of the show. Fans are forewarned because under the Big Top of hip hop, you never know when you might wind up in the center ring—doing your thing! $15.50-$25. 7:30pm. Sun Life Stadium, 2269 Northwest Dan Marino Boulevard, Miami Gardens. For info: universoulcircus.com.
CLUB Cirque Excentrique The official after-party for WEAM's Golden Girls Gone Wild art exhibit. Special guest James St. James, author of Party Monster. 10pm. The Vagabond, 30 NE 14th St., Downtown Miami. For info vagabond.com
March 21
FASHION Clothes the Show Nikki Beach, Fashion TV and the David Barton Gym have joined forces to host a series of runway shows featuring designers from all over the world. The first one is Clothes the Show. 11pm. Club O1, 1 Ocean Dr., Miami Beach. For info: RSVP to addictedtofashion@nikkibeach.com
March 23
BOOKS Girlie Emotions Catch the author and playwright of The Vagina Monologues, Eve Ensler, when she gives voice to girls around the world in I Am an Emotional Creature. 7:30pm. Tickets required. Temple Judea, 5500 Granada Blvd., Coral Gables. For info: booksandbooks.com
March 21
THEATRE Twelfth Night This Saturday, Sobe Arts' Little Stage Theater premieres its very own ode to William Shakespeare with a production of Twelfth Night. Directed by Carson Kievman, this farce has drag queens, royalty, drinking, dancing and of course much hilarity. $12.50 - $25. 3pm. Carl Fisher Clubhouse and Little Stage Theater, 2100 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. For info: sobearts.org.
March 24
MUSIC Designer Drugs FAR ABOVE: GOLDEN GIRLS GONE WILD. ABOVE: AHOL SNIFFS GLUE. RIGHT: EVE ENSLER.
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Designer Drugs is a New York based, electro-house duo releasing remixes for artists such as Little Boots, The Veronicas, Thieves Like Us, Jupiter One, HeartsRevolution and Mission Control and others. 10pm. Bardot, 34th Terrace and North Miami Avenue, Wynwood. For info: bardotmiami.com or 305.576.5570.
www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • Thursday, March 18, 2010 • Page 21
Music INTERVIEW
Flights of Fancy Wilco Comes to Town By Allen Sculley Nels Cline admits that when he joined Wilco in 2004, he had some hesitations about exactly what he would bring to the band and how he would fit in alongside the group’s other guitarist (and singer and chief songwriter), Jeff Tweedy. “I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do,” Cline said in a recent phone interview. “A Ghost Is Born, which was the album that had come out right when I was starting in this band, had such great guitar-playing by Jeff on it, in my opinion, I was kind of worried that by having me in the band, Jeff was going to take a step back and not present his guitar-playing quite so much. And I expressed that to him and he said, ‘Let’s just sort it out later.’” Things have indeed sorted themselves out — and to often spectacular effect — particularly in the way Cline’s vivid and idiosyncratic guitar-playing has brought exciting new dimensions to the Wilco sound. Cline’s talent for the unexpected and spectacular can be heard on songs such as “Impossible Germany,” where he teams with Tweedy on an epic, intertwining, song-ending solo, the spiky fills on “You Are My Face” and the extended soloing that pushes “Side with the Seeds” to new heights. These songs all come from the 2007 CD, Sky Blue Sky. And as much as these solos establish Cline as something of the wild-card instrumentalist within the Wilco framework, Cline noted that his natural instincts probably are more traditional than people assume. Tweedy and Wilco, as it turns out, Cline said, have pushed him to be more inventive as a guitar player. “Sometimes it’s the exact opposite [of avant garde] and no one believes it,” he said. “[At times] Jeff has thought I was being too reverent to the track and being too tasteful, and was wanting me to get freer and wilder so maybe it would spur things off into another direction. It wasn’t what I was hearing in my head at all, because I grew up listening to rock and roll. I grew up listening to a lot of music that makes me think of what we’re doing [in Wilco]. I was listening to the Byrds and Buffalo Springfield, all that sort of thing. “I think that sometimes the fact that I can make weird noises on the guitar comes in handy,” Cline said. “Sometimes what I’m hearing in my head is something truly classic and much more straightforward than a lot of the music I’ve done myself… So I think if I can personally strike a balance between referencing the tradition in a convincing way and at the same time having my little side flights of fancy that I like to do, then maybe it’s going to get even better, I hope.” Wilco is already very good — and has triumphed despite a 15-year history that has seen its share of turmoil and challenge, Page 22 • Thursday, March 18 , 2010 • The SunPost • www.miamisunpost.com
