Wire Magazine Issue 29

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ALL WIRED UP

BY THOMAS BARKER

STEAMY SUMMER FASHIONS HIT THE CATWALK THIS WEEK As one of the most tropical destinations in the United States, it is no wonder that Miami Beach hosts one of the largest swimwear shows in the country, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week SWIM. Over the next few days, the Miami Beach scene will be bombarded with fashion shows, fabulous soirees, VIPs, celebrities, and, of course, beautiful models. In a city where fashion is everything, this is just one continual celebration, which is why we decided to dedicate our issue to the colorful world of summer fashions.

To kick off the issue, we partnered with one of SoBe’s hottest new swimwear labels, Rockstar Swimwear. The face of their new swimwear line and Wire Magazine’s cover model is none other than Brazilian born Rodney Santiago from Mega Models. Rodney has lived in Miami for only a few years, but has already become one of the local fashion industry’s favorite faces. For this cover shot, Rodney is sporting the brightly colored Eden Roc swimsuit from Rockstar Swimwear’s latest collection.

For more information on Rockstar Swimwear or to purchase a swimsuit, visit www.rockstarswimwear. com or email Rockstar Swimwear designer Prashant Thakker at prashant@rockstartans.com.

To celebrate Wire Magazine’s Summer Fashion issue, we decided to focus on two designers that have made a name for themselves on the local fashion circuit, Red Carter and Shay Todd.

Red Carter moved to Miami over eight years ago to work for a start-up fashion licensing company. A couple years after the move, Red decided to launch his own swimwear line and name it after himself. Since then, Red Carter’s swimwear has become one of the most sought after swimwear lines in Miami and around the country.

Saks Fifth Avenue, Intermix, and Barney’s New York, among many more, have come on board to sell Red’s fantastic swimsuits.

This weekend, Red will showcase his latest collection, which he jokingly refers to as “Rock ‘n’ Roll, Space Age Hooker circa 1984”. Red always puts on a wonderful show and with a theme like that, we can only bet this year is going to be one for the record books.

Another designer we just can’t get enough of is Shay Todd. Shay has been a designer of the stars for years now, and has repeatedly shown at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Her swimsuits have been sported by some of the biggest names in the celebutante world, including Lindsay Lohan, Kim Kardashian, and Eva Longoria. Shay Todd’s shows always garner a crowd of celebrities and jetsetters, so if you’re looking for a show filled with great fashions and the gliteratti, Shay Todd’s show will definitely be the place to be.

Also in this issue, I took a little time to sit with Irwin Keller, aka Winnie, from the Kinsey Sicks. The Kinsey Sicks will be returning to the Colony Theater this Sunday at 7 p.m. to perform their latest production, Wake the F@#K Up America! Local promoter and COVER PHOTO BY: HECTOR RODRIGUEZ

event producer Edison Farrow is bringing the talented quartet in to tantalize, appall, nauseate, and entertain.

After sitting down with Irwin, I am sure the show this Sunday is going to be a hit, and we are very excited about their return to Miami Beach.

You’ll also notice the return of our monthly feature, Wired Inside the Artists Studio, where we feature the incredible photography of John Anthony Sutton of Image1st. After moving here from London with his business partner Danny Gabriel, John and Danny are determined to change the local art scene one image at a time. We are very happy to showcase their work in the pages of Wire Magazine this week.

Of course, no issue would be complete without our biweekly columns. This week, Jim Keizer discusses how to reduce the likelihood of gaining a few pounds over holiday weekends, and how to drop them if you do.

In Wire Legal, Edward T. Yevoli provides Wire Magazine readers with a way to secure your assets, should something fatal happen to your partner. For those of us who are registered as domestic partners in Miami, this information is quite useful, as the federal government does not recognize same sex couples, so it is important that we take every precaution necessary to protect our families.

In all, we have a fantastic issue, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as we did putting it together.

WIRE STAFF CEO/PUBLISHER: rafa carvajal EXECUTIVE EDITOR/PUBLISHER: thomas barker DESIGN DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION: jose gonzalez/true ink designs l.l.c.

COLUMNISTS/WRITERS: alfredo barrios dr. leonard tachmes liza m santana jim keizer joe jackson

PHOTOGRAPHERS: john anthony sutton & danny gabriel | image1st.com dale stine | dalestine.com juan saco mironoff | miami-gay-blog.com henry perez | henry1dj@bellsouth.net WIRE MAGAZINE IS PUBLISHED, PRODUCED AND OWNED BY WIRE MEDIA GROUP L.L.C. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

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PUBLISHERS’ CORNER SUMMER FEST ’09 RETURNING TO SOBE! ELECTIONS HAVE CONSEQUENCES… First a quick reminder: The July 17th deadline for our current Wire Magazine “pick your own prize” contest is fast approaching, so visit www.wireweekly.com and participate for a chance to win great and valuable prizes.

