HOTBED
OF JAZZ
The Betsy Hotel CLEANING OUR CANALS With Flowers MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME
Chiragan Decor
Create Where
Timeless Elegance, Effortless Living
Designed by the renowned Robert A.M. Stern Architects, The St. Regis Residences, Miami is redefining waterfront living in South Brickell. With construction underway, this extraordinary vision is becoming reality. Expansive bayfront views, a private marina, and the culinary artistry of MICHELIN-starred Chef Fabio Trabocchi set the stage for an unparalleled lifestyle. Legendary St. Regis service ensures seamless living, with personalized concierge offerings and bespoke in-residence services. Here, timeless elegance and modern indulgence come together in a truly unmatched experience.
WDREAMING BIG
WHENEVER JUNE rolls around, I start thinking about three things: Constant rain storms, blistering heat and my birthday. It’s great to have a mid-year birthday because I can take stock of what’s happened and start planning what I want the next six months to look like. That kind of self-reflection requires honesty about where you’re at right now, and that’s what I had in mind when talking to our featured community members. We hope you appreciate the reflections from everyone who contributed.
Maybe you relate to Jazmin LockeRodriguez just like I did. She’s been recognized for her scientific work with her floating wetlands, a project that places gardens in the water to help clean up pollution. Waiting for growth can be difficult without a good amount of patience, but she is sincere about the initiative’s progress while having hope for the future. For another good reflection, you’ll want to hear from Mitchell Kaplan, Books & Books founder, in our Sunshine
State department. Gerry Barker has him and a famous author to contemplate the impact of a good book on the cultural consciousness—and how one novel can change the future.
The star of our show is the Ozer family, a husband and wife business team with two lovely daughters. This family is building a legacy by opening Chiragan, a home furnishings store in Merrick Park. If you like experiences curated to the highest level of luxury, take the afternoon to browse their store and learn all about what they have to offer in just a few turns of the page.
What ideas do you have today that could change your life in the next six months? What will you do to make sure that they happen? I’m inspired by the connections we’ve made this month to dream bigger about my future and see what happens.
Morgan C. Mullings Editor
Advertising Director Daisy Abreu daisy.abreu@wainscotmedia.com
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AQUA Pinecrest 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 2025 by Wainscot Media LLC. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.
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STEVENSON ALTIDOR
Raised in Miami, Florida, Stevenson began contributing as a music writer for traklife and fuxwithit before freelancing for the Miami New Times. As a contributor, Stevenson highlights emerging and underrepresented acts in hip-hop and R&B. When he isn’t writing, Stevenson runs his music discovery platform, Them Hues, and performs poetry around Miami.
GERRY BARKER
Gerry’s two passions are writing and travel. Atlanta-born and Texas-raised, he left an awardwinning media career to see the world. Today, he maintains a website, North Palm Beach Life, and works as a freelance travel writer. Follow his adventures every month in Wanderlust
ROCHELLE B. WEINSTEIN
Rochelle B. Weinstein is the USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of eight contemporary fiction novels, her most recent, We Are Made of Stars A former entertainment industry executive, she splits her time between Miami and the mountains of North Carolina. When she’s not writing, she’s sharing book recommendations at literary salon Women Writers, Women’s Books, teaching workshops at Nova Southeastern University’s Alvin Sherman Library, hiking, reading and plotting out future stories.
A Cultural Exchange Jazz:
The Betsy Hotel’s jazz program keeps reverence for the genre alive.
BY STEVENSON ALTIDOR
CO-OWNER OF THE BETSY HOTEL, Jonathan Plutzik glows with excitement as he regales me with stories of his jazz days. With each name dropped came a new and interesting story; dinner with a renowned musician or a starry night powdering the Miami skyline as a pianist pulls the moon above the horizon. Each new tidbit would build the artists up as heroes with a childlike wonder, as if he played no role besides stargazing.
Growing up in Rochester, New York, Jonathan’s childhood revolved around engaging the art world with care and humility. His father, Hyam Plutzik, a poet and three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, passed away when Jonathan Plutzik was seven. His mother, who is 105 years old, imbued him with the belief that creatives are at the top of the pyramid. However, his love for jazz began at home, as he studied the saxophone under Gerry Niewood, composer Chuck Mangione’s saxophonist. In high school, he would play during the day and attend jazz clubs to watch Buddy Rich and Maynard Ferguson perform once school was out.
Now 70 years old and a Miami local for twenty years, Jonathan Plutzik has built up
The Betsy Hotel as the hotbed for Miami jazz. Experiences range from nine live jazz shows seven nights a week, to a weekly Ocean Drive Promenade Music Series every Sunday, to the annual Overture to Overtown Jazz event. Here’s Jonathan Plutzik’s take on the Miami jazz scene.
What is your personal definition of jazz music?
I view it as deeply American music. It’s filled with creativity and improvisation. There is a difference between playing the great works of art by people written in the 18th, 19th or 20th century versus playing it differently every time it gets played, which is the nature of jazz.
