Issuu

AQUA OCTOBER 2026

MIAMI

SENSEI FOR ALL CAROL WHITE

WITH PASSION AND PLANTS

VEGAN CUBAN CUISINE

GOING HER

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CONTENTS OCTOBER 2026

14 F E AT UR E S

Sensei of the Grove

For more than two decades, Carol White’s Coconut Grove dojo White Tiger & Dragon has nurtured legacy, honor, and aspiring samurai of all ages and backgrounds 18

Passion and Plant-Based Pastelitos Husband and wife Steven Rodriguez and Lismeilyn Machado pay homage to Cuban culture, cuisine, and tradition—just with a few game-changing ingredients.

Going Her Own Way

Singer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Tatiana Blades on honoring the dead, finding her voice, and how love, mercy, and rock n’ roll might yet save us all.

CO LUM N S

EDITOR’S NOTE Holding These Moments

PEOPLE WE KNOW Finding Beauty in the In-Between

WANDERLUST Lewis and Clark and Me

PHOTO OP Thriller Night

COVER

At the White Tiger & Dragon dojo. Photograph by April Nicole

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FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT EVA DAISY ABREU AT 305-903-0621 OR DAISY.ABREU@WAINSCOTMEDIA.COM

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EDITOR’S NOTE

into a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it velocity. By the end, you’re wishing there were a few more banks and loops, a few dozen more yards of track, and a little more time. We can’t say we weren’t warned. The warning from our grandparents and parents that life goes fast is, after all, merely an echo of what Chaucer wrote in the 14th century: “Time and tide wait for no man.” It hits you in the strangest ways. Like, for example, when you’re running with your son to Super Mario World, and you pass carousel and think, “What I wouldn’t give for my 13-year-old daughter to be excited to ride those rabbits and lions and bears with me one more time.” This issue marks my first full year editing the magazine in your hands. It went fast for me. But throughout it has been an amazing gift to have the opportunity to tell the stories of the incredible people in this community. I hope I’ve done your work and creativity justice; that I’ve captured moments in time which you and your loved ones can look back on for many years to come—not unlike those camera snapshots of you at particularly wild moments on roller coasters. Let’s do it for another year, shall we?

HOLDING THESE MOMENTS I RECENTLY TOOK my son to Universal Studio’s relatively new park Epic Universe as a tenth birthday present. While there, we hit a couple of the medium-sized roller coasters for the first time and, as we waited in the sometimes hour-long lines, I realized how much these thrill ride experiences can mirror life: So much of childhood feels like waiting in a long, twisting line to just get on the ride. And then there is the faster click up the lift hill full of anticipation and, yes, maybe a little “Am I really ready for this?” anxiety. Once you hit that electrifying first drop, however, you are suddenly accelerating

Shawn Macomber Editor @aqua_miami_mag aquamiamimag.com

Advertising Director Daisy Abreu daisy.abreu@wainscotmedia.com Creative Director Kijoo Kim Editor Shawn Macomber shawn.macomber@wainscotmedia.com Contributor Gerry Barker Photographer April Nicole WAINSCOT MEDIA Chairman Carroll V. Dowden President and CEO Mark Dowden SVP, Group Publisher Thomas Flannery VP, Content Strategy Maria Regan Associate Editor Sophia Carlisle Art Director Rosemary O’Connell Advertising Services Director Jacquelynn Fischer Operations Director Catherine Rosario Production Designer Chris Ferrante Advertising Production Associate Griff Dowden

AQUA Miami magazine is published by Wainscot Media. Serving residents of Pinecrest and surrounding areas of South Florida, the magazine is distributed monthly via U.S. mail. Articles and advertisements contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. Copyright 2026 by Wainscot Media LLC. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.

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Email the editor: Shawn.Macomber@wainscotmedia.com

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PEOPLE WE KNOW

Finding Beauty in the In-Between Yoga instructor, sound healer, wellness entrepreneur, and mother Sarita Shimizu reflects on her path to embracing a more expansive, holistic Japanese American identity. BY SARITA KELLY HARUKO SHIMIZU

I WAS RAISED in a suburb just north of Seattle by a white mother and a Japanese father, and to add another layer to the mix, they named me Sarita—a Hindi name inspired by one of my grandmother’s dear Indian friends at the University of Washington. My full name is Sarita Kelly Haruko Shimizu. Culture came to me through recipes, rituals, language, festivals, mannerisms, the smell of dashi and osenkō at my baachan’s house. The quiet ways culture lives inside a home. I was young when I realized my family didn’t always see me the way I saw myself. I remember making some offhand comment about someone on the news acting “typical white American.” My Japanese cousin looked at me and

laughed as if I was completely delusional. “What are you talking about?” she said. “You’re white.” And, honestly, I remember just sitting there like: Wait, am I? That’s me, the ambiguous kid in the kimono, which sometimes felt painfully awkward. Mixed kids learn early how to adapt between cultures, family dynamics, and friend groups. We learn how two things can be true at once. How identity can shift depending on who’s looking at you. How you can deeply belong to multiple cultures while sometimes still feeling misunderstood by all of them. And there’s beauty in the in-between too. More than anything, being mixed taught me that identity can be expansive.

