The Story Matters
Mayhem p.4 Munch on delicious Spooky Sweet Treats for Halloween at the Fontainbleau Hotels’ Solo Patisserie. Yum!
Vol. XXV No. 40
October 21, 2010
Visit us at sunpostweekly.com
CITIZEN ( RAISING ) CAIN
Norman Braman is Mad as Hell and He Isn’t Going to Take it Anymore SEE PAGE 10 MAYHEM P.4
PROFILE P. 6
POLITICS P. 8
NEWS P. 8
CALENDAR P.14
FILM P. 18
ART P. 18
MUSIC P. 18
411 P.20
GO! P. 22
FASHION P.24
SEX P. 26
EXECUTIVE EDITOR Kim Stark kim@sunpostweekly.com SOCIETY EDITOR Jeannette Stark jeannette@sunpostweekly.com COPY EDITOR Mary Louise English
PRESIDENT & PUBLISHER Kim Stark kim@sunpostweekly.com ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Stuart Davidson stuart@sunpostweekly.com ACCOUNTING Sandie Friedman
CALENDAR EDITOR Jake Orsinni calendar@sunpostweekly.com
SALES DIRECTORS Jeannette Stark Manny Duran
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Jeffrey Bradley Charles Branham-Bailey Stuart Davidson Marguerite Gil Jennifer Fragoso John Hood Dr. Sonjia Kenya Joshua Malina Ruben Rosario Mary Jo Almeida-Shore Michael Sasser Kim Steiner
Gustavo Abdelnour FOUNDER Jeannette Stark PUBLISHER EMERITUS Felix Stark (1929-1995) WEB SITE sunpostweekly.com PRODUCTION Blue Studio
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Stuart Davidson Jennifer Fragoso Marguerite Gil Ines Hegedus-Garcia Jipsy Mary Jo Almeida-Shore Mitchell Zachs
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FOR ADVERTISING & RATE INFO: Please call 305.482.1785 or email kim@sunpostweekly.com SUBSCRIPTIONS First class mailing subscriptions are available at $150 per year. Call 305.538.9797. Copyright: The entire contents of SunPost are copyright 2010 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.
Page 2 • Thursday, October 21, 2010 • SunPost Weekly • www.sunpostweekly.com
www.sunpostweekly.com • SunPost Weekly • Thursday, October 21, 2010 • Page 3
Tropical Mayhem BITS AND PIECES OF MIAMI LIFE
Miami through my iphone
FOODIE FUNDRAISER by Ines Hegedus-Garcia - miamism.com - ines@miamism.com Talk about creative! At the culmination of the Miami International Wine Fair, Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill in Midtown Miami, hosted the first annual Ceviche Throwdown. Eleven Miami celebrity chefs had stations around the restaurant with their signature ceviches for everyone to taste, together with a wine pairing. Five judges were chosen to award a first prize (won by Chef Juan from Cvi.che105) and there was also a People’s Choice Award (won by Chef Andrea Curto-Randazzo). Proceeds went to Friends of the Fishermen, a non-profit associated with Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board). This panoramic was taken while people moved around the room with Chef Timon Balloo, from Sugarcane, right in the middle.
Spooky Sweets Want something a little different this halloween? Let the Fontainbleau’s Solo Patisserie satisfy your sweet tooth with their extraordinary spooky sweets and tricky treats. Choose from Witch’s Finger Almond Cookies, a Coffin Box with Chocolate Covered Strawberries, Chocolate Pumpkin Lollipops, Milk Chocolate Bats, Cob Web Cheesecake, Chocolate Graveyard Cake, Ghost Marshmallow Lollipops, Eyeball, Scared Cat, Tombstone, Bat, Ghost and Pumpkin Sugar Cookies, and Witch’s Hat, Spider and Ghost-Decorated Cupcakes. Fancy something even more gruesome? Solo also makes made-to-order cakes. To order these devilish delectables, visit Solo Patisserie, in the Chateau lobby or call (305) 6744740. While you are there, check out the Bleau Bar and try potions from the wicked witch’s cauldron including the Bleau Blood cocktail or experiment with the fiery Inferno shot, a cayenne pepper rimmed glass of tequila infused with jalapenos. Fontainbleau Hotel, 4441 Collins Avenue Miami Beach. Page 4 • Thursday, October 21, 2010 • SunPost Weekly • www.sunpostweekly.com
The Great Visit Florida Beach Walk Join beach-lovers across the state Sat. Nov. 6 for the Great visit Florida Beach Walk. The one-day, mile-by-mile beach walk will cover all of Florida’s 825 miles of beautiful beaches. Each mile will be photographed and uploaded to the internet and one lucky volunteer will win $5,000 and a Mazda Miata. How can you get involved? Sign up as a volunteer to walk the beach, Spread the word, If your location is beach-side, offer it as a hub for volunteers to gather before or after their walk – or even host a sand castle contest or beach party of your own on Beach Walk Day. For info: visitflorida.com/beachwalk to participate.
With
Halloween &
Art Basel right around the corner
schedule now to have
photographed by one of Miami’s leading event
your event/party
photographers MagicalPhotos.com Email Mitchell Zachs at mzachs@magicalphotos.com (786) 423-5433
www.sunpostweekly.com • SunPost Weekly • Thursday, October 21, 2010 • Page 5
PHOTO: MAGICALPHOTOS.COM / MITCHELL ZACHS
PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY YOU SHOULD KNOW
Stephanie Ansin Brilliant Theatre for Kids Compiled By Kim Steiner
Who are you? Founder and Artistic Director of The PlayGround Theatre What do you do in real life? Wake up before 6am to make breakfast for my daughter What excites you visually and creatively? THIS WEEK: The work of Ariane Mnouchkine, Pina Bausch, and Robert Wilson What do you like most about what you do? When I share an idea with a collaborator and they respond with a result that is even better than what I originally imagined How do you choose the plays that the PlayGround will produce? I look for stories that engage my imagination, introduce me to new worlds, and teach me about myself.
What are you doing to shake up the Miami Theater Scene? Giving artists the opportunity to fly through the air, walk on stilts, dance to original music, wear stunning costumes, tell powerful stories, and cultivate a new generation of passionate theatre audiences.
Something new, that you have just discovered about yourself? When riding in a black, convertible Porsche, the sound is even scarier than the fury.
What is it like to work with kids in theatre? I direct adult actors in shows performed for kids – the most honest and appreciative audiences.
What are your guilty pleasures? Baci ice cream from The Frieze
Who are your icons? Ariane Mnouchkine & George Balanchine How would you describe your personal style? Rockstar edgy functional minimalist chic What do you do now, that you did not do 5 years ago? Watch small children take ballet and tennis classes
Page 6 • Thursday, October 21, 2010 • SunPost Weekly • www.sunpostweekly.com
One luxury that you cannot live without? Prada shoes Three Words to describe you? Whimsical, witty, worried
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www.sunpostweekly.com • SunPost Weekly • Thursday, October 21, 2010 • Page 7
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Can He Say That? COLUMN
Matti & Jorge: Fix Our Streets By Charles Branham-Bailey sobefla@gmail.com
Madam Mayor & Mr. City Manager: South Beach is a continuously shifting work in progress, like our shores whose sands wash up from and then return to the waves. Blink, and the city’s landscape will have already changed. Yet when I want to look around for reminders of what our tropical borough looked like the year I arrived, 1994, all I need do is glance down at my feet – the streets of SoBe have hardly changed in 16 years or more. The same cracks and crevices. The same potholes. The same asphalt. The same state of disrepair and sparse refurbishment. The shame of the city. We are the Billion-Dollar Sandbar, but replete with wooden nickle streets reminiscent, in some cases, of Third-World abandonment. There are rural pockets of this country, I can attest – I’ve seen ‘em and traveled ‘em – that have better streets than we. That’s a crying shame. You know how we sometimes co-designate a section of street to honor a local notable like Barbara Capitman? Too many of our local thoroughfares, shamefully so, could be re-branded with monikers like “Pothole Avenue,” “Crack & Crevice Way,” and “Pockmark Street”. In 16 years of successive administrations – from Gelber to Kasdin to Dermer to now you, Mayor Bower – these streets of SoBe have, for the most part, remained untouched by new blacktop. I reiterate: This is a true shame of the city. City managers have come and gone, Manager Gonzalez, still no one has taken on our crumbling, antiquated infrastructure to the convincing and resolute degree that says to the citizenry and everyone else, enough is enough, we’re going to guarantee that this city has streets worthy of its residents, status, and place in the world. Granted, it’s unfair to hold you both responsible for the benign neglect of your predecessors and their administrations, but it is most certainly fair to implore that you shatter the status quo of do-nothingness and do something – now – on your watch, while the power to do anything is still vested in you. Our city’s high-rise and mid-rise redevelopment has been swiftly chiseled out in the last decade and so, but remarkably its streets have not kept pace. Residents go to and fro spanking new and renovated condos and apartment complexes, but must navigate
Page 8 • Thursday, October 21, 2010 • SunPost Weekly • www.sunpostweekly.com
roadways that add unnecessary wear-and-tear to their vehicles. Tourists from all points of origin arrive at our glistening new hotels, and step out to dine at our restaurants and enjoy our nightclubs, yet are greeted by streets and avenues that are embarrassingly substandard. Why should we be humiliated by substandard streets? Why should we have to live in homes and why should tourists visit attractions all of which are fronted by bad, broken roadways? There is no excuse. No justification. Nights ago, Mayor, at your latest “Mayor on the Move” Q-and-A session, this one with Normandy Shores residents, you answered one questioner’s concerns about the pace of storm drainage improvements with the assertion that neither the city’s wealthiest neighborhoods nor its better-connected citizens are receiving priority preference when it comes to infrastructure repairs. “Every time it [storms and floods], even I have to go out and move my cars” you volunteered. Well. One doesn’t know whether to feel better that our mayor, herself, feels some of our frustration or worse because not even she has been able to coax the ploddingly slow machinery of her own administration’s bureaucracy to act and repair the street where she lives. The 1500 block of Pennsylvania – only blocks from your home, Mayor (perhaps you drive down it on your way to and fro City Hall, although it’s advisable that, for the sake of your car, you don’t) – is a travesty more befitting a Third World country. On second thought, I wouldn’t wish it on a Third World country. It’s so bad, when I’m out on my bike or blades, I detour onto the sidewalk. Just one street away, the 1500 block of Meridian is not much better. Nor is the 800 block of Meridian. Ditto the 600 block of 8th Street. I could go on. And on. Manager Gonzalez, at the same Normandy Shores meet-and-greet, you chimed in with the mayor and referred complaining residents to the Capital Improvements Plan, proudly extolling all the street repair projects that have already been completed throughout the city. If they want to know the status of their area’s projects, you told the audience, all they need to do is locate them in the CIP. Well, I took you up on that and looked up what had been done so far, and what is slated to be done in
the future, in SoBe. From out of a 565-page monster of a manual I located few resurfacing projects for SoBe, most of which were either missing start and completion dates or had been inexplicably delayed. Mentioned is a citywide alleyway restoration program, designed to repave alleys that haven’t been paved in 30 years. “Pavement in the alleys are [sic] in terrible condition,” the report declares. Nice to know City Hall is so concerned about our alleys, but what of our streets? The average cycle of an asphalt road, according to the CIP, is 20 years. Must we wait that long for our streets to be resurfaced? It would appear that the city is stretching out having to repave them until at least that maximum length of time has passed – and then some. I have, in my travels, spotted the rare sight of new blacktop. But whaddaya call that effort on 6th Street? You call that a resurfacing? That has got to be the sloppiest slap-dash repaving I’ve seen anywhere. Have you seen it, Mayor and Manager? Public Works paved only the travel lanes, never bothering to repave to the curbside where cars park. They must never have bothered to traffic-cone the street off in advance of paving day. So to deal with cars that were already parked there, they must have decided, hell, why not just pave around them and not bother blacktopping the parking shoulders of the street at all? Nice. This, only blocks away from the new Publix and the 5th and Alton entrance to SoBe that your CIP vaunts as an entrance to “the tourist destination of world-wide renown.” And please, PLEASE instruct the street paving crews that fill in those damn gashes that run the width of the street – where the road has been dug up for whatever reason, I’m guessing utility repair work – to fill them in so that after they’ve set, they’re level with the rest of the pavement. These patch-ups are all over the city, practically on every block. They may be nothing on a car, but they are frickin’ly frustrating to ride over on a bike or skates. There’s no excuse for the streets and roadways of a “world-wide renown” town to be in such a state of deterioration, and even less excuse for the governmental neglect and lack of attention that has kept them in that state. Each of you has thus far produced little or nothing in the way of restoring the streets of SoBe. Use the time that you have left in office to prove to us that you sincerely give a hoot about the locomotive engine that pulls this city’s economic vitality behind it, South Beach. Care enough to leave an enduring legacy as a token of your years in public service. It’s very simple, Madam Mayor and Mr. City Manager: For the benefit of residents and visitors alike, invest in our infrastructure. Plan for our city’s longterm future. Fix our streets. COLUMNIST’S NOTE: Both Mayor Bower and City Manager Gonzalez were queried for this column; neither, however, had responded by press time. Any responses by them will of course be reported here in a future issue.