How does Miami jazz fit into your definition? Is it a slightly different language based on the perception of the city?
I’ve been thinking about this lately. I spent my childhood in Rochester and then through college. Thinking about how I lived in New York City for several decades and now, I’ve been living in Miami for the past 20 years, the first thing that comes to mind is obviously
what I just described as an American art form, but here in Miami, there’s a significant Latin overlay, which is important. So, when I first described it as an American art form, I won’t back away from that. However, it’s been wonderful to see the fusing of what I characterize as traditional American jazz with this Latin influence. Each musician who comes through reflects various pieces of that influence. However, it feels reflective of the evolution of our country in some ways.
A couple of years ago, you said Miami Beach and Miami are among the world’s best cultural centers, but they have done poorly in branding themselves. Has there been any improvement on that front? Both things are true. Yes, we’ve improved a lot in branding and accessibility, but there’s still much to do. Ask a random person what the first thing they think of when they hear Miami and Miami Beach is, and generally, it’s not arts and culture. Yet at The Betsy, we have our events. Take a 10-minute walk down the street, you’ll see the New World Center, the Bass Museum, the Boltonian Museum, the Jewish Museum and O Cinema and so much more. You’ve got the Perez Museum and more. We’ve become
the crossroads of the world. Also, I have this theory about what I would characterize as the core circuit of America. America’s core circuit is the New York Hamptons, Aspen, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, LA and South Florida. And that’s the cultural, musical, entertainment and financial swirl in America. Miami is by far the most international city in the country per capita. All of these things contribute to the growth of our place, which is an important cultural spot. Let me say, we still have much work to do to connect this gap.
How do you balance luxury in both price and environment, yet refrain from being considered high art?
It’s in our collective DNA. This is a natural place for us to be interested in the arts, celebrate its people the right way and create a welcoming environment. My wife grew up in Zimbabwe, and the consequence is that we have an international view of art. We care deeply about having great art and having great art from a diverse group of artists. It’s what we are here for. We want to spread the word about it. We talk to people about it. We want to be a place where people come to drink, share ideas and discuss the world’s problems. To be comfortable being
The Betsy Hotel’s programming includes renowned pianists, saxophonists and even poets.
here. For everyone and anyone to feel welcomed here. And I’m lucky to have a wife, a sister, a son and a team who all care deeply about it too.
What is your current view of the jazz scene here in Miami, and what is your vision for it in the next five to ten years?
I’m not an expert in it, but there’s been an ebb and flow. Currently, we have more venues that are a home for jazz. With that, there’s an opportunity to invest in these things. You have things like The Miami Foundation, the Knight Foundation, the Nu Deco Ensemble and philanthropists
like Dan Lewis, all of whom pour a ton of money into the arts. There’s an increased awareness in the arts community, institutionalized community and institutional foundation community of how critical it is to promote the diverse interests and culture of Greater Miami. But inevitably, we are worried about the world we live in at the moment, the economy and what it means for commerce. I am an optimist and part of that comes from the fact that South Florida is booming. There are a lot of people moving here. There’s job growth. Now, it doesn’t mean everyone’s doing well. We undeniably have housing issues. Some policies that are being
pursued might hinder that and create a bit of a nervous overhang about the world. I hope that the economic policy doesn’t hurt a lot of people. But I’m optimistic that our piece of the world has a chance to continue to flourish in profound ways.
Are there any talents in the jazz scene that you want to give a shoutout to or some of your favorite ones that you book often?
I don’t want to leave anybody out because all these great musicians are coming through. My frame of reference is our Sunday concerts, but there are a bunch of profoundly talented musicians who come through here. We’ve had Tal Cohen, Jim Gasior, Brian Murphy, Cindy and Ryan Ellis, a young couple who run a music program together at the New World School for the Arts. It’s always great to have artists like Danny Mixon here or Charlie Suri. Nestor Torres, he’s played with damn near everybody. So again, there are others I should mention, and I feel bad that I can’t name them all. My brain’s not fast enough anymore.
While many of the programs are enjoyed indoors, The Betsy Hotel’s partnership with Ocean Drive Arts provides outdoor concerts at Lummus Park—which return to the Betsy Hotel lobby when it rains.
Keeping Reading Alive Talks
Mitchell Kaplan and Les Standiford are legends in Miami’s world of the written word; they’re now together at sea to share their success stories
BY GERRY BARKER
MIAMI IN THE EARLY EIGHTIES has been characterized as “a modern day Casablanca,” with its cultural mix of immigrants, Cuban refugees and a drug war. All the elements for a good, hardboiled detective story.
It was against this backdrop that Mitchell Kaplan and Les Standiford met. Kaplan, owner of the Florida book chain Books & Books and co-founder of the Miami Book Fair and Standiford, a professor at Florida International University and author of several best sellers, were recently aboard the sailing yacht Sea Cloud Spirit to deliver a series of lectures and reflect on their careers.