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Now I’m raising a daughter who is an even richer blend of cultures, and I hope she grows up knowing she never has to deny any part of herself to belong, even when those closest to her struggle to honor her multicultural lived experience. What I’d love for her—and you—to know: You are not a fraction of anything. You are the living intersection of every story, culture, lineage, and love that came before you. To everyone navigating identity, culture, lineage, and belonging in layered and meaningful ways—your story belongs here, too. To learn more about Sarita Shimizu’s classes and curated series of elevated experiences, follow @sarita.shimizu and @the. heartspacecollective on Instagram.

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Sensei of the Grove

For more than two decades, sixth-degree black belt and women’s martial arts trailblazer Carol White’s Coconut Grove dojo, White Tiger & Dragon, has nurtured legacy, honor, and aspiring samurai of all ages and backgrounds.

BY SHAWN MACOMBER

CAROL WHITE is four years old and kneeling in front of her grandmother’s little black-and-white television set when destiny comes calling: She’s watching the old-school Adam West Batman show when, amidst the usual steady stream of puns and POW!s and BAM!s and ZAP!s and KER-PLOP!s, the Green Hornet’s sidekick Kato bursts onto the screen looking like…well, anything but a sidekick. Portrayed by none other than a going-forbroke Bruce Lee, Kato delivers a focused and intentional whirlwind of limbs that is as elegant and beautiful as it is commanding. For White, everything changes. She discovers her father was a martial artist and amateur boxer—and his pair of nunchucks under his bed. “I wanted to do what Bruce Lee and my dad did,” White tells AQUA Miami.

“At first my parents didn’t take it seriously, but I just kept running around the house punching and kicking everything until they were like, ‘Okay, we need to find a school.’ Where there’s a will, there’s a way.” She was six years old and the only girl when her parents scraped together the money to enroll her in a martial arts program at the YMCA. The class didn’t even have mats, but she took to it. Less than a decade later, White had earned black belts in Hapkido and Taekwondo. As White’s inspirational north star Lee once said, “If you always put a limit on everything you do, physical or anything else, it will spread into your work and into your life. There are no limits. There are only plateaus, and you must not stay there, you must go beyond them.”

CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN BARTENDER And then, as they say, “life happened.” Or at least the facsimile we are constantly told to accept. White attended the University of Miami, pursuing a double major in poly sci and business. After graduation, she ended up bartending and managing at some of the hottest restaurants and nightclubs in the city. Martial arts faded into the background—but never quite disappeared from White’s mind. “I was making great money, but I felt a little bit lost,” she says. “Sometimes you have to lose something to truly understand how important it is to you. That’s what happened to me. I was longing for the martial arts. I missed my sensei. I needed that time away to realize martial arts was a lifelong journey for me, not some hobby I had as a kid.”

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And so, after a few years, White returned to her practice, training by day, working the clubs by night. It was a whirlwind, but she earned another black belt and—perhaps even more importantly—discovered Kempo (or “way of the fist”) school of karate. “[Kempo] is considered by many the first eclectic art of combat,” the International Kempo Federation notes, “as well as having its founding roots stretch back to 520 BC.” The style has many offshoots in Asia—Okinawa Kempo, Nippon Kempo, Chinese Shaolin Kempo—but was brought to America in the 1940s and then codified and popularized in the 1950s by Ed Parker, a fighter with a background in both Judo and Western boxing who had earned the nickname “The Magician of Motion.” White took to it like a duck to…well, water. “My Sensei said, ‘Hey, you’re pretty good at this—do you want to buy into the school?’” White recalls. “The next day I brought him a check. I quit the hospitality industry the second I signed the contract for the school and became a full-time martial artist instructor and school owner. It felt so good to get back on the mat.”