including numerous personnel changes and being dropped by its former record company, Reprise Records. The band is now signed to Nonesuch. Its lineup includes original members Tweedy and bassist John Stirratt, Cline, drummer Glenn Kotche, keyboardist Mike Jorgensen and multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone. Despite the changes, Wilco has gotten better and better, moving from the sometimes jarring sonics and unconventional arrangement of 2002’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and 2004’s A Ghost Is Born toward the more approachable sounds of Sky Blue Sky and the band's current CD, Wilco (the album). Like Sky Blue Sky, the songs on Wilco (the abum) emphasize the beauty in Tweedy’s songwriting on tracks such as “You and I” (a duet with Feist), “Country Disappeared” and “Everlasting Everything.” The CD, though, has a bit edgier quality, thanks to the concise, catchy rock of “Wilco (the song),” the tension that inhabits “Bull Black Nova” and the punchy pop of “Sonny Feeling.” Although Wilco (the album) seems like a natural successor to Sky Blue Sky, the two CDs came together in notably different fashions. Sky Blue Sky was arguably Wilco’s most collaborative effort, but the new CD saw Tweedy further develop the songs and carry out his vision for Wilco (the album). “He wanted to use the studio as kind of an instrument, and something more than just a documentation device,” Cline said. “That was kind of how the studio was used on Sky Blue Sky, because not only was that primarily recorded live, but also the arrangements and to a large extent, the songwriting, was also very collective on that record.” Fans can expect to hear Wilco mix several new songs into its impressive shows on a nightly basis on tour. Cline didn’t want to brag, but he likes the way the band is playing live and feels Wilco continues to improve as a live act. “I don’t want to sound like all pleased or anything, but I’m proud of what we’re doing,” he said. “I think if anything, we might be having more fun playing together now than when we were starting out in 2004 with this lineup. It just seems to get more and more fun.” To Go: Wilco performs in Miami on Monday, March 22 at 8:30pm. Tickets are $34.50. At The Fillmore Miami Beach at Jackie Gleason Theater, 1700 Washington Ave. Miami Beach. For information call 305673-7300 or go online to fillmore.com.
A RENDERING OF LINCOLN PARK AT NIGHT SHOWING THE PROJECTION WALL.
Park cont’d from page 13 months ago, but eventually the city did the right thing and the trustees prevailed upon me to come back.” Now, Clinton is glad he did. “I have found that doing this is one of the most enriching things,” he said. “It’s being awash in the human experience. I have developed a sense of respect for so many people at the city and for the City Commission. They have been terrific. That’s not something people are used to hearing about in city government.” The park product is as much or more the reason for Clinton’s enthusiasm as the process. Lincoln Park is planned to have several iconic elements. Among those are three groups of pergolas that have been custom designed to provide the park with a signature look. Most impressive, though, is a projection wall of just under 10,000 square feet congruent with the NWS building on which park visitors will be able to watch concerts, films and other digital media. A state-ofthe-art sound system will accompany the projection wall.
“We’re told that it is the largest wall of its kind in North America and possibly in the world,” Clinton said. “It’s the most advanced projection system there is, with sound of similar quality. The wall is the ultimate signature element. We have had one test of the system and it took our breath away.” The park is planned for passive use by day with numerous and diverse audio-visual features by night. Design-wise, it is being integrated into the features of the two Gehry- designed components to create a signature location on Miami Beach. “Miami Beach is a city whose culture and lifestyle demand a euphoric design: perfectly international in spirit, playing off of the climate, and serving as a tribute to the architecture,” Geuze said. Clinton said both he and city, to date, have cooperated in not intervening with a heavy hand on the designer’s vision. “A problem with this kind of project is that when you have a small space and everyone starts adding elements to it, instead of succeeding in a cohesive vision, you end up with a hodge-podge,” he said. Some elements of the park have yet to be entirely resolved. Some have advocated for a water element, for
example. At the time none is included. Clinton was among the advocates for one, but did not want to pressure it into Geuze’s design and instead supported the designer’s vision. “I’ll run the infrastructure for it in case the city decides to do something later with a water feature,” Clinton said. Among others pleased with the recent progress of the park’s development is NWS Board Chair and former Miami Beach Mayor Neisen Kasdin. “I am very pleased the City Commission strongly supported the brilliant park design by Adriaan Geuze and expediting the completion of the park project,” Kasdin said. “Each component, the symphony's new campus and the park, will be unique, and in combination, it will be a creation never before seen in the world.” Clinton is pushing for an early deadline on the park project. Initially handed a schedule that called for completion toward the end of 2012, he instead is aiming for substantial completion by January 2011. Plans must still be approved by the Design Review Board and then ultimately survive commission muster again this summer. “[The city] is very motivated to get it done,” Clinton said.