MEETING
OF THE MINDS
“I had just opened my [Coral Gables] bookshop in 1982,” says Kaplan, “and Les came in as a visiting professor at FIU. There was an immediate connection and friendship.”
“I was trying to be a writer,” says Standiford, who resides with his family in Pinecrest, “and Mitchell had just set out to be a bookseller. He told me he had all these ideas about a book fair that was going to shut down central Miami and bring 400 or 500 authors to town.”
Standiford was skeptical.
But by 1985, when he became a permanent member of the FIU faculty, “the bookstore was thriving and the book fair was taking place. And Mitchell was right.”
“When it comes to books and reading, Miami has always been underestimated,” says Kaplan. Book buyers there were as sophisticated “as you find in New York City or anywhere else. I knew if we brought writers of note to Miami,
Les Standiford’s contribution to the lectures included stories of his books inspiring today’s Brightline trains. Right: A Books & Books location can even be found in the Miami International Airport.
there would be an audience for those writers.” His first fair featured famed author James Baldwin.
Aside from co-founding the book fair, Kaplan serves as chairperson of its Board of Directors. He recently served a twoyear term as president of the American Booksellers Association and is on the board of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression.
“Between the bookstores and the book fair, we have probably presented every important writer of the last half of the 20th century,” he adds. “I’m proud it’s helped Miami be thought of as a literary community.”
Standiford, the author of the John Deal detective series and more recently, nonfiction books that chronicle historic events, has developed a writing program at FIU that has “attracted writers of all kinds,” he says. One of his graduates is Dennis Lehane, whose thesis became the book “Mystic River,” later made into a movie directed by Clint Eastwood.
Another one of his students, Vicki Hendricks, was cited in a New York Times article for writing one of eight seminal books in the crime writing genre, Miami Purity
“It’s gratifying when you see a student have success like that,” says Standiford, “because it suggests you are doing something worthwhile in this teaching.”
Besides his role as founding director of the FIU Creative Writing Program, Standiford holds the Peter Meinke Chair in Creative Writing at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg. His accolades include the Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Award, the Frank O’Connor Award for Short Fiction and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Fiction.
THE POWER OF WRITING
One of the duo’s onboard lectures was centered around Standiford’s book “Last Train to Paradise,” a historic account of Henry Flagler’s monumental effort to build a railroad that would bring tourists to Key West over a hundred miles of open water. Standiford related how that book was the inspiration for the train that currently takes passengers from Miami to OrlandoBrightline.
Standiford got an invitation to Brightline’s inaugural trip to Orlando, where he learned every Brightline new hire gets a copy of “Last Train to Paradise.” He recalled that once they arrived at the Brightline station, there were cheerleaders, a band and media from around the world. “Then Brightline’s founder, Wes Edens, gets on stage and says, ‘If 10 years ago I hadn’t read a book called Last Train to
Paradise by Les Standiford, we wouldn’t be here today’.”
Suddenly, he was getting a loud ovation. “Here’s a billionaire giving me credit for one of his bright ideas,” says Standiford, “and I thought wow—and they say literature makes nothing happen.”
While Kaplan sees political efforts to censure books in Florida as very sad, he’s also encouraged by a new generation of young people embracing the written word. “The really good news, as a bookstore, is that there’s a whole group of young people who are thrilled about books and reading,” Kaplan says. “People from the mid-twenties to their late thirties are completely bowled over by the written word.”
Interest is just as high in Standiford’s FIU program. “We get five times the number of applicants we can accept to the graduate program,” he says. “This is a place where people who love to write can be with others... who think it’s the most important thing in the world.”
Kaplan says bookstores play an important role as well. “From my perspective, a good bookstore acts as a community center. People want to congregate in real places. Too much of their world is online, on their phones. They want to hang out in a real space where they can feel some sense of humanity, some sense of connection with their neighbors.”
There are days when Kaplan walks into his bookstore, sees a new generation embracing books and realizes he could be one of his customers’ fathers, or grandfathers. “It’s really cool.”
The Power of
PLANTING
These stems are more than pretty— they’re cleaning Pinecrest’s water.
BYMORGAN C. MULLINGS
WWHAT MIGHT SEEM like a decorative attraction floating through the village canals is actually a larger effort to combat a dangerous type of pollution: algae blooms. Jazmin Locke-Rodriguez wanted to implement a big project, floating “islands” of plants in our water that will absorb excess nutrients and keep algae blooms from forming. These blooms may sound harmless, but they are the reason for mass fish deaths on our expansive shores.
“I decided to go to school for sustainable agriculture specifically. That’s when I was really interested in finding a way to clean our waterways of these excess nutrients,” Locke-Rodriguez told AQUA Pinecrest in an interview. “When I realized that hydroponics can grow plants strictly on water and uptake these nutrients, why can’t we put crops on open water?”
Locke-Rodriguez became Pinecrest’s partner in February. The village has the same concerns, and once they saw the potential in her idea, knew they wanted to give “floating wetlands” a try.