RISE ABOVE A true Sensei, White, now a sixth-degree black belt, offers up nonstop pearls of wisdom on the mat at White Tiger & Dragon Martial Arts—some general, some clearly tailored to the student in front of her. One stands out, however: Why be good when you could be great? This ethic operates on multiple levels. First, there is, obviously, the fighting sphere—the way of the fist. “Our style is based on physics, so we’re not wasting any space or time,” White says. “We’re lightning fast, and while we’re hitting you from the top, we’re controlling your body with our legs and movement at the same time. It’s a very effective, very unorthodox self-defense style that can be modified for competition as well.” (Indeed, legendary UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and Hall of Famer Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell used the style to pioneer success in mixed martial arts and even competed with a large “Kempo” tattoo on his arm.) The Kempo roots of White Tiger & Dragon go deep—the school is affiliated

with White’s teacher, Grandmaster Larry Tatum, a 10th degree black belt who has specialized in the form since the mid-60s and trained celebrities ranging from Sidney Poitier and Gary Collins to Julie Haggarty and Nancy Cartwright. “Grandmaster Tatum always says we’re in the business of changing lives,” White says, “and we take that to heart.” Eddie DeLaVega, who has known White for 20 years and worked with her at White Tiger & Dragon for most of that time, concurs. “Carol’s impact on me is hard to overstate,” DeLaVega, a fifth-degree black belt in his own right, says in a text interview from the Netherlands, where he recently opened his own school. “I tell people my time with her turned me from a cheap house cognac into a Rémy Martin Louis XIII. Two decades is a long time to learn from someone and still walk away inspired.” “Carol trained Chinese and American Kenpo for as long as I have—with a whole martial arts life before that—and she’s a longtime Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner on top of it,” he continues. “What makes her rare

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is that, as a female master, she holds a position most male black belts never will: Kids and women don’t read her as a threat, so she reaches them in a way the rest of us can’t. But make no mistake, when Carol hits you, you feel it. I describe her as a female Wolverine: warm and disarming until the moment it counts, and then there’s steel.” During a demonstration for AQUA Miami, White dumps an attacking 20-something MMA fighter like a bag of (very lithe and lean) potatoes then rolls deftly beneath the flying side kick of another. “Not bad for a 58-year-old lady, huh?” she says. No one argues.

NURTURING THE NEXT GENERATION Which brings us to the second aspect of greatness that White Tiger & Dragon embodies, which is the way of the samurai— honor, service, community, and engagement. “I got my yellow belt when I was six years old,” White explains. “My teacher immediately sent me to help someone else in class. I was like, ‘But Sensei, I’m not a teacher.’ And he said, ‘No teacher knows everything—you know more than they do. So go share your knowledge.’ So, yes, we have Sensei and leaders, but we also recognize we do this together. We’re a very community-oriented school, and we teach all our students to be samurai. The word samurai

means to serve. Here, we give back and have each other’s backs.” Perhaps this is why the school is so diverse in terms not only of race, ethic, and geographic background—though it does have a United-Nations-on-grappling-mats vibe—but also in terms of age and income. The school, in a nod to White’s own financial situation growing up, operates on a sliding pay scale and never turns anyone away. “Money is not the motive here,” White says. “Yes, you have to pay your bills, and it’s nice to make a living, but we’re a mom-and-pop-type school. To me, it’s about all the proverbial pebbles, all the ripples that might become waves that take students on journeys they’ll still be on long after I’m gone. Legacy. Accessibility. That’s what motivates me.” “Before coming to White Tiger, my son tried two other dojos,” Tahiluma Fernandez tells AQUA Miami while watching her son practice a complex kata. “He plateaued at both, and we never saw any progress. But after the first two sessions at White Tiger, we noticed an immediate difference in his enthusiasm to go to the dojo and learn. Where we really saw the difference is in how the older students help teach the younger students; that level of dedication and maturity from the older students I hadn’t seen in other studios. Sensei Carol has really done an excellent job at creating this little community where everyone

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helps each other, and the kids thrive and learn martial arts. I couldn’t recommend her studio any more highly than I already do.” Fernandez is not alone: White Tiger & Dragon has an extraordinarily high retention rate and includes wunderkind students such as Damien Villafane, who began at the school at age four, earned an adult black belt at 12, earned a second degree black belt at 14, and, now, at 16 continues to train hard, serving as an example for kids to emulate as well as an ambassador for the school and the value of martial arts. “He’s our youngest sensei,” White says, “and we couldn’t be prouder.” HONOR & LEGACY “People around town call me Sensei so often,” White says with a laugh, “I sometimes almost forget my own name.” For her, however, it’s a welcome sign