www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • March 18, 2010 • Page 23
The 411
Jeffrey Donovan, Custo Barcelona and Gabrielle Anwar at Custo Barcelona during Fashion Miami Donald, Lisa, and Starr Pliner with Bab Doll
COLUMN
What’s Old Is New Again By Mary Jo Almeida-Shore maryjoshore@miamisocialholic.com Photos by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore
Jill Viner of Boca Raton and Barton G. Weiss at The Villa By Barton G. on March 12.
Barton G. Weiss greets Dr. Sanford Ziff at The Villa. At right, Charlie Cinnamon.
Kip Forbes, Moira Forbes Mumma, Allison & Chip Brady at The Community Coalition fundraiser co-sponsored by Florida Dental Benefits, Inc.
The landmark formerly known as the “Versace Mansion” has been transformed into Villa by Barton G, thanks to a million-dollar restoration by famed restaurateur and event planner Barton G. Weiss, whose attention to detail would make Vermeer jealous. Weiss held an elegant cocktail on Friday evening to showcase the villa’s facelift. Guests at the exclusive event enjoyed music by harpists, a pianist and string quintet and signature bites by Barton G. Among the notables in attendance: Commissioner Michael Gongora, Stephanie Sayfie Aagard and Morton Aagard, Suzie Sayfie, , Ricky Arriola, WSVN anchor Diana Diaz, Vann and Parker Thomson, Barton Weiss' parents Norman and Eleanor Weiss, Shore Club General Manager Tim Nardi and arts patrons Lenore Toby Simmons and Rhoda Leavitt. The evening's open house celebrated the opening of The Dining Room at The Villa by Barton G. (already one of the hottest tickets in town), as well as the opening of the boutique allsuites hotel on the property. The Dining Room features refined continental cuisine elegantly styled by Barton G. served entirely on Versace place settings and fine china. It is open seven nights a week from 7 p.m. until late. Getting a facelift of its own is the Thursday night party at Sky Bar at Shore Club, which launched its new mixed “Oasis” Thursday party last week. The party brought out a terrific mixed crowd, which, in this town, could be interpreted to mean just about anything. Every week international DJ/producer and local favorite Oren Nizri along with DJ Pocket Change will keep partygoers dancing by the hotel’s pool or grooving to their beats on Sky Bar’s numerous lounge beds, while munching on Oasis’ gourmet brick oven pizzas provided by the hotel’s renowned AGO restaurant and sipping $8 martini specials till midnight (talk about “old school” prices!). Oasis begins at 9 p.m. and goes through 2 a.m. There’s no guest list or cover charge so go as you are and enjoy. Keeping styles fresh and new for several decades is shoe designer Donald J. Pliner, who celebrated the 20th anniversary of his eponymous shoe line on Saturday, March 13, at his shop in Aventura Mall with an all-day event to benefit Jewish Adoption & Foster Care Options alongside his wife and creative director, Lisa. Pliner has been designing shoes since the ‘60s, paying close attention to the comfort of the shoe as well as style. A comfortable designer shoe is not an oxymoron when it
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comes to Donald J. Pliner. Lisa for Donald J Pliner made its debut during the anniversary celebration, which was attended by the Pliners’ adorable daughter, Starr, and mascot, Baby Doll.
FASHION MIAMI In a tent to rival those formerly in Bryant Park, Fashion Miami, presented by Chrysler, kicked off its inaugural season with more than 30 designers who showcased their fall/winter 2010 collections throughout four nights of runway shows. With an average of more than 1,000 guests per show (multiply that by 30 shows!), this was a fashion aficionado’s dream come true. Celebrities such as Whitney Port (who showed her new line, Whitney Eve, during Gen Arts opening night), Jon Secada (singer), Romero Britto (artist), Ana Cristina (singer), Burn Notice’s Jeffrey Donovan and Gabrielle Anwar, Roxy Olin (MTV star -- The City), soap star Khotan with girlfriend Candela Ferro, Alejandro Sanz and Rony Seikaly attended Fashion Miami, some sitting front row at multiple shows. These VIPs just added to the list of celebrity designers who were present throughout Fashion Miami, including Custo Barcelona, Craig Signer, Red Carter, Silvia Tcherassi, Julian Chang and Gustavo Cadile, to name a few. On opening night, MTV filmed an upcoming episode of The City, and closing night was filmed by the Bravo Channel. For those of us who missed NY and Paris Fashion Weeks, we were lucky to get a little taste of the excitement thanks to Fashion Miami.