PROTECTING CANALS
Locke-Rodriguez isn’t just a plant enthusiast. She’s an environmental scientist that studies hydroponics and is passionate about creative solutions for our changing landscape.
As a post-doctoral associate at the Institute of Environment (IoE) at FIU, she created Green Thumb Strategies, which launched Phytoflora—the startup collaborating with both Pinecrest and the university to get this done.
The canals we see in the neighborhood may not be natural, but they are needed with our amount of rainwater—and they drain into Biscayne Bay where there was a concerning “fish kill” in 2020. Besides increasing fish kills, she’s noticing coral reef and seagrass damage, too. Pinecrest’s solution until this point has been to spray herbicide and prevent the algae and other invasive plants from growing. This project is actively working to replace unnatural herbicide.
“It’s really beneficial that we’re going out to these platforms and harvesting these plants regularly, because it means that we’re cleaning more,” says Locke-Rodriguez. Simply put, “the more we grow, the more we cut, the more we clean.”
It’s possible to hear about the process in person, too. Phytoflora shows up at the Pinecrest Farmer’s Market at Pinecrest Gardens to sell flowers and answer questions about the process. “And as we sell these flowers,” Locke-Rodriguez says, “we now are able to…offset some of the costs and help sustain the operation
Floating wetlands allow flowers to grow straight from the water rather than relying on soil.
overall. It’s meant to be a cycle.” Though they’re still in the pilot phase, Phytoflora aims to complete this cycle by adding new jobs to keep up the maintenance the floating wetlands require.
PLANTS AND COMMUNITY
Locke-Rodriguez also has a desire to connect more with the community beyond village-wide notices. “Hopefully it’s an opportunity for people to ask questions about what each of our impact is on our water bodies,” says LockeRodriguez. Ever heard the phrase, “All drains lead to the ocean”?
It may be time to look inwards at how “all of our actions, even in our small neighborhoods, contribute to the health of our natural environment.” Many Miamians, not just the environmentally conscious, are taking notice. When Locke-Rodriguez published some of her first scientific articles around her findings, organizations like the Miami Herald and NBC 6 picked them up. That’s how Pinecrest got word of her idea and became the incubator for this unique solution.
“It’s a pretty personal, unique problem to them,” Locke-Rodriguez says.
“You could say they’re one of the last communities at the end of the pipe, so they’re receiving everybody’s runoff.”
PROBLEM SOLVING
What could be concentrated in the water that facilitates those algae blooms? According to Locke-Rodriguez, it’s nutrients such as fertilizers we use to grow crops that wash off with the rain into the waterways. They are the leading cause of algae blooms.
The main waterways that run through Southwest Dade are managed by the state, but it’s Pinecrest’s responsibility to manage the secondary canals connected to the large ones. “It’s difficult for them,
because they’re a small municipality as well. So, it’s a big task to undertake.”
Locke-Rodriguez is up for the challenge, but there are some roadblocks mixed in with the growth. Explaining Phytoflora’s mission isn’t the easiest when the problem of algae blooms isn’t well known. Residents want to know when the flowers will be fully grown or how the village will benefit overall from the project. Plus, herbicide, the chemicals used before Phytoflora came in, is still the most common remedy. Still, it’s safe to say that the flowers are doing well on their floating islands and at the market, too.
“The main test flowers that we’re using are ones that do well in our climate,”
Phytoflora has partnered with Florida International University and the Village of Pinecrest to pilot and maintain this environmental project.
Locke-Rodriguez explains. The marigolds, velosia, canna lilies and goldenrods bloom in beautiful colors and various sizes, creating a garden that grows straight from the water. It’s only the beginning of the rainy season, and once it starts pouring, there will be even more growth to celebrate. LockeRodriguez knows that the current growth may not be enough for Pinecrest residents to trust that the floating wetlands project is worth it. She wants them to know that it will be about another month before the watery garden reaches its expected fullness.
“We need at least 12 weeks for everything to be established, and we did establish it in February,” meaning June is the beginning of this project’s maturation.
When Locke-Rodriguez reflects on her partnership with Pinecrest, she is grateful that they took a chance on her, and that it is paying off. “I was definitely looking for partnership. It was humbling that I didn’t have to go very far, it kind of came to me,” she says. It was also motivating because she was able to get started and take the next steps very quickly once the village put its trust in her startup. She hopes that the whole community will continue to be open to trying new things. “I think that it’s going to be a bit of a learning curve too, for everybody to have a holistic understanding of how do we address water quality needs of a community that’s connected to such a large system.” The knowledge will grow as the plants grow and adapt to their new environment.
Somehow, Pinecrest is just perfect for an innovation like this. Locke-Rodriguez notices the large gardening community and says, “flowers probably spoke to their identity.” Pinecrest recently secured a $400,000 environmental grant, based on the composting program they pioneered. The scientist recognized Pinecrest’s solutionsoriented approach to the environment.
“They’re kind of helping be a model for other communities, too, that this can work, that it’s worth doing.”