of how deeply embedded her school and philosophy is in the community. Which is to say, it transcends her as an individual—though former students will still often stop by to catch up with their old Sensei, some from more than two decades ago. “It’s an honor to be a part of their lives as long as possible,” White says. White uses the word “legacy” quite a bit. She thinks about it perhaps even more. What does it mean to carry forward the legacy of, yes, her father, but also the martial artists and fighters in her lineage that can be traced back through the generations to England, Ireland, and Italy? Or that of Kempo, a style that, in one iteration or another, has existed for more than five hundred years? Or to be a female trailblazer in a male-dominated industry? “I have a lot of legacies that I have to live up to,” she says. “And a lot of legacies that I

want to keep alive and pass on to the next generation.” In this, White looks once again to Bruce Lee. “Bruce Lee strove to be a citizen of the world,” she says. “He didn’t look at his sparring partners, adversaries, or anybody else as an enemy. He looked at everyone as a potential friend, a potential ally, a potential teacher. He knew you had to rise above to make a larger, more fundamental impact. That word rise always resonates with me—yes, you can rise against many things in life, but it’s just as important to rise for things. At White Tiger & Dragon, we teach our students to get strong, be strong, and stay strong, so that they can do just that.” One can imagine Lee—who once said, “the key to immortality is first living a life worth remembering”—smiling at White’s words and school from somewhere in the ether.

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PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF STEVEN RODRIGUEZ AND LISMEILYN MACHADO

Passion and Plant-Based Pastelitos Husband and wife innovators Steven Rodriguez and Lismeilyn Machado pay homage to Cuban culture, cuisine, and tradition—just with a few game-changing ingredients. BY SHAWN MACOMBER

COOKING, IT HAS been said, is love made visible. And few know the truth of this better than Steven Rodriguez and Lismeilyn “Liz” Machado, the husband-and-wife team whose improbable, near-miraculous, muchcelebrated plant-based Kendall restaurant, Vegan Cuban Cuisine, would not exist without it. Machado and Rodriguez were both born in Cuba and, though they immigrated to the United States young, living in Miami’s vibrant, bustling Cuban community with large Cuban families allowed them to keep a strong connection to the culture and traditions of the small island nation from which they came. Cuisine is inextricably woven into this fabric, as any stroll down Calle Ocho in Little Havana will attest. Which was fine by Machado and Rodriguez…until they adopted a whole food plant-based diet in 2017. “We still went out to Cuban restaurants

with family and friends, of course,” Machado tells AQUA Miami. “But those aren’t the most plant-based-friendly menus, so we resigned ourselves to mostly ordering just rice and sweet plantains.” This is where the love comes in: At a family baby shower, Rodriguez’ mother surprised the couple with a plant-based version of arroz imperial—Cuban imperial rice. “She substituted tofu for chicken and a potato-based cheese for the dairy kind,” Machado says. But this was no mere halfhearted accommodation. “It was really good,” Machado recalls. “Like, really good. Everyone at the party was very surprised by how tasty it was, and I had this realization that Cuban food—like any cuisine—is not good because of the animal product. It’s good because of how you cook it; it’s good because of what we call sazón, or seasoning in English. That is the base, not the animal.”

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A NEW BEGINNING In Machado and Rodriguez’ eyes, plant-based Cuban food definitely seemed like an idea whose time had come. It was a concept that deserved a wider set of diners than one baby shower. Still, the couple were hardly restaurateurs out of central casting: She is an architect; he works in marketing. But they did always dream of owning a business aligned with their values. Could this be it? Machado and Rodriguez began developing recipes at home, experimenting, refining, leaning on “very loving, but very honest” extended family members for feedback. “Until they say, ‘This is as good or better than the original’ or ‘I can’t even tell this is vegetarian,’” Machado says, “then we’re not done.” (That’s the process and standard to this day, incidentally.) Once ready, they began testing the waters at farmers’ markets and through small catering orders. “We focused mostly on finger foods at first,” Machado says. “You know, things people could bring to parties or family gatherings for plant-based or

health-conscious eaters.” This included soonto-be-famous ham and chickpea croquetas, or the meat or guava and cheese pastelitos. Vegan Cuban Cuisine was born. The response was overwhelmingly positive. When COVID threatened to stop them in their tracks, however, Machado and Rodriguez pivoted and focused on their online delivery presence, which grew exponentially during a time when so many other businesses struggled. The couple found a space close to where they lived, and in late 2020, opened a takeout spot with a little pickup window—no dine-in, just a few tables outside. Any fears over whether their clientele would follow them from the digital to brick-and-mortar world were instantly set aside on the first day of the “soft” opening: “We couldn’t believe how many people came out to support us,” Machado says. “We even had to close the second day because we hadn’t been prepared for the demand.” In the Spring of 2025, the restaurant expanded to include a chic, welcoming dine-in space.