CHEFS FOR HAITI Several VIPs and celebrated chefs participated in a great cause on Thursday at the InterContinental Miami for “Chefs with a Purpose: Haiti” benefiting International Firefighters Assistance. Hosted by Robert Hill, InterContinental Miami general manager, and emcee Lissette Gonzalez, CBS 4 News Weather anchor, along with Chef Chairs Alexander Feher of InterContinental Miami and Chef Jan Jorgenson of Two Chefs, the event drew more than 300 guests and raised $25,000 for IFA’s current and future efforts in Haiti. The culinary extravaganza offered bountiful tastings of delicious dishes by top chefs Jonathan Eismann (Q American Barbeque, Pacific Time and Pizza Volante), Chef Clay Conley (Azul at Mandarin Oriental Miami), Chef Jeff O’Neil (Gibraltar at Grove
Whitney Port and model on the runway
Veve Model
Isle Hotel & Spa) as well as Chefs Jonathan Wright and Noah French (The Setai Miami Beach). Guests including Burn Notice actress Gabrielle Anwar; Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado; Forge proprietor Shareef Malnik; Chairman of the Performing Arts Center Trust Ricky Arriola; and Univision host Rodner Figueroa enjoyed music by DJ Joe Dert as they bid on silent auction items.
GALA TRIATHLON
Gustavo Cadile model
Gustavo Cadile Models on the runway
Gustavo Cadile Dress at Fashion Week
HEART OF GOLD GALA The Wellness Community will host its annual Heart of Gold Gala on Saturday as well at the Eden Roc Hotel. We are buying these event planners a calendar as we speak! This year’s theme, Monte Carlo, sets the stage for an extravagant evening, which begins at 7 p.m. with cocktails and a silent auction followed by dinner and dancing. Live auctioneer CBS-TV's chief weathercaster Lonnie Quinn will be back for his second year as emcee. The event is black-tie optional. Tickets cost $350 per guest. For more information and to buy tickets, contact the Wellness Community at 305-668-5900.
HEARTS AND STARS AT CASA MALINKA Anyone who’s been to a party at Casa Malinka knows that it’s worth the trip and price of admission. This Saturday, the first annual Hearts and Stars Gala, a philanthropic effort benefiting the Little Lighthouse Foundation and Ronald McDonald House Charities of South Florida, takes place there from 7-11 p.m. It promises to be a night to remember, featuring free-flowing cocktails courtesy of Grey Goose vodka, and live musical performances by Pras Michel (Grammy Award winner and original member of the Fugees) and 19-year-old Israeli singing sensation Nir, who’s been compared to Justin Timberlake. Live and silent auctions including celebrity experiences, fine jewelry, and getaways and dancing under the stars will add to the already exciting evening. Casa Malinka has been the location of choice for many over-the-top affairs. To read about Malinka Max’s outrageous circus-themed New Year’s bash visit: miamisocialholic.com. Tickets cost $125 in advance, $150 at the door. For more information visit: rmhcsouthflorida.org or contact Christin Naab at 305-585-5960; christin@rmhcsouthflorida.org.
WOMEN OF TOMORROW Also on Saturday, the Women of Tomorrow Mentor and Scholarship Program celebrates its spring-inspired gala at the Mandarin Oriental. The event will feature a live performance from Latin heartthrob and Billboard-nominated singer/actor JenCarlos Canela, music by the Steve Chase Band and an extravagant live auction emceed by WPLG Channel 10’s Calvin Hughes and Neki Mohan, who is also a WOT mentor. Local VIPs and tastemakers expected include the founders of the Women of Tomorrow Mentor & Scholarship Program, Jennifer Valoppi and Telemundo President Don Browne; Gala Chair Marisa Toccin; WOT Vice-President and State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle; Honorary Chairmen Madeleine and Micky Arison; Legacy Builder Honorees Lora and Fred Drasner; Empowerment Award Honorees Jason and Haley Binn and many more. Auction items include tickets to the Jay Leno Show and to Super Bowl 2011, among other fab prizes. For tickets or more information, call 305-371-3330 or visit womenoftomorrow.org.