Jazmin Locke-Rodriguez sees Pinecrest as a special place for environmental innovation and natural solutions to modern problems.
A Make Yourself AT HOME
BY MORGAN C. MULLINGS
A NEW HOME DECOR STORE has come to Coral Gables with an elevated approach to shopping in a space that is carefully curated. Chiragan CEO Ekrem Ozer told us, “The concept is the best of Europe coming into North America.” Whether you’re taking an afternoon for a leisurely bout of retail therapy or bringing your design team to finalize the details of your new home, you will find what you’re looking for at Chiragan. Clients who are building homes or moving to new
locales often spend hours and hours in the design process. “We want to make this as pleasurable and fun as possible,” he says.
Guests are greeted with an elegantly decorated lounge area where they’ll have their pick of champagne, coffee or tea, and take their time, “because you are going to be with these items for decades, if not for generations.” Retail offerings abound in the city, but clients often find themselves hopping from store to store, exhausting themselves in the process. “Luxury starts
Chiragan has the best of Europe here in Miami.
The Ozer family moved from Singapore to Miami to raise their two daughters, Isabelle and Olivia.
Everything that we carry is longstanding, very well-established European brands that have been around
for centuries.”
usually before the purchase happens,” says Ekrem. Shoppers complain about not having a place to sit down, so Chiragan aims to give them the atmosphere they need to choose pieces.
The Ozer family prioritizes the stock just as much as the experience. The Chiragan website (chiraganhome.com) and recently opened store are the brainchild of Ekrem and his wife, Anna Ozer, who have lived in Coral Gables with their daughters Isabelle and Olivia for four years They’re excited to tap into this market with their new approach. “We are trying to be a one-stop shop for everything that you need,” he explains, starting with each room in the home.
Everything in the store was carefully curated and tested by Anna and Ekrem, so customers can ask them about any wares that pique their curiosity.
WONDERFUL WARES
The bedroom is one of the most important areas of the home, and assuming you spend multiple hours in there a day, you might agree. That’s why Chiragan has its own line of bedding manufactured in Italy and in Turkey. Buyers can choose from several options in addition to the in-house brand, like SFERRA, an Italian legacy brand of high-quality linens. “Then of course, the mattress you sleep on is very important,” Ekrem explains. Find highly coveted Vispring mattresses, the brand claiming the finest handmade beds, made of all-natural materials, like most of the products you’ll find.
Then there’s the area in your home with the highest traffic: the kitchen. Channel French cuisine with select plates from Bernardaud. “This is the only brand that still exists that hand makes the plates in France in their own factory,” he says. And what goes better with tasteful French dinner plates than iconic Christofle silverware? “They have been around for over 200 years, and this is the best silverware that you can find—silverware that you can comfortably say decorates the palaces across Europe.” Going with a legacy brand doesn’t mean living in the past. Updated art styles and collaborations from these brands are giving homes a fresh look
When looking for crystal options suitable for the table, Hermes is ready and waiting. However, pickier designers can choose unique glasses from Riedel, the “wine instrument” maker. The glasses are drink specific. “The shape of the glass actually determines the taste or aroma that you experience…it’s important to use the right glass to make the most out of it,” Ekrem notes.
Never pour a Bordeaux into a Pinot Noir glass— the owner was a skeptic, too, until he tasted the difference.
Lastly, the accessories that put the finishing touches on every home are handpicked to work with various design styles. Whether it’s coffee table books, decorative objects or candles, each piece is a conversation starter. “One of my favorites is James Bond Destinations from Assouline. It’s basically a discussion of all the James Bond movies and the cities they’ve been with beautiful photography,” he says.
A NEW HOME
Ekrem and Anna Ozer have lived across continents for work, but most recently lived in Singapore before coming to Miami. “Every time that you come into a new city, you buy furniture, you decorate your home. You make it like a home rather than a house,” says Anna Ozer. This process teaches them a lot about each city they’re putting down roots in and shows them what may be missing. “We saw a lot of challenges, but then we tried to turn those challenges into advantages for our business.”
What could have been a tedious exercise turned into a process that was fun and exciting for the couple, deciding on their brand’s linen offerings, crystal and vases. “My wife actually spent a ton of time in the design process of those things. It was a difficult journey but at the same time super rewarding in terms of education,” says the CEO, adding that the journey into manufacturing has influenced their process for selecting store items.
“We believe that we are now in such a good place to advise clients, having gone through all these different things and experiencing it ourselves,” Anna says. What they want to show customers is product expertise, not just a marketing ploy.
“One of the other things we did was agree not to sell any item that we don’t use at home.” This was only made possible through two years of gradually testing products from the aforementioned brands, preventing the future hiccup of a store associate blanking on answers to customer questions. “We are very much aware of how these things behave because we’ve used every single item at home for the past two years,” Anna affirms.