TAKING OFF “We have had to learn everything pretty fast,” Machado says. “Neither Stephen nor I have any restaurant experience, so we taught ourselves through books, online courses, conversations with other business owners— anywhere and everywhere we could think of. I believe that has worked to our advantage, though. Our mindset from the beginning has been to keep learning, keep innovating, keep testing the limits. And that’s easier to do, I think, when you already came to the business from a different direction than most others. We’ve had our ups and downs like everyone, of course, but we’ve always been able to adapt and innovate…because we’ve been adapting and innovating since day one.” The current diverse, bountiful menu reflects that: from the delectable Mojo crispy chick’n wrap, plant-based Cubano sandwich, mini churro donuts, and croqueta preparada to the scrambled egg sandwich, tropical power bowl, Frita sliders, Abuelita’s flan, and beyond. (They also have fantastic children’s

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burrito and bowl offerings.) Another reason for the restaurant’s success could be Vegan Cuban Cuisine’s focus on expansive inclusivity rather than niche exclusivity. This is a high-end restaurant that seeks to not only offer a much-needed plant-based option for devotees of Cuban food and culture, but also an organic, healthy alternative for omnivores. “I have family members with high cholesterol whose doctors have told them they can’t have the traditional Cuban burger because it’s a lot of fat and chorizo and a lot of other things they shouldn’t be eating,” Machado says. “So, we offer them one that is delicious and made with good, clean ingredients and has the same flavors—just without the stuff that’s putting their health at risk.” Are a lot of these omnivores skeptical at first? Well…of course. But the team

at Vegan Cuban Cuisine relishes the challenge. “Sometimes people will come in with a family member who sees ‘plantbased chicken’ or ‘organic plant-based ham’ and is like, ‘I am not signing up for that!’” Machado says. “But once they see the dish and smell the aromas, you can see them get curious. Usually, they’ll end up ordering something or trying a bite from their loved one’s plate, and I’d say more than 90% of the time they’ll be happy with it. Which is very satisfying… It’s what keeps us motivated to continue creating new recipes and moving forward.” Would you expect a unique, innovative restaurant built on a foundation of love and compassion to be cooking up anything less? For more information, visit vegancubancuisine.com.

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Singer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist Tatiana Blades on honoring the dead, finding her voice, and how love, mercy, and rock n’ roll might yet save us all. BY SHAWN MACOMBER

THE MORNING AFTER Kate Kipnis was killed by a drunk driver in Little Havana in May of 2025, her close friend Tatiana Blades awoke to two mysterious light taps on her forehead. Rather than dismiss the nudge as some fleeting temporal oddity, Blades got out of bed and made her way to her kitchen where—without any filter or contrivance—she sang a few vulnerable, heartfelt lines into her phone voice memo app. This channeling became the foundation for “That Night,” the poignant, soul-stirring, and, ultimately, life-affirming track that is now the solo debut single of Blades, perhaps best

known up until now as frontwoman of The Collektives. Blessed with a versatile voice that can go from torch songstress powerhouse to ethereal resonance— think a range that can call to mind Emily Haines of Metric and PJ Harvey as much as it does Roberta Flack and Paula Cole—Blades teases the nuance out of every complicated emotion. “This track marks the beginning of my solo career and releasing music that means something to me with the intention of sharing that feeling with the listener,” Blades tells AQUA Miami. “I want to communicate to people: You’re not alone. I’ve been there, too. We can get through this.’”

PHOTOGRAPHS COURTESY OF TATIANA BLADES

GOING HER OWN WAY

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DEEP ROOTS The debut is also a long time coming. Though Blades possesses an incredible musical pedigree—her father is Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Roberto Blades; her uncle is 25-time Grammy winner Rubén Blades; her mom was a bartender at Kendall’s legendary Honky Tonks—and had obvious talent as a singer and instrumentalist from early on—she still owns the keyboard her beloved rock n’ roll love-bequeathing stepfather gave her for Christmas at age seven and studied voice, violin, and piano at the city’s music magnet schools; she had no small degree of reluctance to get into the family business. “I would go with my dad to Crescent Moon Studios,” (the studio opened by Gloria Estefan’s musical partner and husband Emilio Estefan) “where I met Jon Secada, Jennifer Lopez right when she was recording On the 6, Shakira right before she became Shakira,” Blades says. It was pretty rarefied air, in short. And Blades had some amazing opportunities while there: She recorded sample tracks for up-and-coming artists; landed some gigs singing on different DJs’ tracks. But her heart wasn’t quite in it. People had a preconceived notion of what she would be based on her family. “I respected Latin pop artists, but that wasn’t what I wanted to do,” Blades says. “I was more into alternative, weird stuff. 90s rock. Things that were not very mainstream.”