COMING UP: FENOM ABSINTHE AND THE BIG BOUNCE Absinthe will be the liquor of choice during the Big Bounce album release after party on Friday, March 19, following their concert which takes place at the Colony Theater at 8 p.m. The after party, sponsored by Fenom Modern Absinthe, will be held at The Florida Room.
Whitney Port and the cameras at Fashion Week
EXHALE Exhale Spa at the EPIC Hotel is celebrating its grand opening on Tuesday, March 23, with an exclusive event hosted by Ocean Drive Magazine’s Suzy Buckley and exhale’s Danielle Terranova. Guests will be treated to light bites by Executive Chef John Critchley of Area 31, fresh juice and raw treats by Blueprint Cleanse and have the opportunity to experience exhale's active and multidisciplinary approach, which combines fitness and movement with spa and healing therapies in a modern, tranquil, day spa setting. To score an invite or to RSVP, contact exhale at 305-423-3900. Haitian designer Phelicia Dell.
CELEBRITY SIGHTINGS: Celebrities and athletes showed up at Cameo Theatre on Saturday night to see Juelz Santana perform live. Ballers Chad Johnson and new Dancing with the Stars contestant Chad OchoCinco Johnson joined Bryant McKinnie, who bought 30 bottles of Moet Chandon champagne for his 30-person entourage, as fans including Bow Wow looked on. Forbes magazine owners Kip Forbes and Moira Forbes Mumma attended a fundraiser for The Community Coalition in West Palm Beach last weekend at the home of philanthropist Tom Quick. Apprentice winner Bill Rancic attended the Support Squad event at the National Hotel on Monday. On Monday night, Manu Ginobli of the San Antonio Spurs and Grammy Award-nominated pop singer Diego Torres were spotted dining at Café Prima Pasta with owner Gerry Cea. The trio discussed the upcoming launch of Diego Torres' album over bottles of Luigi Bosca Malbec.
Prive salon working with designer Silvia
www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • March 18, 2010 • Page 25
Style COLUMN
Whoop! Down the Rabbit Hole and to Rik Rak We Go By Jennifer Fragoso (fragosofashion@aim.com)
Anyone venturing into Rik Rak, the salon, boutique and bar in Brickell, last Tuesday night was immediately transported to Wonderland. Miami magazine and Rik Rak joined forces to provide Miami’s finest with a night of primping and OPI polish changes featuring the Alice in Wonderland collection. Guests enjoyed Mad Hatter cocktails and applied Off with Her Red!, Thanks So Muchness and Absolutely Alice with the help of Rik Rak’s talented technicians and stylists. Marianna Olszewski, author of Live It Love It Earn It, was also on hand to inspire guests with tips on how to turn your dream life into your real life. The event was fun, festive and a fitting gesture to the part Alice's Adventures in Wonderland has played in the life of Raquel Watters, the Rak in Rik Rak. “I’m a dreamer. I was born in Cuba and moved to New York when I was 5 years old,” Raquel explains. “I am a lot like the character Alice in that, as I child, I created imaginary friends and as an adult, when times are tough I dream beyond the bad and work towards the future.” Rik Rak is owned and operated by Ric and Raquel Watters and has been on Brickell since 1989. The combination of Rik’s reputation as one of Miami’s leading colorists and stylists, the salon’s innovative staff and Raquel’s passion for fashion and overall joie de vivre makes Rik Rak the must-visit salon in Miami. Visit any of their three Miami locations for your very own trip to Wonderland! For more information or to make an appointment at Rik Rak log onto www.rikraksalon.com
CLOCKWISE FROM THE TOP: 1. LILY WATTERS AS "ALICE" WEARING OPI'S ABSOLUTELY ALICE NAIL COLOR. 2. THE WATTERS FAMILY: LILLY, RAQUEL, CHLOE, ANDREW AND RIC. 3. RAQUEL'S NEW VENTURE--MILLINERY! 4. THE OPI ALICE IN WONDERLAND COLLECTION. 5. THE CAST OF CHARACTERS AT RIC RAK: THE RED QUEEN, THE WHITE QUEEN, ALICE AND THE MAD HATTER
Page 26 • Thursday, March 18, 2010 • The SunPost • www.miamisunpost.com
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www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • Thursday, March 18, 2010 • Page 27
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