It’s meticulous work, but her husband’s business acumen keeps the venture in good shape. From Turkey, his business aspirations brought him from the U.S. to the U.K. and Asia as he earned his degree and entered the corporate world. He has worked at the highest executive level for well-known restaurant brands like Tim Hortons, and Chiragan is a result of their combined expertise.
Just like this family moved in four years ago, more wealth is coming in from
overseas and the northern states, and that means more demand for businesses like theirs. “There’s a lot of infrastructure and demographic shifts in the city…that reminded me about my time in emerging markets,” says Ekrem. Though the store just opened in Merrick Park, this is already reflected in Chirigan’s website sales. “I was pleasantly surprised to have orders coming from Arizona, California, New York. So, very happy to see that the product resonates across the U.S.”
But of course, he says, the service can only be experienced in person. Hopefully, “we can replicate this in other places.”
This Ozer family of four is inspired by an overseas location close to their hearts—Chiragan Palace in Istanbul, where Ekrem proposed to Anna and where the two eventually got married. “That’s a memory of love and celebration, and the start of our journey together. We wanted to give that same feeling to the business as well.”
Sail Away on Sea Cloud
BY GERRY BARKER
This trip on a German sailing yacht is a classy spin on a pirate adventure.
AFTER CLEARING SECURITY in Terminal J at Port Miami, my wife, Pam, and I stepped outside, and there she was. Pam abruptly stopped in her tracks and just gazed, fan-girl style, at the three-masted ship docked before us. It was, she told me, her White Lotus moment, referring to the HBO show centered on posh resorts.
The ship we were about to board is the Sea Cloud Spirit, a 457-foot sailing yacht boasting 28 sails and accommodating 136 passengers and 85 crew. While Pam was romanticizing about White Lotus, I had visions of Errol Flynn, knife between his teeth, catapulting on the deck of a pirate ship in the 1935 film Captain Blood
This was our first experience on a sailing yacht at sea, and visions of adventure, romance and the swashbuckling days of yesteryear came easily. Then again, Errol Flynn was never greeted by the captain and the cruise director with glasses of champagne, was he?
For the next nine days, we would be sailing round-trip from Miami to two Bahamas out-islands: Exuma and Eleuthera, plus Key West—at least, that was the plan.
A STORIED HISTORY
Sea Cloud Cruises, based in Germany, operates three sailing yachts: The original Sea Cloud, Sea Cloud II and Sea Cloud Spirit. Sea Cloud, built in 1931, has a rich and fascinating history. Commissioned by socialite Marjorie Merriweather Post (the cereal heiress who was the original owner of Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach) and her husband,
E.F. Hutton, it debuted with the name Hussar and was the largest private sailing yacht in the world at the time.
Over the years, it acquired a new name—Sea Cloud—and after being refitted for wartime duty in World War II, and rebuilt afterwards, eventually became the presidential yacht for Dominican Republic dictator Rafael Trujillo, who renamed it Angelita. Through other names and other owners, it was eventually acquired by a group of Hamburg-based businessmen who restored not only her name, Sea Cloud, but also brought her back to her former glory. An update: Sea Cloud is now being refitted to function as a private charter vessel, including removing cabins added in the 1970s.
Sea Cloud Spirit, the largest of the yacht fleet owned by the company, was launched in 2021, and her crew is dedicated to one goal: Making you feel as special as you’ll feel on the ship itself. From our stateroom to the public spaces, the polished dark woods and teak decks conjure images of the finest European hotels. Our Junior Suite on Deck 3 was large—over 300 square feet—and gorgeously appointed, featuring arched, panoramic windows, a queen-size bed, walkin closet, sofa, balcony and bath with a jetted tub and gold vessel sink.
On this cruise, roughly half of the 90 guests onboard were German and the rest from North America. Announcements are made in both languages and lectures as well. On our shore excursions, English was the primary language spoken.
ONBOARD OFFERINGS
While the ship offers water sports and features a well-appointed spa and fitness center, the main activity is just what Ms. Post did back in the day—relax and socialize. Whether under sail or using the engines, the pace is appreciably slower—typically 4 to 9 knots. Just right to sip a cocktail in the openair Lido Bar and Bistro while the Caribbean trade winds fill the sails.
Speaking of, one of the first events for guests is watching the raising of the sails. Crewpersons working in teams uncoil ropes, activate pulleys and climb the rigging to unfurl sails on three tall masts which reach up to 190 feet in the air. Just watching them scurry about had me reaching for another Dramamine.
Feeling adventurous? You, too, can join the crew and climb the rigging. All you have to do is pass a basic fitness test and not be afraid of heights. Willing souls are strapped securely to safety lines and accompanied by two of the ship’s crew as they ascend to a platform 45 feet above the deck. I opted to stay grounded and take photos.
Lectures are a major part of the daily programming, and we were fortunate to have distinguished author Les Standiford (Last Train to Paradise, Meet You in Hell) and founder of Books & Books and the Miami Book Fair International, Mitchell Kaplan, onboard to reflect on their careers and accomplishments. The pair also hosted a screening of The Man Who Invented Christmas, based on Standiford’s book about Charles Dickens. Kaplan was one
The ship offered a mix of buffet-style dinners on the Lido deck and sit-down dinners in the restaurant.
of the film’s producers.