Summer Fest ’09 and the Equality Florida Bar Crawl are coming back to SoBe on Friday, July 31st, 2009.

A series of fabulous events sponsored

by Belvedere Vodka and Bud Light will take place from Friday to Sunday at Table 8, Hotel Victor, Score, Palace, Halo, and TWIST. We encourage all Wire Magazine readers to visit www.summerfestmiami. com to purchase your tickets and learn about all the weekend’s festivities. All proceeds from your ticket purchases will directly benefit The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and Equality Florida.

As the summer kicks into full gear, Wire Magazine will bring you some great new issues in the coming weeks. This week we bring you our Summer Fashion issue to celebrate the fact that Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week is back in town, and lots of amazing designers are showcasing their collections under the tents at the Raleigh Hotel.

The following week, we will publish our Summer Travel issue to provide you with some great vacation ideas, so you can add more alternatives to your travel adventures for the summer. After that, Wire Magazine will focus on Summer Fest ’09 by providing a preview of the upcoming events, followed by a Summer Fest Photo Album with

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tons of great photographs from all the festivities, so we can all remember what a fun time we had partying SoBe style.

On a more serious note, we also want to remind Wire Magazine’s readers that several political races are starting to kick into high gear. A number of local Miami Beach politicos have started fundraising and reaching out to their constituents, as part of their mission to get elected to the Miami Beach City Commission. Michael Sasser profiles one of the candidates, Sherry Roberts, in his column, Post Modern Politics, this week. Wire Magazine encourages everyone to start learning about the candidates by attending some of their political events, and to support those people who you feel are the best qualified to represent you as city commissioners.

As I watched the confirmation hearings of Judge Sonia Sotomayor this week, I was reminded how powerful and historic political change can be. In less than one year, our country will have seen Barack Obama elected as the first black President of the United States and Sonia Sotomayor appointed by him as the first Hispanic woman Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court.

These are times of great change made possible by political involvement and activism on the part of the American electorate. As Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) put it so clearly during the Senate Judiciary Committee opening day of hearings on the nomination of Judge Sotomayor: “Elections have consequences. Republicans lost and don't get to pick. That's the way it works.” So remember this and make sure you exercise your right to

make a difference in our democracy. Everyone can influence historic change when they put their minds to it, and our country keeps proving to us that anything is possible in this great land of opportunity.

As a Hispanic, when I see the face of Judge Sotomayor before a Senate committee, composed mostly of white men, I also can’t help thinking about my grandmother and mother’s strong sense of right and wrong, humility, and tremendous work ethic. That is a powerful image embedded in my mind forever. It also reminded me of my mother’s long fight for survival and success after she became a young widow with three small children and, recently, as she successfully fought off an aggressive form of breast cancer. We all have our challenges and fights in life and, in my case, I have lived to see strong Hispanic women make a tremendous difference in my life and that of my family. So regardless of her political views, I have no doubt that Judge Sotomayor will bring a much needed dose of diversity to the Supreme Court of the United States and, in her own unique way, make a tremendous difference in the lives of many Americans.

Have a wonderful week and feel free to stop us on the streets of Miami and the Beaches to share your thoughts and ideas with Wire Magazine.

Cheers, Rafa For The Publishers Rafa Carvajal: rafa@wire-magazine.com Thomas Barker: thomas@wire-magazine.com

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PALACE HOSTS FOURTH OF JULY SOIREE PHOTOS BY HENRY PEREZ

Every Fourth of July, thousands of people flock to our multi-billion dollar sandbar to celebrate our country’s independence, enjoy beautiful fireworks, and party their butt off. Of course, the hottest place to party on the Fourth is Ocean Drive’s only gay bar, The Palace.

This year, Palace drag divas Geraldine, Sasha Sky, and Shanaya Bright set the stage for one hell of a show. As revelers sipped on a stiff cocktail or two, the girls shimmied, danced, and pranced all over Ocean Drive in celebration of the occasion. If that weren’t enough, DJ Pride was on hand, working the turntables all night, providing the crowd with some high-energy vocal beats. Once the fireworks began off of Ocean Drive, the incredibly talented Ceevox hit the stage and performed a couple tracks from her latest album.

Be sure to stop by the Palace this weekend for their Saturday party, Drags Gone Wild, and their weekly Sunday T-Dance. There’s always a crowd of nearly naked beach goers relaxing after a long day of sun and sand.