Politics
News
Don’t Need A Weatherman
Ability Explosion Continues on the Beach
COLUMN
...to Know Which Way the Rain Falls
Contributing Writer
By Jeffrey Bradley Have you ever really heard a parrot say, “Polly wants a cracker!”? Or an editor shout: “Hold the presses!”? Did you ever really hear a drunk in a bar yell out “Play Melancholy Baby!”? Or witness someone jump in a cab and holler, “Follow that car!”? Neither have we. Now, have you ever found yourself on Alton Road without a cloud in the sky but mystified by the water really swirling around your legs? Us, too. What seems like a magic act gone bad happened only recently. One minute you’re walking, then, zoopty-doopty, the next you’re wading. Like, where’d all the water come from? This may be rainy season, but doesn’t it usually fall down rather than well up? Here’s the thing—are you sitting down, Gertrude?—all that official hokum about “neap” tides and star alignments and sun/moon/earth slip-stream coefficients and inverse drag ratios is nonsense. Yet that’s what the City will tell you, or something like it. Is their information got from divining bones? Listen, you want a soothsayer then get thee to Delphi; you want a straight answer, avoid City Hall. Minus the rhetoric and stripped to essentials, two things become discernible: 1), the land is sinking—no, no; not the run-in-circles “Auntie Em, Auntie Em, the sky is falling, the sky is falling!” kind—but for oddly prosaic reasons; and 2) because the City has again tackled an issue on the cheap. Are things coming into focus yet? Can you guess where we’re going with this? We’ll give you the straight skinny and you decide. See, we sit on a man-made island of tangled mangroves, muck and marl (plus sand, clay, some funky stuff called hardpan, and ossified seashells of karst and limestone)—a heaped concretion just a little more durable than chalk. Drill down, and you won’t hit bedrock but a sort of gooey slurry. You can look it up. Anyway, everything on Miami Beach nestles down into this mess like cannonballs in pancake batter. Geologists say the earth is rebounding— still rising—thousands of years after the last Ice Age melted away. But while that frozen world lasted, sky-high piled snow depressed the land by hundreds of feet. Granted, we haven’t seen snowfall lately, but what’s happening is the same process in microcosm. Instead of the North American continent, tho’, think the Sunset Islands; instead of ice and snow crushing the land, think squat MacMansions pushing dross burdens of weighty marble into the ground; instead of glaciers ravaging the landscape, think scores of trailer-rigs rumbling their countless trips over those islands… for how many years? The net result is the soggy, boggy land with all that weight slowly but surely subsiding into
By Michael Sasser
porous rock the consistency of molasses. Proof of this near-imperceptible sinking is found in the depth and menace of the ponding that occurs after rainfall, and by the ever more-powerful suction pumps needed to squeegee water from lowlying areas—which grow exasperatingly larger with each passing downpour. So bad are things that residents become trapped within or without their homes after even a moderate rain. This supposition is easily proved or refuted. Let the City set up a triangulated GPS system (calibrated devices for surveying the rise or fall of topographical gradients within tolerances of hundreds of an inch) and—presto-chango!— we’d know instanter if it was time to man the lifeboats. Ask administration bigwigs about that when they’re off on their Mayor On The Moon, er, Move forays and what you’ll get is a lot of armwaving, harrumphing, promises to “look into” whatever—anything but an answer. Look at it from their point of view, tho’: if they know the land is sinking then they’re obliged to do something. Or admit they can’t. And maybe—no, most probably—there is no answer, no solution, nothing at all to be done. Perhaps, simply, God has grown tired of Miami Beach. We’d like to think we’re wrong, tho’ empirical data says that we’re not. Flooding of Alton Road never need happen. In a rare, fiscally-responsible spasm (and so they could trumpet the “savings”), the City installed huge new drainage outlets for funneling rainwater into the Bay—but declined to spend money for the most important feature—the check-valve that prevents rising water from the Bay pushing back up the pipe and pouring onto the streets! The City may try to explain things away by blaming the “confluence” of tides or the vernal equinox or because the moon is made of cheese. It’s all flapdoodle; until those outlets are retrofitted with check-valves—a pricey project—and the seawall fronting Biscayne Bay heightened, we’ll continue experiencing these mini-Katrinas. On the bright side, City Hall will get to indulge its favorite game. You know, where a contract is let for x millions of dollars, and when the work proves shoddy or over-budget—or reveals some costly addendum that was needed but overlooked—the City gets to spend an extra 600,000K to make it right… then pat themselves on the back for astuteness. What the City calls insightful taxpayers call “wasting money”. Such a hash. <Sigh> We’ve never lived in a place before where it floods then rains. Now, throw in the ingredients of global warming, inexorably rising tides, and a commission in flat-out denial and—voila!—a recipe for disaster. Just add water.
Ability Explosion continues for the next several days in Miami Beach, presenting residents and visitors the opportunity to enjoy several distinctive events. Ability Explosion is a weeklong (Oct. 19- Oct. 24) series of special events held in historic Miami Beach and created for the enjoyment of the entire community. From “Lights Out Miami Beach” (A Dining in the dark experience) to the Crunch 5k Run, the mission of Ability Explosion is to celebrate the abilities of people living with Disabilities, to encourage their acceptance by the entire community and to promote innovations that will improve their lives. Events remaining for 2010 Ability Explosion include: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 21ST, 8PM Comedy Festival, The Colony Theater, South Beach The Comedy Festival will feature hilarious stand-up acts performed by disabled comics from around the country. Come enjoy some of the amus-
munity. The Business Luncheon is a great opportunity to network and to discuss ways to better involve people living with disabilities in the dynamic Miami Beach business community. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22ND Taping of “Cooking Without Looking,” The Betsy Hotel “Cooking without Looking” is the first TV show ever produced especially for blind/visually impaired people. Guest “chefs” who are blind or visually challenged crate their culinary specialties, giving tips on how to cool/bake, stay safe and have fun in the kitchen with visual impairment. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23RD, 7:30AM Crunch 5K Run, Meets at the corner of 8th Street & Ocean Drive Everyone is invited to compete in the Crunch 5k Run taking place in beautiful South Beach and managed by Split Second Timing. Come enjoy the sun and the sites while helping people living with disabilities. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 23RD, 7PM 10PM Cocktail Party & Fashion Show, The Miami Beach Golf & Country Club Come join in and celebrate the close of Ability Explosion at the gala cocktail reception and fashion show happening at the beautiful and centrally located Miami Beach Golf Club on the Alton Road. The Cocktail Party and Fashion Show is the climax of Ability Explosion week.
ing perspectives that people living with disabilities are able to share based on how they interpret the world around them. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 22ND, 12PM Biz-Ability Luncheon, The Betsy Hotel, South Beach The Business Luncheon, hosted by the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, is an opportunity for disabled business owners and investors to connect with the general Miami Beach business com-
SUNDAY, OCTOBER 24TH, 1PM - 4PM Aquability Explosion, Shake-A-Leg Miami, 2620 S Bayshore Dr., Coconut Grove Set sail on a wet and wild adventure at the Coconut Grove water sports center of Shake-A-Leg Miami. Celebrate freedom in the sparkling waters of Biscayne Bay with youth and adults with special needs. Enjoy fun boating activities for everyone! For more information about and opportunities to register for events, please visit abilityexplosion.org.
www.sunpostweekly.com • SunPost Weekly • Thursday, October 21, 2010 • Page 9
NORMAN BRAMAN TAKES ON MIAMI-DADE COUNTY MAYOR, CARLOS ALVEREZ ROCK ‘EM SOCK ‘EM STYLE
COVER STORY
CITIZEN ( RAISING ) CAIN Norman Braman is Mad as Hell and He Isn’t Going to Take it Anymore Written by Michael Sasser CONTRIBUTING WRITER
N
orman Braman is mad as hell was during the push for public funding of the and he isn’t going to take it new downtown baseball stadium. Braman anymore.
It isn’t the first time that
was both praised by many members of the
South
public, and excoriated
Florida’s highest profile and
by many beltway politi-
most philanthropic private
cians and players (and,
businessmen, has been angry
to be fair, a decent share
with the Miami-Dade County
of suburban baseball en-
powers-that-be.
thusiasts) for leading a
Braman,
one
of
The last time the local establishment really, really got under his skin project as planned.
campaign to stop the
he stadium campaign didn’t succeed, but in leading the charge, Braman ingratiated himself with many South Florida good government activists and fiscal hawks. This time, Braman is back and his target is Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez. In the aftermath of tax hikes on residents simultaneous with shiny new pay increases for county staff, Braman launched a petition drive to force a recall election of Alvarez.