As we approached our first stop, Eleuthera, the captain announced the winds were too high to safely anchor. The winds continued to bedevil us at our stop in Exuma, where they had to cancel “Swimming With the Pigs,” one of the island’s key attractions, due to windy conditions. But that didn’t stop the beach barbecue the crew prepared for us at the Grand Isle Resort, where a local band entertained.
Later, the captain gathered us all in the lounge to make an announcement: We were changing course and heading back to Eleuthera. Even if that meant foregoing Key West, there were cheers all around.
The captain made a great decision.
Our excursion to Schooner Cays, a privately-owned island near Eleuthera, was one of the highlights of the cruise. This remote, Robinson Crusoe-esque sanctuary
provided an idyllic setting: Pure white sand beaches and clear, aquamarine waters as far as the eye can see.
Later, the Sea Cloud crew arranged a bonfire on the beach at Eleuthera, where a Caribbean sunset provided the perfect ending to our day.
A FULL-SAIL EXPERIENCE
Food on the ship was uniformly good, with most meals served buffet-style on the Lido deck. You knew it was time to eat when they rang the traditional bell. There were also several sit-down dinners, including the Captain’s Gala Dinner and Nostalgic Farewell Dinner, served in the restaurant. One of the most fun evenings was a James Bond-themed dinner that featured waiters in sunglasses, a mini casino and all the trappings of Monte Carlo.
Along with a number of salad selections and fresh fruit, the chef can also accommodate special requests. We asked for veggie burgers, which were delicious. Be forewarned: The ice cream they always have on hand is impossible to resist.
For entertainment, Eduardo from Brazil was the DJ on Lido who kept the music going into the late evening. One night was devoted to a White Party, and let me tell you, those Germans know how to party. Guests were also treated to a concert of “salty songs from the sea” by the ship’s crew, The Sea Cloud Spirit Shanty Singers. As we sailed under a blanket of stars, it was only fitting that astrophysicist Dr. Dirk Soltau was on hand to tell us more about the Caribbean skies. For wine lovers, Nils Lackner, who is the head sommelier
with a Level 2 certification as an oyster expert, hosted tastings, gave lectures and assisted guests with their wine choices.
A Sea Cloud cruise is all-inclusive and includes gratuities and port fees, meals, drinks (excluding premium brands), some shore excursions, depending on where you are sailing, and laundry service in the suites. Wi-Fi is extra, available in increments of 5 and 10 GB. The ship uses Starlink, so connectivity was generally good.
When Ms. Post and her husband owned Sea Cloud, they had a pet Galápagos giant tortoise onboard named Jumbo for their daughter, Dina. As the story goes, the turtle mistook Ms. Post’s red painted toes for a tomato and bit her.
There were no Jumbo sightings on our cruise, or any signs of Captain Blood. But the dapper Mr. Flynn would feel right at home sipping champagne on the sun deck as the sails carried the ship along to the next great adventure.
The Sea Cloud Crew provided excellent service and went above and beyond for special experiences like themed dinners and excursions.
The Summer Reading List
Put away your phone and pick up a book you just can’t put down.
BY ROCHELLE B. WEINSTEIN
SUN’S OUT. School’s Out. June marks the mid-year point, a time to reflect and relax as we dive into vacation vibes. At the top of my June Picks are Wally Lamb’s The River is Waiting, Ali Brady’s Battle of the Bookstore and Taylor Jenkins Reid’s Atmosphere And because longer days mean more time for reading, we asked our favorite book-loving friends to weigh in. From romance to literary fiction to just plain fun, we’ve got your summer reading list covered.
Recommended by Annabel Monaghan, USA Today Bestselling Author:
• Far and Away by Amy Poeppel –“Amy’s the master of smart and funny interpersonal chaos, and this is her best book yet.”
• Welcome to Murder Week by Karen Dukess – “An utterly original five-star read.”
• W here You’re Planted by Melanie Sweeney – “A work of art—raw and romantic, exploring every nuance of human frailty.”
Recommended by Jamie Rosenblit, Beauty & The Book:
• Home of the American Circus by Allison Larkin – “A beautiful story of found family.”
• The Griffin Sisters’ Greatest Hits by Jennifer Weiner – “A powerful story of sisterhood and coming of age, relatable for anyone who’s struggled with body image.”
• King of Ashes by S.A. Cosby – “A unique thriller that will hook the savviest reader.”
Recommended by Andrea Katz, Great Thoughts, Great Readers:
• Jill Is Not Happy by Kaira Rouda – “The perfect, happy couple (or perfect delusion) makes for the perfect thriller.”
• Beach House Rules by Kristy Woodson Harvey – “Women supporting women with a dark twist…can’t go wrong.”