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A WINDING PATH Blades left music behind for dance, despite a somewhat checkered history. “When I was a kid, I was in ballet,” she says with a laugh, “but got kicked out because I wouldn’t sit still or stop improvising.” Her adult self didn’t have to worry about such critiques, working in dynamic contemporary genres like jazz, hip-hop, freestyle house, and afro house at nightlife hotspots around the city. Eventually she formed Aura Entertainment, a fully licensed, insured, and trademarked agency that “provides all-inclusive production and artistic direction for the world’s most prestigious venues” in 2012 to address some of the inequities she faced as a woman in a maledominated, often exploitative industry.

“I wanted to create an agency that supports artists,” Blades says, “and doesn’t take advantage of them.” Today, Aura has a roster of nearly 200 performers of every skill set and genre imaginable. And yet…music still tapped at her heart and soul, persistently. “They say what’s meant for you will always find you,” Blades says. “I believe sometimes we must allow it to find us. In 2018 I found music again. Or maybe it found me again.” Through a mutual friend, Blades met local musician Eddy Gatoe. The pair started jamming three or four nights a week with a slowly growing group of musicians. “We would just play whatever we wanted, however we wanted,” Blades says. “It didn’t need to be perfect. It didn’t need to be anything. In that freedom I started to realize where my voice could go. That’s when I fell back in love with music.” The band was christened The Collektives. At the group’s first gig at the now-shuttered Little Havana rock spot Bar Nancy—packed to the gills, much to Blades’ surprise and dismay— she had to excuse herself to the bathroom and recite some affirmations in the mirror. Believe in yourself. You want to do this. You need to do this. Believe…in…yourself. She sang from a stool for that performance. When it was over, she walked off in such a near-fugue state she had to ask a friend how the performance had gone over. “You didn’t hear the applause?” the friend replied. “You didn’t see how into it people were?” LIVING THROUGH PASSION Blades is more in her element these days. At a recent performance at the open-air Hollywood Beach Bandshell, the latest lineup of The Collektives put on a show that was as eclectic in song choice as it was cathartic in emotion. Blades was a consummate show woman throughout, holding the crowd in the palm of her hand, hitting every note perfectly. The show served as the live debut of “That Night” as well. It carried a bit more unfortunate

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resonance for Blades in the aftermath of the death of her uncle a month earlier. Afterward, a young woman came up amongst the other fans seeking autographs and Collektives T-shirts to tell Blades the song had touched her because her high school boyfriend had also been killed at age 18 by a drunk driver. “I wrote those lyrics from Katie’s perspective,” Blades says. “But when I listen to it now, I realize the song is more universal than that. It’s for anyone who survived the loss of a loved one and is left behind to just love them from afar.” Another person impressed by the track? Blades’ father who, like the rest of the family Blades, may not believe in nepotism or success without sacrifice, but definitely is all for advice and encouragement where warranted. “He was like, ‘That’s a really good song. You should continue putting your work out there,’” Blades recalls. “It meant so much to me because I respect my father and uncle a lot musically. They are inherently talented in a way that is amazing to watch. And I always try to kind of tap into that while honoring who I am. So, to get his approval on ‘That Night’ was a great moment. It was like he was telling me, ‘Okay, you’ve got the skills and the talent. Now go make it happen.’” Blades’ upcoming second solo single, “The Void,” deals with the passing of a loyal companion dog, subject matter that will surprise no one familiar with the fact that not only has Blades herself has adopted more than 20 rescue dogs over the course of her adult life, but also has founded a nonprofit called the Paw Heart Society to help neglected and at-risk animals throughout Miami, whether in shelters, abusive situations, good homes experiencing economic turbulence, or even, lately, animals displaced by immigration enforcement actions. (The day of our interview, Blades rushes out at the end to go rescue two ailing street dogs reported to her.) It seems Blades is dedicated to creating a substantive, positive body of work from a substantive, positive life. “I think most people with a little practice can be a singer,” Blades says. “It’s more difficult

to be a true artist, and that’s what I want to be. For a long time, I’ve asked myself, ‘What’s the point of living?’ The answer that I’ve landed on is that life is about sharing our gifts and what we love with others, being open and awake to the beauty of the world, and being as honest as we can be with ourselves and others about all of it. If we can all strive to do that every day, good things will follow. I have to believe that. I do believe that.” For more information, visit tatianablades.com.