T
MAYOR CARLOS ALVAREZ
in 2006. ``The lawful and honest execution of the petition process is crucial to preserving the integrity of the democratic process in Miami-Dade County,’’ Alvarez wrote at the time. These days, Alvarez’s opinion is not so much. Regardless of where one stands on the recall issue, it is always a curiosity when one of a community’s leading and most influential figures breaks ranks from that community’s political and business establishments. Braman is most certainly, one of South Florida’s most accomplished businessmen. Norman Braman is a Philadelphia native who, after graduating from Temple University in 1955 with a Bachelor’s degree in marketing, embarked on a business career that has spanned almost 50 years. He moved to Miami in 1969 with his wife, Irma, and two daughters, Debi and Suzi. Starting with his first Cadillac dealership in Tampa in 1972, today he owns dealerships in Miami, West Palm Beach and Denver, selling everything from Rolls-Royces to Hondas. He is the former owner of the Philadelphia Eagles, an avid art collector and fervent supporter of the State of Israel as well as local and national Jewish causes. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Norman Braman is very active in the South Florida community. He is one of the original Founders and for 20 years served as President of the Board of Trustees of the Miami Beach Holocaust Memorial. President Ronald Reagan appointed him as a member of the United States Holocaust Memorial Council and nominated him to head the Immigration and Naturalization Service. He is Chair of Holocaust Studies at
“My Hope is that this will be the spark that leads to reform.” - Norman Braman As usual when the beltway structure is threatened, much of the regional power establishment has closed ranks in defense of the free-spending mayor. The same figures who had no problem with the county pay hikes and, in many cases, even the fortune being dumped into the downtown stadium, complain that a recall election is uncalled for and, ironically, that the price tag for the vote would be too high. Others, including Alvarez himself, have asserted that Braman’s effort is just bitter carry-over from the losing effort to stop the stadium deal. In a political fight laden with irony, there is plenty of hypocrisy to go around. Alvarez complains about the cost of a potential recall effort, even though a petition drive and vote was exactly how he consolidated massive power for his own position
Page 12 • Thursday, October 21, 2010 • SunPost Weekly • www.sunpostweekly.com
the University of Florida, has served three times as Campaign Chair of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and once as its president. Additionally, he serves as Vice Chairman of the University of Miami Board of Trustees. Braman is on the executive committee of Mt. Sinai Medical Center as well as on the board of directors of various organizations. He has also served as Chairman of the Host Committee of Art Basel Miami Beach since its inaugural opening in 2002. The Braman family has supported a wide spectrum of philanthropic activity. In 2002 they announced a $5,000,000 gift to the University of Miami to establish the Braman Family Breast Cancer Institute and joined the Million Dollar Roundtable of the United Way in 1998. SunPost had a chat with Norman Braman about what prompted him to lead the recall effort, the process, his personal involvement and what he hopes to accomplish. MS: What is the state of the recall effort now? Where does it stand? NB: We’ve collected many thousands of signatures and we are processing them and continuing to collect more. We have our own verification procedure. We have a long way yet to go. We only need just over 52,000 legally but we’re going to turn in 70,000 or 75,000. We know that the mayor and his people are going to do everything they can to prevent people from having the right to vote. In fact, he already announced that he is going to try to stop that from happening. MS: What are the next steps in the process and the timeline? NB: The next step is to get the signatures into the clerk’s office as soon as possible when we have enough. We have 650 days from the time the petition is validated and it was validated [about two weeks ago]. It took a while to get the printing done and everything. After that, the clerk’s office has 30 days to validate the signatures; then it goes to the county commission and the commission then has to call for the special election. MS: What do you think the odds are that
you will get enough support for there to be a special election? NB: We’ll get the signatures. I’m extremely confident that we’ll get the signatures. This whole thing is to empower people in the community to have a chance to say yes or no. Everyone complains, so this is their chance to have their say. This is what democracy is. MS: How personally involved in this process are you, given that just voicing support for the initiative would have helped? NB: I am very personally involved in the process and I have to be in order for it to happen. It really is an enormous endeavor. Right now, it is taking 150 percent of my time. MS: What have been the reactions you have received from different groups – average citizens, friends and the political/statesman class? NB: Last Saturday night at a restaurant I bumped into a guy who is a ‘leading figure’ in the community and he said to me that I was doing a great job. So I asked him why doesn’t he join in the effort. He said, “Because I’m chicken.” That has actually been the reaction from a lot of quote-unquote “Chamber of Commerce” people. Honestly, that hasn’t surprised me. There have been a whole, whole lot of people who have come out in support, but those are average citizens. People think that it’s outrageous to have $132 million in pay increases and $174 million in new taxes. These are the kind of things that really have people upset and that’s what is bringing them out to support the recall effort. MS: Has anything surprised you in terms of reaction from people? NB: I have been overwhelmed and very moved by the support of people. I was at one of our offices the other day and I met this elderly widow. She broke down in tears because she was losing her house. I have heard from so many people, particularly older people – many of who are living on fixed incomes. The government just announced that again this year there would be no Cost of Living increase in Social Security benefits. The people who depend on that are just being battered.
MS: The big question is – why are you leading this recall initiative? NB: Well, the straw that broke the camel’s back was the [Miami-Dade County] budget. The budget is outrageous. It is wrong in so many ways, but in particular, it is morally wrong. There were so many other things too. The disaster with Jackson Hospital, the public-funded baseball stadium, cost overruns, the incredible debt that the community is assuming, the outrageous salaries of county staff and in particular the county manager’s office… The mayor has two SUVs but asked for $800 a month to lease a BMW to ride around in. Enough is enough. MS: At what point do you feel that a recall is warranted as opposed to waiting for the normal election cycle to just change administrations? NB: My hope is that this will be the spark that leads to reform. There has to be reform. The County Charter must be changed. There need to be term limits. Reason two is that this community can’t afford two more years of this mayor. One of the complaints out there is that a special election will cost four or five million dollars. But that is a relatively miniscule amount of money compared to the budget and the waste. MS: Who has come forward in terms of high profile people to support the effort? NB: There are definitely recognizable people who have come forward to be supportive. I don’t really want to get into that though. The information is out there. MS: One of the criticisms that has been leveled at you is that, if you want to be the one to make tough decisions on budget issues, why don’t you run for office yourself. How do you react to that? NB: I don’t want to be the one. My desire is to empower the people of our community to get involved and to be able to have a say. That’s it. I don’t want to be king-maker. And I absolutely have no interest in running for office.
NORMAN BRAMAN
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Calendar WHAT TO DO IN MIAMI THIS WEEK
DAVE NAVARRO
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October 21 FASHION
Funkshion Celebrating its 15th Season, Funkshion: Fashion Week Miami Beach showcases the work of designers Luca Luca, Perry Ellis, Richie Rich and others. Tonight catch the Emerging Designers Competition and Alfonso Couture at the Bass Museum, 2121 Park Ave; Miami Beach. Free. Check their site for the rest of the line-up, but don't miss NYC club kid Richie Rich's show at the Setai, 2001 Collins Ave; Miami Beach. For info: funkshion.com
October 21
FILM Film Fest
The third edition of this travelling Festival brings the latest works of Spanish filmmakers to Miami. Stunning debuts, Me Too, Three Days with the Family, coincide with major works of renowned authors, The Island Inside, After, in a program which celebrates the diversity and vitality of contemporary Spanish Cinema. Opening film is Yo, También (Me Too) 8:30pm at the Tower Theater, 1508 SW 8th St; Miami. Catch a Screening of Estigmas (Stigmata) and post-film Q&A with filmmaker Adán Aliaga. Co-hosted by Miami Beach Cinematheque. 8:30pm. Raleigh Hotel, 1775 Collins Ave., Miami Beach. Opening night party at Soleà, 2201 Collins Ave., Miami Beach. Through October 28. Tickets are $5 to $15, series pass is $45. For info: pragda.com
October 21
FILM Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Head to Vizcaya’s Courtyard to view Halloween classic, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in a hauntingly beautiful setting. The screening series Viewing Vizcaya, will explore both modern day films that have a fun connection to Vizcaya as well as historical silent films. Casual Q&A sessions will follow certain screenings as well as live organ music to accompany the silent films. Themed cocktail and traditional movie fare available. $15. 7pm. Vizcaya, 3251 South Miami Ave. Miami. For info: vizcayamuseum.org
SAVE THE DATE: FRIDAY, OCTOBER 29, 2010
JUST THE FUNNY KICK OFF YOUR WEEKEND WITH LADIES AND LAUGHS. COME SEE THE WOMEN OF JUST THE FUNNY, ALONG WITH SPECIAL GUESTS FROM THE SOUTH FLORIDA IMPROV COMMUNITY, PERFORM AN ALL-FEMALE COMEDY IMPROV SHOW, LADIES NIGHT: COMEDY FOR A CURE. FEATURING IMPROVISED SKETCHES, PARODIES, MUSIC AND SCENES, INCLUDING EVERYTHING FROM “WHOSE LINE IS IT ANYWAY-LIKE” TO “CHICAGO-STYLE” IMPROV, IT’S ALL BASED ON AUDIENCE SUGGESTIONS. PROCEEDS WILL GO TO A BREAST CANCER HEALTH ORGANIZATION.$10. 9PM. JUST THE FUNNY COMEDY THEATER, 3119 SW 22ND ST. MIAMI. FOR INFO: WWW.JUSTTHEFUNNY.COM.
October 22
THEATER Dreamgirls
Direct from Harlem’s world famous Apollo Theater in New York City, comes the Tony and Academy Award-winning musical, Dreamgirls. Full of onstage joy and backstage drama, Dreamgirls tells the story of an up-and-coming 1960s singing girl group, and the triumphs and tribulations that come with fame and fortune, resounding with unforgettable hits including: And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going, One Night Only, and Listen. 8pm. $25 - $76. Ziff Ballet Opera House, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. For info: miamicityballet.org.
October 22
BOOKS Mark Oldman PBS wine guru Mark Oldman quenches the universal thirst for the affordable gems coveted by insiders in Brave New World of Wine. In his signature style that Bon Appétit calls "wine speak without the geek," Oldman uses insightful prose, hilarious anecdotes, and ingenious graphics to reveal the secret wines that everyone wishes they were drinking. Entertaining like no other, this is a guide for everyone who wants to drink like an insider without breaking the bank. He will be at Books & Books to discuss and sign his new book. free. 8pm. Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave. Coral Gables. For info: booksandbooks.com
October 22
COMEDY Sugar Sammy The Hollywood Reporter just named him one of the top 10 rising comedy talents from around the world, and Askmen.com dubbed him “Comedy’s New Rock Star”. Both are apt titles, considering that Sugar Sammy is touring the globe like a rock star, setting attendance records around the world for sold-out shows in four languages – English, French, Punjabi and Hindi. International critics, from Canada to Dubai, are unanimous in their praise of his uproariously funny material, his laconic delivery and his universal insight on multicultural society. He will be performing stand up at the Improv this weekend. 10:45pm. $17. Miami Improv: 3390 Mary St, #182; Coconut Grove. For info: improv.com
October 22 HALLOWEEN Linda Blair
Hang out with Actress Linda Blair of The Exorcist during Horror Movie Weekend. 7pm. Free. 21+. Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, Nectar Lounge, 5550 NW 40th Street, Coconut Creek. For info: seminolecoconutcreekcasino.com
October 23
MUSIC Nestor Torres Flautist Nestor Torres with painist Paul Posnak and the Danzon/Charanga Ensemble when they perform Lecuona, Classics and Danzones, as part of the Temple Beth Shmuel Concert Series. $10-$30. 8pm. Temple Beth Shmuel, 1700 Michigan Ave., Miami Beach. For info: cubanhebrew.com.