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PALACE HOSTS FOURTH OF JULY SOIREE PHOTOS BY HENRY PEREZ

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Wire Magazine Miami Beach Community Resource Listings Presented by South Beach Insurance

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ATTORNEYS Elizabeth Schwartz, Esq. 305.674.9222 560 Lincoln Road Miami Beach, FL 33139 www.sobelaw.com Steven Kozlowski, Esq. 305.673.8988 1111 Lincoln Road, Suite 400 Miami Beach, FL 33139 www.kozlowlaw.com

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REALTORS Laura Veitia Urban Resource 305.674.4141 www.UrbanResource.com Jeffrey J. Wilkinson, P.A. Douglas Elliman Florida 305.213.1495 Jnots@bellsouth.net Sherry Roberts SBB Realty 305.205.2030 www.southbeachboutiquerealty.com Alexandra Suarez Brickell Investment Realty 786.346.6663 www.alexandrasuarez.com Nathan Smith America’s Real Estate 305.724.8951 nps2376@comcast.net

GLBT RENTAL PROPERTIES Peter Gosselin Palm Grove Investment Properties 786.326.6366 pmgosselin@yahoo.com

WEBSITE RESOURCES COMMUNITY RESOURCES SoBe Social Club www.sobesocialclub.com Aquafoundation www.aquafoundation.org MDGLCC www.gogaymiami.com Penny Back Boyz www.pennybackboyz.com

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Lesbian Events www.icandeeproductions.com www.pandoraevents.com Miami Beach Gay Pride www.miamibeachgaypride.org LOCAL GLBT HEALTH ORGANIZATIONS South Beach AIDS Project www.sobeaids.org

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Unity Coalition www.unitycoalition.com GLSEN www.glsen.org

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POSTMODERN POLITICS

BY MICHAEL W. SASSER

COULD SHERRY ROBERTS BE A FIRST FOR MIAMI BEACH? Miami Beach and its residents pride themselves on the city being a liberal, open-minded community. Of course in many ways this belies racial and ethnic divides and a highly developed sense of provincialism. On its surface, though, and to many observers, it appears to be as much a liberal paradise socially as, say, California is an economic liberal paradise.

Yet a candidate for Miami Beach City Commission is attempting to become a notable first. Sherry Roberts wants to be the first gay woman elected to the city commission; and also the first gay person elected in a general election. Paris is running in the Group Two race (not that Miami Beach’s phony “groups” mean anything except as a contrived device to empower incumbents), has been a candidate since last fall, and is knocking on doors all over Miami Beach at this printing.

“As progressive as we are, [a gay person] has never been elected in a general election and I think it’s about time,” Roberts told POSTMODERN POLITICS. “The gay and lesbian community is very excited about it and their support has been very strong.”

Roberts came down from Ohio in 1996 “and never went back.” She has been with her partner for 26 years and together they have raised three children. She is a founder of South Beach Boutique Realty, a practice employing Roberts, her partner, and most recently an assistant.

She is neither a developer, nor a Beach “lifer,” as always seemed to be the case in Beach politics a decade or so ago.

She is also not a stupid woman. Although it’s wonderful to want to represent the GLBT community in this diverse city, she isn’t running as a “lesbian candidate”, and I am sure those around her have let her know that to rely on every

gay resident to come out and vote for her is a total fantasy.

“I want to represent everyone in Miami Beach,” Roberts said.

That’s nice, but Roberts also rightly pointed out that all candidates and politicians assert the same and that they make promises to do things – promises that usually fall as flat as “Read my lips…” or that there won’t be any tax increases of any kind on people “making under $250,000 a year.”

Rather, Roberts said it is important to look at what a person has done in his or her own life to try to ascertain if that person can get something done.

By that account, Roberts has a solid track record.

Sure, she has served as president of the Decoplage Condominium for six years; served on the Board of Adjustment and the city’s Beach Preservation Committee; is a member of ECOMB, the Botanical Gardens, and the Chamber of Commerce; and has been active both in Ohio and in South Florida in advocating for healthcare, senior, and other issues.

But Roberts has been successful in business as well, and not in businesses that involve always appearing before corrupt city boards anywhere. While South Beach Boutique Realty has been growing, Roberts has continued to manage a small business in Ohio that provides long-term psychological care.

“I throw myself full-force into everything I do, which is why I am successful at them,” Roberts said. Roberts continues by saying, she wants to join the commission because of her love for and appreciation of the unique aspects of the city. But she knows there are challenges ahead for Miami Beach. “We have to find a way to do the same things with less,” Roberts said. “We’re looking at a $23 million short-

WIRE LEGAL

fall. The best thing to do is go line by line in the budget to make cuts.”

As is the case with virtually every candidate for office in every election in Miami Beach, Roberts is concerned with safety, security, and sanitation efforts and the ramification on the vital tourist industry. Like, in particular, the admirable Saul Gross, she would like to streamline the permitting and licensure process of the city.

Could Roberts make a difference on budget and other issues in Miami Beach; and can she go on to become the first openly gay candidate elected to office in a general election? Perhaps. She certainly has the energy, the drive, and the commitment to knock on enough doors to make it happen.