• Sing Me Home to Carolina by Joy Callaway – “Callaway dazzles with this small-town romance and delightful characters.”
Recommended by Annissa Armstrong, Read with Jenna:
• It’s a Love Story by Annabel Monaghan – “My favorite Monaghan read, and I’ve read them all.”
• The Names by Florence Knapp –“Emotional novel about naming a child and how different life can be depending on that name.”
• W here the Rivers Merge by Mary Alice Monroe – “A beautiful, multigenerational story readers will fall in love with.”
Recommended by Lauren Margolin, Good Book Fairy:
• My Friends by Fredrik Backman – “Laughter, tears, deep friendship and the power of art.”
• The Memory Collectors by Dete Meserve –“A genre-bending mystery that asks: What would you do if you could spend an hour in your past?”
• The Bright Years by Sarah Damoff – “This heartbreaker of a book will stay with you long after the last page.”
Recommended by Renee Weingarten, Renee’s Reading Club:
• Songs of Summer by Jane L. Rosen – “Captures the magic of Fire Island with a playlist sure to inspire romance.”
• The Dark Maestro by Brendan Slocumb –“A moving story of music, sacrifice and loyalty.”
• Roll the Sun Across the Sky by Barbara Linn Probst – “A raw, emotionally mesmerizing story of complicated relationships and the quest for redemption.”
Follow our contributors on Instagram or Facebook and share the love of reading. And be sure to stop by Books & Books where you’ll find these fabulous reads. Say hello to Mitchell and staff!
Rochelle B. Weinstein is the USA Today and Amazon bestselling author of eight contemporary fiction novels, her most recent, We Are Made of Stars A former entertainment industry executive, she splits her time between Miami and the mountains of North Carolina. When she’s not writing, she’s sharing book recommendations at literary salon Women Writers, Women’s Books, teaching workshops at Nova Southeastern University’s Alvin Sherman Library, hiking, reading and plotting out future stories.
Navigating Uncertainty
Why sound planning and smart allocation matter more than ever.
BY AL MAULINI, CFP®, CPM®, CEPA® Private Wealth Management of Coral Gables
RECENT
MARKET volatility, trade tensions and talk of recession have understandably raised concerns. Uncertainty can feel threatening—especially when it comes to your financial future. But with a thoughtful, diversified financial plan and a dedicated advisor, you can navigate through challenging times.
MARKET CYCLES ARE NORMAL
Volatility and recessions are part of the economic cycle. Historically, recessions occur every six to 10 years and typically last about 10 months, while expansions last much longer. Emotional reactions to downturns can cause more harm than the downturns themselves. Staying disciplined is essential.
HEADLINES AND MARKET IMPACT
Tariffs and global trade tensions have disrupted markets, increased business costs and triggered uncertainty. While unsettling, much of this information is already priced into the markets. Reacting to headlines often results in poor investment decisions. Instead, stay focused on your long-term strategy and maintain diversification; it pays off.
THE IMPORTANCE OF A FINANCIAL PLAN
A strong financial plan isn’t built for ideal conditions—it’s built for uncertainty. Our plans are stresstested for scenarios like market drops, inflation spikes or extended longevity. Regular reviews ensure your plan remains aligned with your goals, no matter what the markets are doing.
ASSET ALLOCATION AS A DEFENSE STRATEGY
Your portfolio’s structure plays a key role in risk management. Asset allocation—spreading investments across stocks, bonds, cash and alternatives—is designed to balance risk and opportunity. Rebalancing and tax-aware investing are essential parts of maintaining this balance.
TIME IN THE MARKET BEATS TIMING THE MARKET
Attempting to time the market is risky. J.P. Morgan research shows that
missing just a few of the best market days significantly reduces long-term returns. Staying invested through ups and downs is a proven strategy for long-term success.
YOUR ADVISOR IS YOUR ANCHOR
During uncertain times, having a knowledgeable fiduciary advisor can make all the difference. Someone who understands your goals and guides you with perspective and discipline helps you stay on track when emotions run high.
LOOKING AHEAD
History shows that despite challenges, from recessions to pandemics, markets recover and grow over time. With a strong plan, a diversified portfolio and trusted guidance, you’re well-positioned to face whatever comes next.
If you have questions about your plan or portfolio, don’t hesitate to reach out. In times of uncertainty, confidence comes not from predicting the future but from being prepared for it.
141 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables, FL, 33134 305-548-2247
Securities offered through Raymond James Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Investment advisory services are offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Private Wealth Management of Coral Gables is separately owned and operated and not independently registered as a broker-dealer or investment advisor.
Investment advisory services offered through Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. Private Wealth Management of Coral Gables is not a registered broker/dealer and is independent from Raymond James Financial Services.
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Set amidst the pristinely landscaped streets and refined energy of Coral Gables, directly across from The Plaza, this exclusive 58-boutique building offers luxurious 2-5 bedroom residences. Each home is thoughtfully designed and curated by the renowned Meyer Davis, blending contemporary luxury with old world charm.