October 23
BENEFIT Monster Splash The Tree Top Collective—a group of local, Miami artists are hosting Monster Splash, a pre-Halloween costume party to raise fundage for Collective artist AEON who suffers from multiple sclerosis. Come in costume to this fun party or transform yourself there by onsite makeup artists. The bash will also feature artwork, cocktails, music and a live art installation from piercing artist Jane-Marie Ravelo who will use bodies as canvases for her art. 9pm. $12. Studio AD013, 329 Northeast 59th Terrace, Miami. For info: ad013studio.com
October 23
FILM Michael Moore Spend the evening with uber documentarian Michael Moore when he hits town to be a part of the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. The event, titled Michael Moore Speaks; An Evening with America's Conscience, includes a montage of his work followed by a Q&A. Clips from select Moore films will screen followed by a commentary. $15. $30 VIP seats. Cinema Paradisio, 503 S.E. 6th Street; Fort Lauderdale. For info: 954-525-3456 or fliff.com
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Calendar WHAT TO DO IN MIAMI THIS WEEK
MICHAEL MOORE
October 23
October 25
Costumed adult monsters will be gyrating at the biggest Halloween party in South Florida, The Monster Masquerade at Zoo Miami. Come where the wild things are and party in the dark with savory treats, open bars, music, dancing, a Costume Contest and entry into Dr. Wilde’s Creepy House. When night falls and the wild calls, The Monster Masquerade is the place to be. Proceeds support the Zoological Society of Florida. Ages 21+ 8pm. $65. Zoo Miami, 12400 SW 152 St; Miami. For info: 305-251-0400 or zoomiami.org.
The North Dade Orchid Club presents Kathy Whelan from St. Germain Orchids lecturing about Caring for your Cattleya Orchids. Following the lecture, Blue Ribbon Judging and an orchid raffle will be held. 7pm. Free. McDonald Center, 17051 NE 19th Ave in North Miami Beach. For info: www.northdadeorchidclub.webs.com or 305788-0484
October 23
MUSIC Nicole Kidd
HALLOWEEN Monster Masquerade
FESTIVAL Edible Garden Fest Learn how to grow, prepare and enjoy vegetables, fruits and herbs grown in your own garden - what could be more green? The Edible Garden Festival will feature gardening lectures, workshops, plant sales and cooking demonstrations. Enter your own original scarecrow in the Scarecrow Contest and help raise funds for The Fairchild Challenge Satellite Programs. 9:30pm. $20 Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Rd; Miami. For info: fairchildgarden.org.
October 23
FILM Giving A Voice Catch a special showing of Giving Youth a Voice featuring Carlos Montaner's The Grand Children of the Revolution this Saturday at the Colony Theater. This film seeks to spread awareness of the struggles of young Cubans in Cuba, giving them an opportunity to share their hopes, frustrations, and concerns - and includes exclusive interviews with leading young Cuban activists like acclaimed blogger Yoani Sanchez. Proceeds from the film go to Cell Phones for Cuba which aims to boost the connectivity of young people on the island. For info: 305.735.1868 or raicesdeesperanza.org
October 23
MUSIC Arturo Sandoval The world premiere of Carlos Rafael Rivera’s Concierto de Miami for Trumpet and Orchestra will showcase legend Arturo Sandoval when he plays this Sunday to open Miami Symphony Orchestra’s Festival Miami. The symphony will also perform Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A Major and Ravel’s Boléro. 8pm. $20 to $150. Knight Concert Hall, 1300 Biscayne Blvd; Miami. For info: 305275-5666 or themiso.org
October 24
MUSIC Dolphin Pre-Game Concert Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver drummer, Matt Sorum, will perform with Jane’s Addiction's, Dave Navarro at the Land Shark Tailgate Stage at Sun Life Stadium this Sunday prior to the Dolphins-Steelers game. Both rockers will perform with rock 'n' roll burlesque quartet, The Darling Stilettos. Noon. For info: MiamiDolphins.com ABOVE: NESTOR TORRES. MIDDLE: GIVING YOUTH A VOICE. BELOW: AUTHOR, MARK OLDMAN
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LECTURE Caring For Orchids
October 26 Catch the fabulous Nicole Kidd when she performs at Jazz at Jazid, with The Paul Shewchuk Quartet. 11pm. Jazid, 1342 Washington Ave, South Beach. For info: 305673-9372 or jazid.net.
October 27
KIDS Counting Down to Halloween Dress your kid in his favorite costume and head to the PGL Enrichment Center for an hour of fun and theatre with “Count von Count” from Sesame Street. This spooky, educational show is a combination of games, interactive play and Counting. Explore numbers and more spooktacular, safe, pre halloween fun for your little ones. 4:30pm - 5:30pm. $10. PGL Enrichment Center, 7118 Byron Ave., Miami Beach. For info: www.playingthegameoflife.org
FOR KIDS Sunday, October 24 A Spooky Symphony A SPOOKY SYMPHONY FROM THE GREATER MIAMI YOUTH SYMPHONY AND THE ALHAMBRA ORCHESTRA, IS A FREE HALLOWEEN FAMILY CONCERT FEATURING EXCERPTS FROM SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE, THE THREE-CORNERED HAT AND OTHER CLASSICAL PIECES, PLUS MUSIC FROM LORD OF THE RINGS AND PHANTOM OF THE OPERA. ADDITIONAL CONCERT HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE A MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATION; COSTUMED USHERS FROM THE ROXY THEATRE GROUP; TWO TEENAGE SOLOISTS WHO ARE SEMI-FINALISTS IN THE ACTOR’S PLAYHOUSE YOUNG TALENT BIG DREAMS TALENT COMPETITION AND A COSTUME CONTEST. INTRODUCE YOUR CHILDREN TO THE MAGIC OF A LIVE ORCHESTRA! 4PM. FREE. THE GUSMAN, 174 EAST FLAGLER STREET, MIAMI. FOR INFO: WWW.GMYS.ORG
Art
WHAT’S SHOWING IN MIAMI THIS WEEK OCTOBER 21
Pre-City Gallery Diet is showing Pre-City, a solo exhibition of collaborative works by Gean Moreno and Ernesto Oroza. The pre-city is a series of codes that have yet to be arranged and coupled into larger assemblages. The exhibition will include “diagrammatic lamps”; “photographs” made out of materials printed in newspapers, magazine and catalogues; a new tabloid; domestic tableaux; and collages. Gallery Diet, 174 Northwest 23rd Street, Miami. For info: gallerydiet.com or 305.571.228
OCTOBER 21 The Rhetorics of Patriotism Country or Freedom!: The Rhetorics of Patriotism is showing as part of Miami Dade College’s Art Gallery System. The powerful, thought-provoking exhibition explores totalitarian governments, patriotism, freedom, nationalism, and identity through various forms of mixed media. Past is History – Future is Mystery and Patria o Libertad! Freedom Tower, 600 Biscayne Blvd. Miami. For info: mdc.edu.
OCTOBER 22 A Sense of Place A Sense of Place, is a group exhibition curated by Guerra de la Paz and featuring works by: Francis Acea, John Bailly, Ananda Balingit-LeFils, Cassie Marie Edwards, Mark Messersmith, Jonathan Rockford, Douglas Voisin, David Willett, Jessica Wohl, John Zoller. Opening reception 7-11pm. Through Nov 14th. Carol Jazzar, 158 NW 91 St., Miami. For info: 305 490 6906 or cjazzart.com.
OCTOBER 22 Three solo shows Rene Barge: The Making of a Porous Body, Brian O'Connell: The Illusion of Plans and Robert Thiele: 8-Four-9 is exhibiting at the Dorsch Gallery, 151 NW 24 St; Miami. For info: 305-576-1278 or dorschgallery.com
OCTOBER 22 Ways of Worldmaking Ways of Worldmaking: Notes on a Passion for Collecting is an exhibition highlighting more than 85 original works by more than 70 contemporary Cuban and Cuban-American artists. The artists featured represent a who’s who of Cuban and Cuban-American artists many of whom are living and working in South Florida. The work of artists from the early exile group (several now deceased) who in some cases have been erased from the history of art in Cuba, such as Eduardo Michaelsen, Agustín Fernandez, Rafael Soriano, Guido Llinás, and Jorge Camacho, is also highlighted. Freedom Tower, 600 Biscayne Blvd. Miami. For info: galleries@mdc.edu.
OCTOBER 23 Artists in Residence The ArtCenter/South Florida hosts an opening reception from 7 to 10pm celebrating this year’s newest editions. This yearly event showcases the works of the ArtCenter’s Artist in Residence Program students who have completed their first year. This year’s show will feature artists Anthony Ardavin, Andre Allen, Alfonso Corona, Beatricia Sagar, Jaime Gil Laffan, Wendy Coad, Matu Croney, Shady Eshghi, and others who joined the full term residency program in 2009. ArtCenter/South Florida, 800 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach. For info: artcentersf.org
OCTOBER 23 Art Never Ends Miami based artist, Skip Van Cel presents Art Never Ends at the Little Haiti Cultural Center Gallery, through November 5th. In this photographic exhibition, Van Cel documents the cat and mouse game between taggers, graffiti artists and the authorities; by turning the lens toward the myriad of buildings and walls on the streets of Little Haiti and Wynwood, that have become a default space for Miami’s “unofficial” creative community. Little Haiti Cultural Center, 212-260 NE 59th Terrace Miami. For info: 305.960.2969.
ANÍN: RECENT WORKS AT THE O. ASCANIO GALLERY IN WYNWOOD.
OCTOBER 23
OCTOBER 26
Living to Die, Dying to Live Local artist Rick Falcon opens his second solo exhibition at the Butter Gallery in Wynwood. 2303 NW 2nd Ave; Miami. 6pm. Through November 6. For info: 305-303-6254 or buttergallery.com
La Habana Moderna The Wolfsonian–Florida International University continues its series of exhibitions with La Habana Moderna, in the Wolfsonian Teaching Gallery at The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum. This small exhibition, on view through April 24, 2011, examines how international cultural and commercial links contributed to the emergence of a modern identity for Havana in the decades before the Cuban Revolution. Frost Art Museum, 10975 SW 17th St; Coral Gables.
OCTOBER 23 Cristina Mendieta Glottman features experimental, artistic and limited edition furniture, objects and performance in company of 19-year-old Cristina Mendieta. Glottman, 3930 NE. 2nd Ave. Suite 204, Design District. For info: glottman.com.
OCTOBER 23 Storytelling Artformz is showing the work of artists Natasha Duwin, Donna Haynes, and Mary Larsen. Storytelling has always played a role in art, whether through words or images. The three artists collaborating for the Artformz October exhibition encourage the public to join them in a visual experience of stories and journeys. 171 NW 23rd Street, Miami. artformz.net.
OCTOBER 27 Embracing Modernity Embracing Modernity: Venezuelan Geometric Abstraction; Sequentia by Xavier Cortada; Florida Artists Series: Selections from Anomie 1492-2006 by Arnold Mesches and La Habana Moderna in the Wolfsonian-FIU Teaching Gallery as part of The Frost Art Museum’s Target Wednesday After Hours programming series. Free and open to the public. Frost Art Museum, 10975 SW 17th St; Coral Gables.