But the real question is, can Roberts do what only a handful of commissioners in this tiny city have ever done: not succumb to cronyism, gamesmanship, posturing, egoism, pandering, and outright corruption? After all, none have avoided these pitfalls in a number of years now.

Obviously the answer is maybe.

However, based on her sincerity and a track record of success away from the gilded all-powerful halls of government, she just might become a rare gem.

In that way, Roberts might become not just the first out lesbian elected to the Miami Beach commission, but one of the very few legitimate ones the city has ever seen.

Wouldn’t that be something?

--Author and journalist Michael W. Sasser’s commentary on all things political appears exclusively in Wire Magazine. Your e-mail is welcome at SassFL@aol.com

BY EDWARD T. YEVOLI

SAFEGUARD YOUR ASSETS WITH A LIFE INSURANCE TRUST In a previous Wire Legal column, we discussed how the U.S. Defense of Marriage Act discriminates against GLBT couples by not recognizing domestic partnerships on a federal level.

As a result, gay couples have a lot of hoops to jump through in order to protect their assets in the event of their partner’s death.

Since same-sex couples cannot take advantage of the marital deduction, the transfer of assets at death may be subject to the federal estate taxes.

The starting point for the calculation of the federal estate tax is the gross estate. Generally, the gross estate is the sum of the fair market value of all of the assets of the decedent at his death, and the 45% tax is charged against the gross estate.

What many people do not realize is that the proceeds of life insurance – and not merely the cash value of a policy – are included in the gross estate. However, a time tested vehicle known as the life insurance trust, or ILIT, may be used to avoid this tax on the proceeds and should be particularly useful for same sex couples.

The life insurance trust generally works like this: Instead of a person purchasing a policy on his own life and holding it in his own name, an irrevocable trust is created to purchase the policy. The ILIT will have its own bank account and will be funded with premiums gifted to it by the person on whose life the policy is written. The beneficiary designation for the policy will also be the irrevocable trust.

On the death of the insured, the proceeds of the policy will fund the trust. Presumably, the beneficiaries of the trust will 12 | wire magazine

be the partner of the insured, and/or any other person or entity that the decedent chooses. Most importantly, because the premiums for the policy were gifted to the trust during the insured’s life, the proceeds of the policy are not included in the decedent’s gross estate and, therefore, fund the trust free of estate and income tax.

But what about gifts to the trust, are those tax free? Typically, ILITs are structured with so-called Crummey powers, whereby the beneficiaries of the trust will have a 30-day period to withdraw any premiums contributed to the trust prior to their payment. This withdrawal power allows the grantor of the trust to make present gifts to the ILIT that qualify for the $13,000 per year, per donee annual exclusion from gift tax.

Obviously, the ILIT allows gay couples to pass a lot of assets to his or her partner tax free. In addition, the trust can provide for a variety of other alternative or contingent beneficiaries in the event the same sex partner does not survive the insured.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the ILIT should allow same sex couples to avoid the lack of an insurable interest by the beneficiary of the trust, who may be deemed under federal or state law as unrelated because such person is not deemed to be married to the insured.

The disadvantages of the ILIT are that it is an irrevocable trust and therefore its terms cannot be changed following its creation. However, if the policy is funded with a term life insurance policy, simply stopping payment of premiums to the

trust will allow for the cancellation of the policy and therefore the trust.

Another disadvantage of the ILIT is the paperwork and procedures that are required. As stated, a bank account must be opened for the trust, a trustee must be appointed, and policy premiums must be paid and held in the trust for thirty days prior to their payment from the trust to the insurance company. In addition, a notice letter must be delivered to the persons who have the power to withdraw the funds from the trust at the same time the funds are delivered to the trust.

These disadvantages, however, are minor compared to the enormous tax savings available with ILITs. If you have additional questions or comments about ILITs or tax planning with life insurance, Wire Magazine recommends that you see an experienced tax advisor.

Edward T. Yevoli Ed Yevoli is a partner in the law firm Perlman, Yevoli and Albright, P.L. www.pyalaw.com

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FEATURE STORY: RED CARTER SWIMWEAR

'

BY THOMAS BARKER

Miami is home to some of the hottest people in the world.

Beautifully tanned and tone men and women flood our streets, bars, and clubs, making Miami one of the sexiest cities to visit. Now, no matter how beautiful a person is, it really takes the right fashion elements to take a diamond in the rough and turn it into a sensational piece of work. Luckily Miami is home to some of the most talented designers in the country and, during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, we will get to see the premiere of their latest collections.

One Miami designer who has continually made an impression on the glamorous and beautiful is the ever-talented Red Carter. Born in Southern California, Red spent most of his teenage years as a swimmer, diver, and water polo player. As he grew up, Red felt the need to explore his creative talents and decided to attend the Otis/Parson School of Art & Design. From that point on, Red’s love for the water and fashion combined to create some incredible clothing for a number of big name brands including Victoria’s Secret, Espirit, GUESS Jeans, and Oscar de la Renta.