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WANDERLUST

AQUA Miami’s intrepid travel correspondent Gerry Barker undertakes a thrilling northwest expedition of his own aboard American Cruise Lines newest riverboat. BY GERRY BARKER

IN 1804, acting on a directive from President Thomas Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark embarked from near the mouth of the Missouri River to explore, map, and chart the newly acquired land from the Louisiana Purchase. The pair had hoped to find a direct water route to the Pacific Ocean. Alas, two years and almost 8,000 miles later, Lewis and Clark had failed to find the “Northwest Passage.” However, they did— with the help of Sacagawea, famously— manage to trace the Columbia River to the Pacific. Today, the Columbia and Snake Rivers are the most popular destinations for American Cruise Lines, the leading cruise line in the United States, which operates 25 ships across 35 states.

THE AMERICAN ENCORE In May, American Cruise Lines launched a new riverboat to keep up with demand: The American Encore is not only the first riverboat christened in Idaho, but also America’s largest and most luxurious ship, staffed by a crew 60 members strong. After making a stop at Oregon’s breathtaking Multnomah Falls, my wife Pam and I had the opportunity to sail aboard Encore from Stevenson, Washington to Clarkston, Washinton. To say it lived up to the hype would be something of an understatement: The Encore’s five decks are easy to navigate, and every spacious stateroom has a balcony. It’s their first ship to include the Signature Suite—at 1500-square-feet the largest suite on any river ship—and all meals, drinks, entertainment, gratuities, Wi-fi, and a

PHOTOGRAPHS BY GERRY BARKER

Lewis and Clark and Me

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complimentary shore excursion at every stop are included in the fare. There are so many things to like about American Cruise Line’s approach to small ship cruising. At the top of the list is how they transport your luggage from a pre-cruise stay at a hotel directly to your stateroom. All ships book fewer than 200 guests, ensuring more personalized service, easy on and off, and a chance to meet and get to know your fellow passengers. Download their American Explorer app, and you have a personalized portal with a daily planner, your chosen excursions, and a way to view and select items from the restaurant menus. There are two dining venues onboard, and we found the food, tailored to local Northwest favorites, very good to exceptional. On American, the focus is on culture, history, and relaxation. You won’t find a casino, swimming pool, or flashy Broadway productions—although the resident entertainer was quite good. The onboard lecturer provided fascinating insights into Lewis and Clark’s expedition, as well as other topics. There are several lounge areas where you can play games, surf the Internet, or grab a pair of binoculars to admire the wildlife that call the river home.

If you’re like us, more often than not, you’ll take a cocktail or glass of wine to the sun deck and marvel at the passing scenery, which includes a number of locks and dams, watching the landscape shift from lush rainforests to the arid, moon-like lava flows in Hells Canyon. (Be sure to pack both sweaters and sunscreen.)

This page: From top left: The Encore docked in Stevenson, Washington. An atrium on Encore. Lava flows along Hells Canyon Opposite page: Mount Hood

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WANDERLUST

This page: Top: An obscured view of Mount St. Helens. Right: The Flavel House in Astoria Opposite page: Clockwise from top left: Neon Sign Museum; Big Horn Sheep in Hells Canyon; Multnomah Falls; The REACH Museum

Here are a few of the high points: Astoria, Oregon. Known as the winter home of Lewis and Clark. Astoria possesses a charm and terrain similar to San Francisco. Our guide took us to the historic Flavel House Museum, a Queen Anne-style Victorian mansion built by Capt. George Flavel in 1886. On the grounds is a giant Sequoia Redwood, planted in 1890. (They say touch the trunk to ensure long life—we did.) Then we headed downtown to the Blue Scorcher Bakery for the best croissants this side of France. The guide also pointed out the former Red-Light District. Or, as he said in his French accent, “the houses of negotiated affection.” In the afternoon, we visited an oyster farm on the Pacific coast to enjoy wine and fresh oysters. Kalama, Washington. Here we took one of America’s modern motorcoaches to Mount St. Helens, the scene of a 1980 volcanic eruption that killed 57 people. At the visitor center, you get a thorough overview of that day as well as the geology of the region. Unfortunately, low clouds, fog, and mist obscured our view of the volcano itself. It’s still the most active of all volcanoes in the United States.