OCTOBER 27
The Road to Calle The Road to Calle: Republic of China, a solo exhibition of works by Claudia Calle. The artist will feature a series of socio-cultural images, which represent China’s controversial mass production issues, globalization, copyrights and propaganda. Luis Perez Galeria/Awarehouse, 550 NW 29th Street. For info: claudiacalle.com.
Unveiling Guest curators Laura and Henry Aguilera kick-off the Deering Estate's Fall Fine Art Exhibit with Unveiling. A juried group show, Unveiling highlights historical and contemporary techniques in painting, sculpture and mixed media. Nine artists, Roberto Weiss, Ada Balcacer, Carlos Regalado, Lidia Godoi, Rey Carulla, Rosana Tossi, Mari Sanchez, Mildrey Guillot, and Armando Martinez, primarily from Latin American backgrounds or influenced by Latin American art, will be featured as part of this group show. 7pm. Free. 16701 SW 72 Ave., Miami. For info: deeringestate.org.
OCTOBER 24
OCTOBER 27
Abstract Miami The Miami School of Abstract artists marks a new direction in painting led by Guggenheim Fellow and Miami Master Darby Bannard. Artists exhibiting Include: Darby Bannard, George Bethea, Andy Gambrell, David Marsh, Sean Smith, Kathleen Staples and Kerry Ware. CVC is located next to the Margulies Collection in Wynwood. 541 NW 27th St., Miami. For info: visual.org
Illustrated
OCTOBER 24
OCTOBER 24
BakeHouse is showing, Illustrated, a journey from process to result, as it follows the work of BAC illustrators Jean-Paul Mallozzi, Luis Diaz, Mike Rivamonte, Dan Fila and Hugo Patao. Curated by Lauren Wagner. BAC, 561 NW 32nd Street Miami. For info: 305.576.2828 or bacfl.org.
OCTOBER 28 Nanin, Recent Works
Constructions Edge Zones Art Center is showing Constructions, the second solo exhibition of Angel Vapor. Vapor crafts his pieces out of bronze, clay, and oil paint, but in these constructions there is always a tension. 47 NE 25th St. Miami. For info: edgezones.org
OCTOBER 26 Silvia Rivas: Landscape to Be Defined Diana Lowenstein Fine Arts is showing its newest exhibition, Silvia Rivas: Landscape to Be Defined. Diana Lowenstein Fine Arts, 2043 N Miami Avenue, Miami. For info: dlfinearts.com
OCTOBER 26 Time Bomb David Castillo Gallery is presents Time Bomb, Pepe Mar's third solo exhibition with the gallery. Time Bomb debuts three new bodies of work which continue Mar's playful investigation of the history of assemblage, painting and popular culture. David Castillo Gallery, 2234 NW 2nd Ave., Miami. For info: davidcastillogallery.com
O. Ascanio Gallery presents the work of Nanín in a solo-exhibition featuring a selection of works that transcend the space that contains it. Each piece in the series is made up of abstract, minimalist geometric figures that complement each other to form an alphabet evocative of an extraterrestrial script. Through Nov. 13. Percentage of the proceeds from sales of the Nanín exhibit will benefit ECOMB. O. Ascanio Gallery, 2600 NW 2nd Ave, Wynwood. For info: 305.571.9036 or oascaniogallery.com
OCTOBER 28 Chihuly Works on Paper The AJ Japour Gallery will show the works of master glass artisan, Dale Chihuly in Chihuly Works on Paper. When an accident left Chihuly practically blind, he began to convey his glass blowing ideas to his team through his works on paper. All are actually paintings and are original and done in his own hand. Through November 30. Private viewing by appointment only. Email the gallery at: info@ajjapourgallery.com.
www.sunpostweekly.com • SunPost Weekly • Thursday, October 21, 2010 • Page 17
Cinema REVIEW
Out-of-Body Experiences By Ruben Rosario (ruben@sunpostweekly.com)
Somewhere in that most bohemian part of heaven, Allen Ginsberg is having a good-natured chuckle. To play the freest and most outspoken of the Beat Generation writers, filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman (The Celluloid Closet) have cast James Franco. Yes, Mr. Ginsberg, they got a hottie to star in a movie about your life. And he’s damn good in the part. But Howl, one of three new releases I’m reviewing this week, is the furthest thing from a typical biopic than you can imagine. How could it not be? The directors, documentarians making their fiction debut, faced the daunting challenge of adapting a poem written in stream-of-consciousness free verse. What they’ve come up with is an ambitious, stylistically dazzling hybrid that mixes black and white and color photography, archival footage, and animated segments to create a portrait of an artist far ahead of his time. Following the hip, jazzy opening title sequence, Epstein and Friedman juxtapose Ginsberg’s reading of his sexually explicit 1955 poem at San Francisco’s Six Gallery with the 1957 obscenity trial that pitted the book’s publisher, Lawrence Ferlinghetti of City Books Press, against the nation’s outraged moral majority, embodied here by prosecutor Ralph McIntosh (David Strathairn, channeling Kenneth Starr). Despite the explosive subject matter, though, the staid court sequences rarely catch fire and, more often than not, fall flat dramatically despite solid work from Strathairn and a very suave Jon
Hamm as lead defense attorney Jake Ehrlich. Part of me wished the filmmakers had approached these scenes with the surreal boldness with which Tom Kalin tackled the Leopold and Loeb murder trial in his postmodern 1992 gem Swoon. The animated sequences that accompany Franco’s voice-over readings of Howl are also a mixed bag. As accomplished as they are, I found their Fantasia-for-beatniks aesthetic to be at odds with the more naturalistic quality of the film’s other scenes. The animators’ rendering of Ginsberg’s highly sexualized passages also struck me as oddly hetero-centric. Would it have killed them to make the suggestive images just a little more homoerotic? Howl is at its best when it explores the unrequited longing that triggered Ginsberg’s creative impulse. “There’s no Beat Generation,” Ginsberg tells a reporter who is interviewing him about the trial. “It’s just a bunch of guys trying to get published.” This motley crew also included On the Road author Jack Kerouac, whom Ginsberg tried unsuccessfully to woo, and Neal Cassady, who proved more receptive to his advances. Epstein and Friedman’s ace in the hole is Franco, who replicates Ginsberg’s mannerisms to such a degree that the fact he looks almost nothing like the writer becomes irrelevant. It’s a fully fleshed performance, one in which the Spider-Man actor uses his baleful eyes to reveal a purity of spirit beneath Ginsberg’s lewd verses. And that’s what ultimately gives the movie version of Howl its reso-
JACKASS 3D
Page 18 • Thursday, October 21, 2010 • SunPost Weekly • www.sunpostweekly.com
HOWL
nance. It’s a love letter to the liberating power of the spoken word. Howl is hardly the gayest film to hit South Florida screens this month. That distinction falls to the nation’s #1 movie: Jackass 3D. At $50.4 million and counting, it’s the most widely viewed display of bare butts and penises American cinema has seen in recent memory. Director Jeff Tremaine, who also helmed the two previous installments, doesn’t take full advantage of the more immersive format. There are surprisingly few comin’-at-ya moments in the film; instead, there are a few too many shots of ringmaster Johnny Knoxville and his merry band of pranksters getting slapped and punched in slow motion. But the Jackass franchise was never about technical prowess, so it’s probably just as well that this third outing retains the rough-around-the-edges charm that made the MTV show such a kick to watch. In terms of laugh quotient, I found it funnier than its predecessor (Jackass Number Two) but not quite as hilarious as the first one (Jackass the Movie). There are plenty of highlights here, including an extended prank in which diminutive comic Wee Man gets into a bar fight with another little person...which leads to other little people intervening. The gang also faces the power of a jet engine at full blast...which apparently can’t quite match the power of a volcano eruption that, oh wait, that’s not a volcano, is it? My favorite skit involves roly-poly comedian Preston Lacy, an apple, and a pig who takes the term brown-nosing quite literally. You wonder how the Jackass crew’s friends and relatives cope with the prospect of a stunt going awry. How would they react to a sudden, accident-related death? It’s precisely this question that fuels Clint Eastwood’s Hereafter, his multiple-storyline meditation on the near-death experiences that momentarily remove the chasm between the dead and the living. The film, Eastwood’s 31st feature as a director, had
a tepid reception at this year’s Toronto Film Festival, but I found Eastwood’s contemplative, workmanlike resolve to be very compatible with the cleareyed secularism in Peter Morgan’s screenplay. In telling the stories of Parisian anchorwoman Marie LeLay (High Tension‘s Cécile De France), reluctant San Francisco-based psychic George Lonegan (Matt Damon), and London-based identical twins Marcus and Jason (Frankie and George McLaren), Eastwood conveys a palpable sense of loss free of any cynicism. The film’s intense opening sequence convincingly captures what it would feel like to be swept away in a tsunami. It’s here that LeLay – and the audience – experiences death, if only for a minute. The audio goes out, and blurry shapes that turn out to be deceased souls slowly fill the screen. There’s nothing original in Eastwood’s approach to the afterlife, but it’s a pretty effective hook that pulls viewers into the lives of his characters. Eastwood sustains a hushed, reverential tone throughout the film, and in Damon he finds the ideal actor to represent our bridge between this world and the next. His understated work allows us to forgive the screenplay’s contrivances, particularly the way it converges the three storylines at the end (echoes of Babel screenwriter Guillermo Arriaga’s non-linear puzzles). Fans of Morgan’s mordant wit, put to effective use in his screenplays for The Queen and Frost/Nixon, might be disappointed to find it mostly absent here, but Hereafter shows his tender side. The film ends on a note of such unfettered optimism that it all but wore down my defenses. It’s hokey, but deeply felt all the same. Jackass 3D and Hereafter are currently in wide release. Howl begins a two-week engagement at the Coral Gables Art Cinema this Friday. Sunrise Cinemas at Intracoastal Mall will also show the film. For more information go to coralgablescinemateque.org or sunrisecinemas.com. I can’t think of a better match between film and venues.
Music INTERVIEW
JJ Grey & Mofro By Alan Sculley JJ Grey may bill his albums as JJ Grey & Mofro, but it’s not like his band (Mofro) has ever really deserved equal billing. That’s because the vast majority of work on the albums has been done by Grey himself. He writes all of the songs, makes detailed demos of the songs and records the most of the instruments on his albums himself. “They really contribute live,” Grey said of Mofro in a recent phone interview. “But in the studio I’ve always had it pretty much done (myself), and then I just bring guys into play any time I get sick of hearing myself play. They can take what you do, and they’re still going to change it a little bit because their feel might be a little different. But for the most part, it’s kind of like I’ll put sheet music right in front of them, but they learn it off of the (demo) CD.” Grey has been mainly a do-it-yourself recording artist ever since the Jacksonville, Florida-based musi-
cian formed the first edition of Mofro and made his first CD, the 2001 release, “Blackwater.” He’s made four albums since then, the latest being the recently released “Georgia Warhorse.” Part of the reason Grey records most the music for his albums instrument by instrument is a simple matter of practicality. The facility where all of his albums have been made, Retrophonics Studio in St. Augustine, Florida, is better suited to that approach. “I mean, at Retrophonics you can set up and cut live, but that’s a lot of people to have in at one time. Grey said. “And given the nature of touring, when you come off of the road, the prep work to set up to record that many people, it’s a lot more (work).” While Grey’s approach to making record making may have been the same from album to album (including using the same producer, Dan Prothero, on each of his CDs), his last three CDs, in particular, have each had distinctly different feels.