After a few years of working in the L.A. fashion scene, Red decided to take a job, working for a fashion licensing company, creating swimsuits for a variety of major labels. Eventually Red decided to utilize his experience and love for swimwear and create his own label, Red Carter.

Seven years later, Red Carter is one of the most sought after swimwear lines in the country. Saks Fifth Avenue, Barney’s New York, and Intermix, among others, have all signed on board to offer Red’s unique swimsuits.

During the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, Red will premiere his latest collection of men and women’s swimsuits. The collection, which he jokingly refers to as “Rock ‘n’ Roll, Space Hooker circa 1984,” is chock full of colorful new prints – some of which he personally designed himself. And with every Red Carter show, you can expect to see some wonderful surprises.

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FEATURE STORY: RED CARTER SWIMWEAR Red definitely knows how to put on one hell of a production, and that is something we love him for. For those of us who have spent a lot of time sitting next to a runway, fashion shows can sometimes be a little tedious; however, Red always spices up the catwalk with beautiful models donning dramatic accent pieces. Needless to say, the shows are always the talk of every fashion week, and from my interview with Red this week, I am sure the Red Carter show will be once again.

Just check out what Red had to say, during our brief interview: How did you get into the fashion industry?

I went to school at the Otis/Parson School of Art and Design in Los Angeles, and my first job after college was working for Espirit.

How did wind up working on swimwear specifically?

I worked for a number of other companies in L.A., including GUESS Jeans, Massimo, and Espirit. Another fashion company that made swimsuits eventually recruited me, and that is where I really got a lot of experience designing swimwear. While working for that fashion company, I also spent some time designing for Victoria’s Secret and Oscar de la Renta.

When did you decide to create the clothing brand, Red Carter?

After working with that fashion company for three years, I decided to take a job at a start-up business, which focused more on licensing. I worked out of my home in Los Angeles on various fashion labels including Ecko and Mudd Jeans. I eventually moved to Miami and was let go from the company. I was stuck in Miami, and I had to come up with something if I wanted to stay here.

Otherwise, I would have had to move back to L.A. or to New York, because that is where all the work is. I decided to take a risk and start my own business.

How long have you been in business?

We have been around for seven years and this will be our fifth time showing at Swim Week.

What is the best part about showing during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week?

For me the best part is that my family always shows up. I get to share the experience with my friends and everyone I’ve worked with over the years. It’s always like getting a big hug, because I always feel supported by the community and the fashion community at large. I am so fortunate to work in fashion in Miami and live here. It’s always an honor for me. Our sponsor this season is Ban de Soliel, so it should be really fabulous.

Can you describe the collection you’ll be showing during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week?

I am calling it Rock ‘n’ Roll, Space Hooker circa 1984.

Basically I’ve taken some of the elements that I am well known for, such as ethnic and animal prints, to another level. We have done a really great job of identifying our customers here in Miami. I think the women here love to look sexy and glamorous. We then added a Rock ‘n’ Roll twist to those styles by adding a lot of leather, cut outs, and studs. I’ve also created some really interesting space shapes, including a few asymmetrical pieces. We really thought outside of the box on this collection. The

show will run in three different segments of fashion. We always love to give everyone a show they can hoot and holler about.

How do you find the fabrics you use for your swimwear?

Much like many of the other designers in the swimwear business, I do my shopping in Italy. I am always looking for interesting patterns and prints. I also do my own original development of prints and patterns. My collections always showcase what’s happening in Italy and trends that I think are important, which is why I design and develop some of my own prints. The silhouettes are all uniquely designed, and I put the color stories and pallets together. We are a true design house.

What are some of the trends you are seeing on the beach this summer?

Solids seem to be our number one request when it comes to bikinis. Ethnic and animal prints are also selling very well this summer. A lot of people are really into the crazy embellished stuff these days. People like their swimsuits to have a lot of personality and glam. I have never really done well with cute and preppy for some reason. I love a dirty girl! What can I say!

In terms of body shapes, what do you guys offer to people who might not be so willing to show off everything they got?

I always tell people if they are insecure about buying or wearing a swimsuit, they should spend some time preparing for the suit. Look your best, get a spray tan, and maintain your body… basically whatever you need to do to feel comfortable in a beautiful swimsuit. It’s important to take some risk, and try things on. I don’t think anyone in Miami is shy anymore.

In terms of what we offer, for ladies we like to offer separates, which are a big thing, because everyone’s bodies are built differently. If a woman has huge knockers, she is going to want banded under-bust to give her more support. If you are a regular girl, you might want a triangle top, which is adjustable. For the guys, we offer square cut, which I think is the most popular style available for men. We also make some nylon board shorts for people who don’t really want to show everything. Of course, we have the Speedo as well.