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The Dalles, Oregon. This is where you transition from forests to high desert. Inhabited for over 10,000 years and the final stop on the Overland Oregon Trail, it is known for its cherry production as well as a Google data center. We stopped in at the National Neon Sign Museum, a wonderland of American nostalgia, then visited Fort Dalles, a 19th-century Army outpost. If you love outdoor art, there are over 40 murals painted on downtown buildings and streets. Richland, Washington. During World War II, this sleepy little enclave of 250 people became one of three secret sites that played a vital role in the Manhattan Project. More than 15,000 workers, scientists, and engineers came together to create the world’s first full-

scale nuclear reactor for the production of plutonium. The REACH Museum details that effort, along with the geology, history, and culture of the region. It’s fascinating to look inside one of the buses that took workers to and from the facilities, with its messages to stay silent about the work being done. Richland also houses the conning tower and sail for the Triton submarine, which made history in 1960 by completing the world’s first fully submerged circumnavigation of the Earth. In the afternoon, we had a wine tasting at the Kiona Winery and Vineyards, the first vineyard planted on Red Mountain and family-run for three generations. Clarkston, Washington. While my travel companion enjoyed a visit to the Rivaura

Estate Vineyard and Winery, I stepped aboard a boat for the Snake River Jet Boat Adventure, a high-speed, five-hour ride into Hells Canyon, the deepest river gorge in North America, which borders three states. You had to hold on tight at places where the river became rapids, and we slowed down to admire the bighorn sheep that dotted the canyon walls or view ancient petroglyphs. American also offers helicopter tours if you’re so inclined. Overall, one walks away from this tour with a new appreciation for what Lewis and Clark endured on their journey, and how they pioneered the way for what we enjoy today from the unmatched comfort of American Encore. To keep up with the Barkers’ many adventures, visit northpalmbeachlife.com.

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PARTNER CONTENT

Get Down to Business Let’s talk about the estate plan you keep meaning to make but haven’t. BY ALINA F. NUÑEZ, ESQ., ESTATE PLANNING AND PROBATE ATTORNEY IF YOU’RE IN your 30s, 40s, or 50s, you’ve probably thought about estate planning at least once… usually at 2 a.m., right after a friend mentioned their parent’s messy probate case or you saw on Facebook that a high school friend passed away. Then life took over, and the thought disappeared into the same drawer as “reorganize the garage.” You’re not alone: Most people in this age group know estate planning matters, yet a majority still don’t have basic documents in place. Here are the three questions that come up most, and what to actually do about them. “Do I need a will, a trust, or both?” A will tells the court what you want done with your property and, critically, names a guardian for your kids. A trust does more: It lets assets bypass probate entirely, stays private, and can control how and when heirs receive money, extremely useful if you own a home, have young beneficiaries, or want to avoid a court process that can take months. The honest answer: Most families with kids or a house benefit from both. A will catches anything you didn’t formally transfer into the trust; the trust handles the rest quietly. “Who takes care of my kids if something happens to us?” This is the question that keeps people up at night, and it’s also the one that stalls the most plans because naming a guardian feels impossible to get “right.” The fix is to stop treating it as permanent. Name the best option available today, in writing, and revisit it every few years. An unnamed guardian means a judge decides, based on limited information, during the worst week of your family’s life. A named one, even an imperfect one, is a choice YOU made with love and context. “What if I don’t die, but I can’t make decisions?” Incapacity is more common than early death, and far less discussed. Without a healthcare directive and durable power of attorney, your spouse or adult child may need a court’s permission just to pay your mortgage or talk to your doctor. These two documents are inexpensive, fast to set up, and arguably more urgent than the will itself. None of this requires a six-figure net worth or a weekend with a lawyer. Start with the two decisions above, guardian and decisionmaker, and put them in writing this month. The plan doesn’t have to

be perfect. It just has to exist. If your estate plan hasn’t been reviewed in the last few years, or worse yet, doesn’t exist, now is the time to change that. Our team works with families and business owners throughout the area to build trusts and estate plans that protect what matters and keep decisions in your hands, not a courtroom’s. Make someday today and reach out to our office to start the conversation. Alina F. Nuñez, Esq. is the principal attorney at Nunez Estate Law & Title, a Miami-based law firm devoted to helping families safeguard their wealth and smoothly transfer it to the next generation.

Schedule Your Consultation – “Protect your family today—your legacy depends on it” | 305-962-5929 | nunezlawfl.com

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PHOTO OP

THRILLER NIGHT THE CITY OF CORAL GABLES advises residents to get into that spooky season spirit!

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Have a great image for Photo Op? Submit your high-resolution shot to shawn.macomber@ wainscotmedia.com

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