The 2007 release, “Country Ghetto,” was primarily a gritty, rocking affair that also had a strong element of soul to its sound. With the 2008 CD, “Orange Blossoms,” Grey went for a considerably different vibe. The songs overall were more laid back and he frequently supplemented the basic guitar/bass/drums/keyboards instrumentation with strings or horns, which gave the CD more of a sleek feel. Now on “Georgia Warhorse,” Grey has stripped back his sound (although his Mofro horn players Art Edmaiston and Dennis Marion contribute to a few songs) and has gone for a more rough hewn style. Like all of his albums, though, “Georgia Warhorse” is anything but one-dimensional. While songs like “The Hottest Spot In Hell,” “All” and “Slow, Hot & Sweaty” set a rocking tone for the album, there are also songs like “King Hummingbird,” a gentle, folky and primarily acoustic tune, a song steeped in soul called “The Sweetest Thing” (which features Toots Hibbert joining Grey on vocals), a spunky bit of Southern-flavored acoustic rock on “Hide & Seek” and some New Orleans-ish funk on “Diyo Dayo.” “I like an album to kind of be representative of several different feels, like a good story or a good film,” Grey said. “There are angry, loud moments. There are quiet, tender moments, so to speak, or sad moments. There are happy moments. There are almost like laughing moments or whatever. And I like for a record to feel that way.” He also likes his concerts to have plenty of musi-
cal variety, not that he sweats over planning his shows down to the last detail. In fact, Grey generally doesn’t use a set list for his concerts. But he said his recent shows have had a good sampling of material from “Georgia Warhorse,” but he’s also finding room in his sets to include songs from all five of his albums. What’s notably different for this tour is the lineup of Mofro, which has undergone considerable change since “Orange Blossoms” was released. The holdovers in the lineup are drummer Anthony Cole, Edmaiston on saxophone and Marion on trumpet. But Grey has a new bassist in Todd Smalley (formerly of the Derek Trucks Band), a new guitarist, Andrew Trube, and a new keyboardist, Anthony Farrell. Despite having several new musicians in Mofro, Grey said the group sounds pretty much the way it always has. “I still get the same instrumentation, so to speak. It’s like playing an electric piano, Wurli’s (Wurlitzer keyboards) and organ, and then guitars and slide guitars,” Grey said. “Trube is a great guitar player, and they’re all great players. So it sounds great. There have been so many different people that I’ve played with over the years, they’ve all been great, and they’ve all been sort of committed to playing to like the sound that I’m looking for. So it’s always worked out.” JJ Gray and Mofro will be performing October 30 at the Southern Monster Smash at the Pompano Beach Amphitheatre, 1801 NE 6th Street, Pompano Beach. 11am. Tickets are $117.15 for the entire event. For info: livenation.com
www.sunpostweekly.com • SunPost Weekly • Thursday, October 21, 2010 • Page 19
The 411
Gustavo Hernandez & Olympia de Castro at MOCA Mystery Dates
Above Left: Dan & Kathryn Mikesell. Above Right: Valerie Graves, Erin Newberg, Carolyn Travis, Ivonne Ronderos at MOCA Mystery Dates
COLUMN
Mystery Dates, Latin Eats and a Silver Anniversary By Mary Jo Almeida-Shore maryjoshore@aol.com
MOCA MYSTERY DATES Wedderburn, Hill, Shareef Malnik, & Chef Feher at the intercontinental B-day bash
Tara Solomon, Nick D'Annunzio, Kelly Taylor, Robyn Tauber, Jacquelynn DeBarry
Mike Foster & Marcela Cavala
On Saturday night, the coolest museum in town, Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) held its annual Mystery Dates fundraiser, during which over 300 patrons enjoyed elegant dinner parties held concurrently in private homes from La Gorce to Morningside to Snapper Creek. The evening started at the museum, with a cocktail reception sponsored by Grey Goose Vodka and hors d’oeuvres from Charlotte Bistro. During the reception guests enthusiastically bid on the silent auction, toured MOCA’s exhibitions, enjoyed sounds by DJ Nekktar and learned of their surprise dining destination. The dinners were as diverse as the hosts themselves. Destinations included Joe Berg’s Aventura apartment; Manita Brug-Chmielenska’s Cricket Club home; Nory Contractor and Harvey Oxenberg’s house in Coconut Grove; Olympia de Castro and Gustavo Hernandez’s industrial loft in Wynwood; Dawn Adels Fine’s Snapper Creek home; Felipe Grimberg and Eduardo Ojeda’s Bay Point house; and Gloria and Sergio Leyva’s post-modern house on Old Cutler Road, where the Leyvas served an elaborate meal for their guests, which included artists who created works in their collection. Other dinners took place at Kathryn and Dan Mikesell’s restored home in Morningside; Edward Nieto’s feast served atop his Plexiglas covered swimming pool (which was later converted to a dance floor) and Billy Weisman’s Murano townhouse. After the unique dinners, many MOCA supporters capped off the evening at the The Raleigh Hotel. Mystery Dates was organized by dynamic chairs: Ivonne Ronderos, Carolyn Travis, Valerie Graves and Erin Newberg. Newberg shared the following about the evening. “I was sent to the home of reputable interior decorator, the very talented Edward Nieto. Highlights included a photo booth, where Mystery Daters had a blast before we were seated for dinner, an amazing array of delicacies
Dawn Mcilraith & Allan Ora
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prepared by Le Basque, and an installation created by artist Karelle Levy, who was commissioned by Nieto, to create a spider web of ripped panty-hose in multi colors! It was by far, the best MOCA Mystery Dates event I have ever attended.” This sold-out fabulous event, presented by Audi with additional support from Elie Tahari and The Brickellian/Stella Holmes benefited MOCA exhibitions of experimental and emerging artists.
DE RODRIGUEZ OCEAN OPENS AT THE BENTLEY HOTEL Chef Douglas Rodriguez celebrated the opening of his eponymous restaurant on Friday night, with more than 600 guests in attendance, delighted to get their first taste of Chef Rodriguez’s Nuevo Latino cuisine and a glimpse of the many surprises the restaurant has in store. The party featured a sampling of the bold flavors prevalent in Chef Rodriguez’s signature ceviches, extensive raw bar, and sustainable seafood options. When asked about the menu offerings, Chef Rodriguez explained, “If I can find purveyors who ensure the products we get are responsibly grown, fished, picked, and so on, then I can feel good about the food on the plate and so can my guests.” The night was filled with Latin flavor, a sprinkling of local celebs and a bit of eye candy. Former Heat player Ricky Davis, reality star, Ariel Stein, and Hip Hop artist Noel Osborne joined models from various agencies for the celebration, including Liliana Gomez. Embracing the vibrancy of the elite South of Fifth neighborhood, the party continued into the late hours of the night. De Rodriguez Ocean will host a lineup of special nights in the coming weeks and months. “With De Rodriguez Ocean we’re offering an incredible experience – a trifecta of food, drink and entertainment” explained Director of Operations, Luke L’Heureux.
Erin Newberg at MOCA Mystery Dates
Dora & Jon Kolody, Bonnie Clearwater, Ryan & Ellen Martin at MOCA Mystery Dates
HOTEL INTERCONTINENTAL TURNS 25 On Wednesday night, the Hotel InterContinental’s Chopin Ballroom was transformed into a casual lounge for 300 VIPs in celebration of the hotel’s 25th anniversary. The event hosted a diverse group of over 300 guests including artist Stephen Gamson; Latin Grammy nominated artist Roberto Perera; proprietor of The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar Shareef Malnik; the City of Miami’s James Tevas; event designer Israel Sands; Sling Couture’s Robyn Tauber; the Florida Marlins’ Juan Martinez; Assistant City Attorney of Miami Veronica Xiques; Miami Dophins’ Rick Lassiter; and TARA, Ink. Principals: Nick D’Annunzio and Tara Solomon. The buzz surrounding the festivities and the electro- acoutisic harp music kept guests entertained for nearly two hours after the event’s “official” ending time. Chef Feher served up dishes such as seared scallops, braised short ribs, mushroom risotto, grilled corn salad, a carving station for duck breast and a slew of desserts. We wish the hotel another 25 great years.
Super Solo, Daniel Nault, Noel Osborne at De Rodriguez Ocean opening
Chef Douglas Rodriguez, Nelly Rodriguez, Edward De Valle and friend
CELEBRITY SIGHTINGS: UK singer Craig David was spotted at Equinox South Beach last week, participating in one of the club’s signature spinning class. Onlookers say David remained on pace with the up-tempo playlist. Busta Rhymes and Fat Joe hung out at Cameo on Saturday night to “Dougie” (the new Hip Hop dance sensation) as Cali Swag performed live. Hip Hop heavyweights popped bottles of Veuve Cliquot as Shawnie O’Neil and several other basketball wives watched dancers perform the dance steps live on stage. Miami based, luxury, jewelry and timepiece brand, Van Der Bauwede Genève joined forces with pop star, Pink (who is rumored to be pregnant). Together they support Breast Cancer Awareness Month by donating Pink’s Van Der Bauwede Genève’s Good Luck Watch to the Pink Diamond Gala which will be held at Miami’s well-known Fontainebleau on October 22. Chris Bosh dined at Zuma Miami on Saturday night with a group of friends. Miami’s own, Akbar Hamid recently joined fellow PakistaniAmericans at a gathering in New York’s Boom Boom Room. The party included celebrities such as John Legend, Penn Badgley and Chace Crawford and raised over $500,000 dollars for Pakistan flood relief.
Sherri Fraser, Alonge Davis, Edward Davis, Quiana De Leon and Ricky Davis
Chef Doug Rodriguez, Shandra and Freddy Balsera at De Rodriguez Ocean opening
Tate B, Ariel Stein, Lisa Lovel and Justin Keeperman
Pamela Wilken, Natalie Heafey, Pierre Heafey, Rick Kawani and Ramon Antelo
www.sunpostweekly.com • SunPost Weekly • Thursday, October 21, 2010 • Page 21
411 Miami International Wine Fair 2010 Miami Beach Commissioner Michael Gongora and Miami Beach Commissioner Deede Weithorn.
Chef Clay Conley of Buccan
Carlos Falco, Iberwine & Grandes Pagos Marques de Grinon and Chef Eduardo Gallardo of Locum Restaurant. Maude Eaton congratulates the First Annual Ceviche Throwdown winner Chef Juan Chipoco of Cvi. Che 105 at Sugarcane Restaurant.
Elizabeth La O, Jennifer Massolo, Executive Director of The Miami International Wine Fair, and David Bernad President/Co-founder of The Miami International Wine Fair.