Thanks to the Europeans!

Where can swimsuits?

people

purchase

Red

Carter

People can pick up my swimsuits at Saks Fifth Avenue and Intermix. Guys can also pick up swimsuits at the Atrium. People can always go to our website, www. redcarter.com to look at our latest swimwear designs. If they see something they like, they can always call me up to pick up a swimsuit.

What is in the future for Red Carter?

Well, we just signed a contract to obtain a Jessica Simpson license, so this season we will be showing our Jessica Simpson collection at the Shoreclub in a private suite. We are collaborating with her to manufacture and distribute the brand. I work with her personally to put the collection together. She can really sell a product. She represents about $350 million worth of sales between handbags, shoes, perfumes, and accessories. She’s like Jaclyn Smith. wire magazine | 15

FEATURE STORY: SHAY TODD SWIMWEAR

THE OTHER

“FOUR LETTER WORDS” YOU SHOULD KNOW…

BY LIZA M. SANTANA

Her name has become synonymous with lifestyle, chic, and sophistication. Her fans range from young fashionistas to active women and famous faces across the map. Shay Todd seems to be the “it” brand that every woman wants. Successfully combining runway-inspired couture with beach-ready function, this designer has the right formula for success.

The Los Angeles based designer has been causing a stir for a few years now, without any loss in fizzle. Found at retailers worldwide, including Scoop, Intermix, Diane’s, Saks Fifth Avenue, Harrods, Curve, Atrium, and Shay Todd boutiques on Melrose Place, Manhattan Beach, CA, and the newly opened pop-up store at the famed Mondrian Hotel on the Sunset strip in Los Angeles, Shay Todd seems to be everywhere.

Her last collections have been none other than “fabulous.” One of her last two collections showcased at the Mercedes-Benz Swim Week, drew hundreds of trend-setters, Miami VIPs, and celebrities who danced to the music as models showed off their tanned and toned bodies in colorful, playful looks that were perfect for a day on the sand or a quick trip to St. Tropez. The looks immediately brought to mind American and Italian silver screen starlets of the 60s – an oh-so glamorous Parisian with a dose of modern elements. Graphic bold prints, delicious colors, and sexy silhouettes flowed seamlessly together to give the collection a truly unique feel. Loyal spectators included Kim Kardashian, Scott Storch, Tyson Beckford, and Chutney Ross, (Diana’s daughter) among a slew of others.

How does one top that? Do it over and over again. With an amazing eye for color and an understanding that women want to feel comfortable, Shay Todd uses her expertise and creative style to blend fun and sophistication, creating looks that are effortlessly chic.

Her collections evoke comfort and lifestyle. From maxi dresses to floral print tunics or her oh-so-popular swimsuits, her items are a hot ticket item this season, as they were last.

Manufactured in Los Angeles, Todd’s line has delivered the sophisticated woman a perfect choice. With anticipation, Todd enthusiasts can expect her to outdo herself and up the ante with her 2010 collection, which will feature swimwear, cover-ups, and resort wear.

This July, the designer will debut her new line showing a more playful side of herself by tapping into the 80s. The funky and alluring collection will feature four different 16 | wire magazine

FEATURE STORY: SHAY TODD SWIMWEAR identities all drawn from an era that brought us tons of excess. Presented by NIVEA, the show will take place on Friday, July 17, 2009 at 11 p.m. at the recently unveiled WET at W South Beach, located at 2201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach. South Beach’s latest destination will be transformed into a memorable setting, where a perfect blend of decadence and sexiness will meet the Miami sand.

Coinciding with the swimwear industry's largest trade show, the invitation only potpourri of events provide a runway platform for designers' swimwear and resort collections with exposure to national and international media, style setters, and, of course, fashionistas. Fashion, beauty, supermodels, and celebrities combine in the heart of South Beach to celebrate the sexiest swimwear designs from around the globe.

Comprised of feminine silhouettes and sexy cuts in muted and vivid tones, the collection excessively evokes a rendition of a very popular decade in a way only Shay Todd could create. Recognized as the master of Ăźber chic swimwear, Shay Todd strengthens a forwardthinking aesthetic with four identities paying homage to an unforgettable generation of fashion individualists.

Sponsored by such brands as Mercedes-Benz, American Express, and Ocean Drive Magazine, it’s no wonder the schedule of events are flocked with the most famous and beautiful faces. Shay Todd’s show will fit the bill perfectly, appealing to those with an appreciation for curves, sexappeal, and allure.

When you think you’ve had enough of the 80s‌ think again! We are all guilty of taking a fond look back at an era that brought us Dynasty, the Go-Gos, Super-models, tons of color, and made Aqua Net hairspray millions.

The 2010 beachwear line of Shay Todd will entertain, evoke, and most definitely inspire. Here’s a glimpse of each Todd “personality� that will grace the runway on July 17th: Androgynous Underground 80s Limelight NYC and the ‘up all night, sleep all day’ lifestyle coincide with the aggressive style and attitude of Grace Jones and Nina Hagen – the queens of 1980s underground fashion and music, where black eyeliner was your best friend and your look emulated those of The Cure and Ministry. Black, hot pink, and high-gloss set the framework of this collection.

Preppy 80s Clean, crisp, pale blues mixed with bright whites showcase the characters that made John Hughes so famous. With their BMWs, blazers, and early morning tennis after last night’s Ivy League party, the 80s prep crowd remained on top of their game, and, of course, in yuppie fashion!

New Wave Flamboyant 80s The composition of unbiased cuts, vivid colors, and oversized and overdone style reigned. Flamboyance was critical and New Wave fashionistas mimicked the styles of the B52’s, Madonna, and the cross-dressing Culture Club.

Bohemian-Chic 80s Bohemian-chic 80s is reminiscent of an expedition in the exotic lands of Mexico or Africa with bronzed terracotta tans and tanning oils. Earth tones that glisten in burnt orange, olive green, and camel grace draped tanks and tees, military belts, head wraps, and huarache sandals.

When asked what her inspiration for this show was, the designer replied: “W South Beach is the perfect venue to showcase my 2010 collection. I found the location irresistible as it sets the union between old and new by showcasing retro-inspired fashion at Miami’s newest hotspot.�

South Florida’s elite, celebrities, VIPs, and other surprises will ensue during this Shay Todd event during the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, where the designer has showcased a variety of collections over the last few years.

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Swim is presented annually in Miami Beach at the renowned Raleigh Hotel.

The Shay Todd 2010 collection is presented by NIVEA, a brand that has become known for decades as a staple for feminine skin and beauty care. The partnership is not bad at all for a designer who has half of Hollywood wearing her stuff for the last six years. A career that many would wish for, Todd has dressed some of the big screens most sought after starlets. She has been the red carpet choice for some of television’s most exotic beauties, including Eva Longoria, who at the 2005 MTV Video Music Awards donned Shay Todd’s ballet pink one-piece ruffle swimsuit that left jaws dropping. A couple of her most popular followers are Lindsey Lohan and Kim Kardashian, who have been spotted at several events, sporting the line.

Todd’s appreciation for comfort and lifestyle can be seen in her pieces. Whether it’s her tunics, terry cloth dresses, mismatched bikinis, or too-fab beach bags, her items emit “relaxed� and “ready to go.�

As for the designers thoughts on the upcoming show, NIVEA, and, of course, the 80s: “I am thrilled to continue my partnership with such an amazing lifestyle brand [as NIVEA] and excited to pay tribute to one of my favorite fashion eras – The Eighties,� she said.

With tons of designers emerging and just a few truly “making it,� it’s evident that Todd has reached incredible accomplishments in the world of fashion by simply thinking like a woman for a woman. Is this an easy equation for success? Perhaps it is, when matched with vision and a love for the past.

So what’s next for Todd? One doesn’t know what to expect. But it will certainly be something suitable for the confident and active woman. With a re-vamped website soon to be up and running, anticipation for appearances, and shows surrounding the Todd line, it’s a “sit back and wait for something great� with this designer.

Sexy, chic, and Todd - those four-letter words, but the ones you should know. For more information, visit www. shaytodd.com.

SHAY TODD FASHION SHOW

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WET at W South Beach,

2201 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach. wire magazine | 17

HALO CELEBRATES TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY PHOTOS BY JUAN SACO

In last week’s issue of Wire Magazine, we dedicated our cover story to the two-year anniversary of Miami’s most opulent gay martini bar, Halo, and last Saturday hundreds of fashionistas, socialites, political leaders, and VIPs came out to show their support during Halo’s Two-Year Anniversary Party. DJ George Figares kicked off the evening’s festivities at a private VIP reception, where guests nibbled on hors d’oeuvres and sipped champagne in honor of the occasion. Later that evening, DJ Lydia Prim hit the turntables and turned the party out. As revelers sipped on fabulous cocktails, they perused the room to Lydia’s soundtrack of remixed pop hits and high-energy house. Congratulations Halo on a fantastic soiree. We look forward to celebrating many more with you!

18 | wire magazine

HALO CELEBRATES TWO-YEAR ANNIVERSARY PHOTOS BY JUAN SACO

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WIRED FITNESS

BY JIM KEIZER

AVOID LOOKING LIKE A CHUNKY MONKEY The week after a big holiday weekend is always a duckand-cover experience for me at our clinic. For some reason, regardless of how many times it has happened before, my clients are shocked by how much body fat they put on and, as a result, instantly get in an “Oh my god! Get this off of me NOW,” mode. With a little effort, the average two to five pounds of body fat comes right back off. So, I thought that I would make this week’s column about helping you do the same.