Joanna Cisowska of Sugarcane and Joan Pulidio World delegates in attendance at the 9th Annual Miami International Wine Fair include from left: Manuel Tellez Director General - Iberwine, Victor Abujatum S. Consul General Chile, Gustavo Martinez Pandiani Consul General Adjunto Argentine Consulate General, Christophe Arnaud Consulate General of France in Miami, Cristina Barnos Consulate of Spain, David Bernad President/Co-founder of The Miami International Wine Fair and Carlos Falco, Pagos De Familia Marques de Grinon
PHOTO: MAGICALPHOTOS.COM / MITCHELL ZACHS People's Choice Winner Andrea Curto-Randazzo and Matthew Johnson of SUGARCANE raw bar grill
Chef Tim Andriola of Timo
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WSVN Channel 7 Anchor Belkys Nerey and Eduardo Marguez at Sugarcane Restaurant.
GO! UPCOMING SOCIAL EVENTS
Benefits and Galas Galore By Mary jo Almeida-Shore and Maryanne Salvat maryjoshore@sunpostweekly.com
BEST BUDDIES SOUTH FLORIDA On Thursday, October 21 join Best Buddies Florida and South Florida VIPs at the Westin Diplomat at 7p.m. and be the first to view 2010 fall fashions at the “All in Good Taste” evening presented by The Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation. Hors d’oeuvres by Aizia, cocktails courtesy of GREY GOOSE Vodka, live painting by David Benegas, and a preview of Audi’s newly unveiled A8 sedan will be some of the evening’s highlights. Guests will also enjoy a fashion show presented by A Nose for Clothes under the direction of Jeffery Lubin Group. Tickets are avilalbe for $30 at BestBuddiesflorida.org/allingoodtaste.
KEY TO THE CURE Join Saks Fifth Avenue Dadeland (7687 North Kendall Drive) for Key to the Cure, a charity shopping weekend event to help raise money and awareness for women’s cancers from Thursday, October 21 through Sunday, October 24. The kick off cocktail event will be held Thursday, October 21 from 6 to 8 p.m. featuring Capital Grille hors d’oeuvres and live entertainment. A percentage of the weekend sales will go towards Baptist Breast Center. For more information or to RSVP, call 305.662.8655, ext 262 or email rsvpdadeland@s5a.com.
HEAD TO THE BAY New North Beach restaurant and gay-friendly nightclub, The Bay debuts on October 22 with a private cocktail reception at 8 p.m. featuring sounds by DJ of-the-moment DJ Troy Kurtz, gratis cocktails and hors d’oeuvres by one of our favorite chefs, Guily Booth. The 26,000 square-foot-foot waterfront venue by industry veterans Patrick Reilly and George Figares aims to bring excitement back to the Causeway. (Read: Tea parties, drag queen Twister and “Studio Filthy Whore” bashes). RSVP is required to thebay@taraink.com for private reception. Doors open to the public on October 23.
A NIGHT ON THE RIVIERA On Friday, October 22, Gilda’s Club of South Florida will be hosting its annual charity gala, “A Night on the Riviera” at Ferrari-Maserati of Fort Lauderdale. This year’s event will feature a fabulous array of French inspired cuisine and fine wine tastings along with dancing and red carpet arrivals. Gilda’s club is a unique organization that provides support for individuals living with cancer and their families. All proceeds from the evening benefit Gilda’s Club South Florida. Tickets are available for $125 per person. For more information contact Shelley Goren at (954) 763-6776 ext. 205 or by email at Samantha@gildasclubsouthflorida.org or visit: gildasclubsouthflorida.org.
GETTING YOUR GROOVE ON This weekend Brotherly Love Productions presents three distinctive nights of music: Friday, October 22 Deerfield’s alternative roots-reggae rockers, The Resolvers, visit Miami’s Transit Lounge for an evening of classic big-band reggae sound blended with modern song craftsmanship, creating an original take on world music. On Saturday, October 23, Diocious makes a triumphant return to the Funky Buddha Lounge with their psychedelic funk-rock sound. Rounding out the weekend on October 24 is the BLP Sunday Night Cookout , with California’s Mystic Roots Band – a highenergy show.
FUNKSHION LADIES IN RED On Thursday, October 21, the American Heart Association presents the Red Dress Campaign show. The Go Red For Women Event will take place at the Bass Museum at 8 p.m., showcasing designs including Nicole Miller, Marc Jacobs and various other designers. All proceeds from the show and ticket sales will benefit the American Heart Association To support this wonderful cause and purchase tickets go to funkshion.com.
ABOVE LEFT: STANFORD AND DOLORES ZIFF. ABOVE RIGHT: JUDY DRUCKER
SYMPHONY AFTER HOURS AT THE STANDARD On Saturday, October 23 join Friends of the New World Symphony at The Standard following the Symphony concert at Lincoln Theatre from 9 p.m. to midnight to mix and mingle and sip on cocktails courtesy of Grey Goose vodka. The event is free for NWS members and cost $40 for non-members.
FAVELA CHIC COMES TO WALL WALL Lounge is the new home to the beloved “Favela Chic” (henceforth known as Favela Beach) parties on Tuesday nights. The legendary fete brings its Brazilian glamour and samba inspired beats every Tuesday night starting next week. On Thursday, October 21, celebrate the one-year anniversary of Thursday nights at WALL with your favorite hosts Michael Capponi, Karim Masri, Nicola Siervo, Rony Seikaly, Navin Chatani and Michael Martin. The evening will feature a very special and exclusive performance by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeroes. On Friday, October 22 celebrate GREY GOOSE Entertainment’s Rising Icon, Asher Roth, who will perform live.
PLAYWRIGHTS UNITE! On Wednesday, October 27 join The Playwright Irish Pub & Restaurant as it celebrates its 10th anniversary. This South Beach establishment will offer open bar from 8 to 10 p.m., 80’s and 90’s music furnished by Dj Robb Riggs, and live performances.
LITTLE LIGHTHOUSE HALLOWEEN Little Lighthouse Foundation will host the “Nightmare on Lincoln Road” Halloween party on Saturday, Oct 30 at 1111 Lincoln Road (7th Floor of the Parking Garage). The party begins with a VIP reception at 8:00 pm featuring with a signature Grey Goose cocktails and food from Miami Beach restaurants. Beneficiaries include children, families, and select child orientated charities throughout south Florida. Tickets cost $150 per couple before October 24. For tickets contact: jeff@thelittlelighthouse.org or thelittlelighthouse.org.
MIAMI BEACH ARTS GALA: A CELEBRATION OF THE ARTS The 2010 Miami Beach Arts Gala: A Celebration of the Arts will pay tribute to locally-based Arts luminaries Judy Drucker, Lifetime Achievement Award recipient; Michael Tilson Thomas, Visionary Award recipient; and Dr. Sanford L. and Dolores Ziff, Cultural Arts Champions on Saturday, October 23. Performing will be Baby B Strings, Oriente, Pioneer Winter Collective, Dance Now! Ensemble and Miami Contemporary Dance Company. All of the proceeds from the Miami Beach Arts Gala will be donated to the Miami Beach Cultural Arts Council, which will utilize the funds for awarding grants to local performing arts organizations. 7pm. Miami Beach Convention Center, Ballroom D, 1901 Convention Center Drive, Miami Beach. For info: 305-673-5177.
ONE CHILD GALA Friends of the Orphans are throwing a fabulous cocktail bash and silent auction at the Ritz, South Beach this Friday, October 22. Gourmet hors d’oeuvres by Ritz-Carlton chefs, Ketel One cocktails and an open bar, DJs, dancing, gift bags and a silent auction are just a few of the surprises planned. Proceeds go to help orphans in nine Latin American and Caribbean countries. $130. 7pm. The Ritz-Carlton, 1 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach. For info: friendsoftheorphans.org.
SHOP MIAMI BEACH From Saturday, October 23 through Sunday, October 24 the Bass Museum presents Shop Miami Beach, an assortment of selected vendors ranging from couture pieces to affordable chic. This international design scene will run from noon to 6 p.m. Bass Museum 2121 Park Avenue, Miami Beach, for details go to : funkshion.com.
HOPE SHINES: JUWAN HOWARD FOUNDATION
SAVE THE HORSES Support the efforts of South Florida’s SPCA Help the Horses campaign through photography and art. This Saturday night, October 23rd, the Daniel Azoulay Gallery will host a celebration of community art and photography and a silent auction to raise money to help local horses. 6 to 10pm. Daniel Azoulay Gallery, 3201 Ne 1 Avenue on Buena Vista Blvd (between 34th street and NE 1 Avenue), Miami. For info: 305.576.1977.
On Saturday, October 23, the Juwan Howard Foundation will be presenting a children’s fashion show at the Bass Museum in Miami Beach from 5 to 8 p.m. The Juwan Howard Foundation was created to assist inner city children, providing them with goals for a better future and assistance for a better education. For tickets go to funkshion.com.
www.sunpostweekly.com • SunPost Weekly • Thursday, October 21, 2010 • Page 23
Style ACCESSORIES
Ready, Set, Swatch Swatch Launches the New Gents Collection By Jennifer Fragoso
Recently Swatch celebrated the launch of its latest Gents collection in NYC at the Gansevoort on Park Ave. Nikki Reed hosted the lavish event with Chris Brown, Susan Sarandon, Jessica Stam and multi platinum recording artist Fabolous and the crowds came out to show their support. The Gents collection is fresh, modern and comes in a myriad of colors. Perfect for those who like to embellish their look without taking a hit in the pocket (book). The sleek linear design and full size works on both men and women. Ladies who like the big bangle look can double them up to get that same 80’s pop queen effect. Log on to swatch.com or head over to their Lincoln Road location and pick up a Swatch or two from the new Gents collection.
Page 24 • Thursday, October 21, 2010 • SunPost Weekly • www.sunpostweekly.com
News
Homer Stembridge, 86 Last of the Miami Furniture Twins, Dies By Kim Steiner Contributing Writer
Homer Stembridge, 86, the last of the Miami Furniture Twins, died Thursday, October 7, 2010, at Aventura Hospital, just three days before his 87th birthday. He would have been 87 on Oct. 10th. He is pre-deceased by his twin, Comer, who died August 26, 2009, at the Miami Heart Institute on Miami Beach. The Miami Furniture Twins started Edison Furniture Store in Miami 57 years ago with their father James George Stembridge, in Edison Center. Their motto was “Where Customers Send Their Friends.” Another feature is that they offered their customers for 57 years free delivery and credit with no interest or carrying charges. Thousands of new immigrants and long term residents were able to establish their credit through the Edison Furniture Stores. Homer and his twin were fondly known at national furniture markets as the “Miami Furniture Twins.” Homer and Comer helped their brothers George, Travis and John, start furniture stores in Homestead, Hollywood and North Miami. The Homestead store is operated by Steven Stembridge, Comer’s son and Homer’s nephew. The North Miami store, Stembridge Furniture, is owned and operated by John Stembridge, the former mayor of North Miami. Homer and Comer were born October 10, 1923, in Wicksburg, AL. They were the oldest of nine children, eight sons and one daughter, born to George and Johnnie Stembridge. The twins graduated from the Wicksburg High School which was built in the community through their father’s leadership. Both served in the U. S. Army and were World War II Veterans. After service Homer and his twin, Comer, worked for the General Motors Chevrolet plant in Indianapolis, IN. from 1947 to 1949. The family moved to Miami in 1948, with the twins following in 1949. From 1949 to 1953 the twins worked for the Rhodes Furniture chain in
Miami with Mr. Wallace Berry, Manager. Homer was a member of the Central Baptist Church in downtown Miami. Two of his favorite pastors were Dr. C. Roy Angel and Dr. Conrad Willard. His church had a rescue mission where Homer faithfully fed and clothed the homeless every Sunday morning for 25 years. Homer was a strong pro life, pro family, and pro American patriot. He faithfully supported organizations and political leaders who were committed to advancing these principles. Among these organizations were: the American Family Association, Focus on the Family, the American Center for Law and Justice, Miami Rescue Mission, Liberty University in Virginia and Bob Jones University in South Carolina, Love Worth Finding, Trinity Broadcasting Network, and Dr. D. James Kennedy’s Coral Ridge Ministries and his Reclaiming America program. In 1983, Homer and Comer donated the Family Life Center building at the South Dade Baptist Church in Homestead, FL, in honor of their parents. Homer traveled extensively throughout Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and numerous islands of the world. He particularly loved Israel, the Holy Land, and traveled there four times. Homer is survived by his brothers Wilson in Samson, AL., Rudolph in Keystone Point, FL, and John in Aventura, FL. and by 13 nephews and nieces, 29 great nephews and nieces, and 11 greatgreat nephews and nieces. Homer’s service will be held Sunday (Oct. 10th) on his 87th birthday at 3 p.m. at the Pilgrim Home Baptist Church in Wicksburg, AL. Pastors William Chapman, W. H. Wilson, and Thomas Hood will be officiating. In lieu of flowers, you may honor Homer’s legacy with a donation to any of the organizations listed above.
www.sunpostweekly.com • SunPost Weekly • Thursday, October 21, 2010 • Page 25
Sex COLUMN
Out in the Open By Dr. Sonjia Kenya
Sonjia@drsonjia.com Are people born gay? President Obama thinks so and I’ve got to agree with Michelle’s husband. Because the alternative ignores science and also requires me to believe Bishop (idiot) Long, the anti-gay activist accused of inappropriate intimacy with adolescent boys who have evolved into angry adults. Once again, I began this article in Miami and am finishing it in Jamaica via my Iphone. Thus, my disclaimer involves you ignoring any indications of irie indulgences. Instead, applaud mi effort to get di job done while jammin in Jamaica. Jah luv. At Miami International on di same day Obama announced his opinion about homosexuality, I found a sexy man suited up and sitting alone. I approached and asked if he could teach me something about sex. He smiled and paused just long enough for me to ask him about the origin of sexual orientation. “Yes, I think people are born gay but I also think sexual orientation goes way beyond simply straight or gay. We haven’t identified all the varieties of sexual preferences and I don’t know that we ever will.” Tell me more. “For example, there’s the guy who appears openly gay but likes women too and could have sex with a woman if he wanted to. Is he really gay just because that’s what he does most often? Same goes for girls who hook up with girls most often but still do men too. There’s a spectrum of sexual preferences and I don’t think we know the full range and probably never will.” Wow. Sexy man in suit is also an open-minded philosopher. I don’t come across that combo very often but I have encountered a combination of gay guys and gals open to intercourse with the opposite sex. I was recently convinced that my gay best friend’s (now ex) boyfriend wanted to do me. Normally when I make such claims my friends assume my ego is out of control (again) but this time my mother, best friend, and lover all agreed: this gay guy wanted me bad. He couldn’t keep his hands off of me, was always attempting to hug me, rubbing his arms, legs,
torso all over me. He tried kissing me on the lips as many times as possible and openly adored me, announcing his appreciation for my beautiful existence. While I have to agree with his superior taste, I also admit to feeling extremely uncomfortable around him, as if he were a straight man I was rejecting. This is a loaded statement from a kid born in San Francisco and raised by hippies. I went to my first lesbian wedding at seven years old and have had gay friends for as long as I can remember. So it was a big deal for me to feel uncomfortable around GBF’s boyfriend. And my feelings weren’t off-track. After happy hour one night, my lover said, “Do I have to watch him fondle you just because he’s gay?”. After Mom visited last month she warned, “Be careful of him because you never know how people will act after a break up. He seems attached to you in a weird way so keep your distance.” My best girlfriend, an esteemed entertainment attorney said, “He is so far
why would someone choose to be something that brings so much pain and trouble? I think it has to be natural because it is against human nature to bring harm upon yourself and when someone is openly gay, they have more troubles to deal with. Why would anyone do that unless it was biologically inside of them?” I think my gay friends in Miami would agree. A few of my favorite gay men opened up about the origins of their orientation over cocktails at GBF’s condo. A tall, handsome interior designer who was always attracted to boys but dated girls for years before coming out, admitted he and his best male friend were secretly sexing each other up after they took girls home from double dates. Just when he found the courage to come out, his girlfriend at
“Swedish researchers found that homosexual men respond to two odors involved in sexual arousal the same way as heterosexual women” up your butt. He loves you in a sickening sort of way.” Did he really want me? We’ll never know since he and GBF broke up but it was enough to energize the ancient debate: “are people born or socialized to be gay?” “I think it can be both,” said Shorty, my Jamaican driver who never fails to impress me with his intellect and ability to anticipate my needs before I arrive. Shorty continued, “I watched a show on the Discovery Channel about people who feel they are born into the wrong bodies and want to have their sex changed. They have to get so many surgeries and hormones because their desire to be the other sex is so strong. If they didn’t have to do it,
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the time had a pregnancy scare (talk about irony). When he finally made his announcement at 17 years old, it was met with tears and grief from the family. A medical temp agency director and youngest of 10 kids said “I knew from the time I was 6 years old. I didn’t tell my parents until I was about 16 though. Oh honey, they cried and cried.” The other is a former porn star who is now a nurse (seriously!) and his parents also cried when he came out during his late teens. Despite the immediate tears, each of their families eventually accepted their sexual orientation. Today, it’s like things were always this way. As the interior director’s mother proclaims, “I have only one child and got the best of both worlds! A
boy and a girl in one.” If each of these men had always been attracted to men, why did they date girls and wait so long to come out? Ex-porn star nurse said, “Many think being gay is a choice so they try to change your mind and convince you that you can change. But being born gay is no different than being born with brown eyes. No matter how hard you try, you can not change the color of your eyes or your sexual orientation.” Studies reported in the proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences support his story. Swedish researchers found that homosexual men respond to two odors involved in sexual arousal the same way as heterosexual women. The studies, led by Ivanka Savic, also found similarities between the way gay women and straight men processed odors linked to sexual arousal. Put another way, gay men interpret sexual stimuli the same way straight women do and gay women process sexual odors the same way that straight men do. Regardless of gender, people attracted to women are turned on by the same scents and those attracted to men get excited about the same odors. Further evidence of a genetic basis for sexual orientation came from Bogaert’s sibling study of 944 participants which found that a man’s chances of being homosexual were significantly influenced by his number of older brothers. The more older brothers, the more likely to be born gay. A tip to those trying to make a gay baby: this only holds true among blood-related brothers. Adopted or step-brothers don’t influence the chances of becoming gay but having a gay twin certainly does! Bailey’s studies of more than 14,000 twins found that if one male twin is gay, his brother is almost 40% more likely to also be homosexual. Among females, the chances of being gay were about 30% greater if one had a lesbian twin sister. Other studies found the association to be greater than 50% among identical twins and 22% among fraternal twins. What does all this mean? There just might be a genetic basis for sexual orientation that helps explain why homosexuality existed since the beginning of time. Heck, a gay man probably put flowers from the Garden of Eden into bouquets and spread rose petals on the ground. Gay people make the world better, brighter, and more interesting and if you disagree with homosexuality, no one is asking you to change or go to church. I’m simply asking you to understand that people can’t change who they are attracted to and Christian re-education programs can’t teach people how to become un-gay, especially those taught by Bishop Long.
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HELP WANTED WE ARE SEEKING PRIVATE
SALES REPS
INVESTIGATORS TO SHOP AND GET PAID.
The SunPost is looking for advertising sales representatives with at least 2 years experience selling in Miami Beach, Miami or surrounding areas.
You will be paid for what you love doing at [should be during] your leisure hours. MYSTERY SHOPPING is a well established industry used by thousands of top retail and food service companies. Virtually every top retailer in the nation uses shoppers like YOU to help them test out. Interested applicant should contact the hiring manager via email: jmarketshopper@aol.com
We're looking for a team oriented self starter to develop new customers for our print and online edition. This is not an entry level job, were looking for someone wanting to earn big commissions selling an enormous number of leads and servicing customers that have been with our publication for years. You will be responsible to visit clients and work with our in-house art department to create ads for your clients.
PRIVATE SUMMER TUTORING in Spanish Language Babies to Teens Daily + Weekends in Your Home
786-768-3125 PAULA QUINCENO REFERENCES AVAILABLE privatespanishlessonforkids@ hotmail.com
FOR HIRE
HELP WANTED ADVERTISE IN THE CLASSIFIED SECTION CALL: 305.482.1785 SEASON SPECIALS!
EVICTIONS FROM $200 305.861.3606
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE SOUTH BEACH
You must be able to meet deadlines and be able to work full time.
Just reduced again for quick sale! 2bd/1.5 ba great unit with upgraded kitchen, view, pool, rent ok, pet ok and parking. 1345 West Ave near Lincoln Road. $218.500. Must see at this price!
Please email resume to kim@miamisunpost.com
JEANNE MOCKRIDGE MAJESTIC PROPERTIES 305 606-1855
FOR RENT ADVERTISE YOUR RENTALS HERE. CALL: 305.482.1785 SEASON SPECIALS!
FOR SALE BUGABOO CHAMELEON Used for one child. Blue & orange colorway. Can be changed. Have all accessories for newborn through toddler. Great condition. $400 obo Call 786-955-8074
HELP WANTED
HIRING PERSONAL TRAINERS AquaFit is seeking Personal Trainers to work in the South Florida market for both one-on-one and group training. Be a part of the most innovative water-based system to hit the fitness industry. We are looking for motivated, positive trainers who enjoy working with people. Full and Part time positions available. Certification is preferred but not required since we provide Aquatic Training & Certification
email resume to jobs@aquafitmiami.com AquaFitMiami.com
www.sunpostweekly.com • SunPost Weekly • Thursday, October 21, 2010 • Page 27
Push Yourself without Punishing Yourself cardio • strength • endurance • speed • flexibility
AEROBIC AND ANAEROBIC CONDITIONING PYLOMETRICS • YOGA • WATER PILATES • BOXING • POST RE-HAB • MARTIAL ARTS AND CROSS TRAINING
THE EVOLUTION OF FITNESS
NOW OFFERING GROUP SESSIONS Signup Online for Our Group Class aquafitmiami.com
786.220.1799 www.aquafitmiami.com
PERSONAL FITNESS IN YOUR POOL * We do not use any foam buoyancy equipment