First, recognize the cause of the body fat gain. If you look back on the long weekend, vacation, or last three years (depending on how much new body fat you want to now lose), I bet it was chock full of high-glycemic foods, sugars, and alcohol. These foods are the cause and insulin is the enemy. Well, not exactly your enemy.

These foods cause your pancreas to produce a lot of insulin to shuttle the sugar out of your blood stream to your muscles for use, with the excess going to your liver to be converted to body fat. So, you could say that insulin is your friend (preventing too much blood sugar from sending you into a diabetic coma) and the food you stuffed in your face would be the TRUE enemy (requiring your body to produce the insulin to handle the sugar to prevent the coma). But, I’m splitting hairs here.

So, insulin is produced to store fat, which, in itself, sucks… but wait, there is more! Insulin keeps on giving by causing increased cellular reproduction and increasing risk of heart disease, cancer, and other age-related diseases (in long-term exposure to insulin). In the long run, keep eating sugar and your pancreas gives up on producing all of that extra insulin and you become diabetic. According to the American Diabetes Association, the U.S. currently has 23.6 million diabetics with another 57 million pre-diabetics in the pipeline. So, about a full 25% of people in the U.S. have, or will eat enough crap to completely shut down their pancreas and significantly reduce their life span.

Insulin produced from increased starch and sugar intake ages us and weighs on the body and so does the sugar

itself. Increased glucose (blood sugar) causes damage by reacting with proteins producing advanced glycated end products (AGEs). AGEs, well, age you. They produce inflammation and free radical oxidation throughout your body. These cause everything from wrinkling to Alzheimer’s, with heart disease and cataracts thrown in as a bonus. Many of you may have read the New York Times article on July 9th about the Rhesus monkeys who live longer on calorie-deficit diets. The article is about how, over 20 years, monkeys fed 30% fewer calories of the same food significantly reduced the aging process and early death. The article is punctuated by a disturbing photo of one normal (calorie deficit) monkey sitting next to an ancient monkey with lumpy sagging boobs and belly. While the study is interesting, I believe that future research will clarify that the aging process there had less to do with the calories and more to do with the insulin caused by consuming more insulin-producing foods. Meaning, cutting calories is not only stupid but dangerous, if you are keeping the foods that produce tons of insulin.

Ok, now you understand what happened over the longweekend. You ate, you drank, you produced insulin, and you generated body fat… Now, you are wearing it everywhere. To take it off, you need to do the opposite of what you did to gain it: eliminate the sugar, starch, and alcohol. In fact, the worse you were, the better you now have to be to take it back off. If you have a lot of body fat to lose, you need to stick to eating green veggies (your carbohydrates) and anything that once roamed the earth on legs, wings, or fins (your protein and fat). Not glamorous or fun and it won’t make a good book, but it is what you need to do for 2 weeks, then add in a cheat meal every four to five days until you are at the body fat you want. At that point, you will know your body and understand the amount of carbohydrate you, as a unique individual, need. Add starches back in until you feel your body fat increase. What the fat is telling you is that you are over consuming the amount of carbohydrate you need and your insulin is sending the extra to be converted to body fat.

The biggest trap you can fall into is to think you can “work” it off. You do need to exercise because it makes you able to utilize more of the carbohydrates you consume and builds lean body mass (resistance training). Most people hop on a treadmill or do some type of cardio, and yes, you will burn calories - but these calories come from available blood sugar, fat AND muscle. “High-volume” cardio produces a lot of cortisol (stress hormone), which will make you LESS able to utilize the starches in the future.

Why do I say “High-volume”? There are 3,200 calories in a pound of fat. If you’re lucky, 60 percent of the calories you burn will come from fat during cardio. This means that you actually need to burn a little over 5,300 calories to lose that pound of fat. Being generous, we could say that you could do moderate cardio activity and burn between 800 to 1,000 calories per hour. So, you would need to do between five and eight hours to burn that pound. Multiply that by however many pounds you gained and you end up on that treadmill forever with very little result and produce a boat-load of cortisol.

In short, have fun, live life, indulge, and enjoy. But, before the gut or the thighs get out of control, put yourself into low-insulin mode.

Learning to have this balance may be the difference between you remaining young and lean or becoming that chunky, lumpy monkey.

If you are still having a hard time motivating yourself, get on the web right now and look up that New York Times article, close your eyes and imagine yourself as that high-insulin monkey.

Scared? Good. Now go buy some veggies.

In Health Jim

ASK DR. LEONARD TACHMES WHERE DO THE FAT CELLS GO AFTER LIPO? Dear Dr. Tachmes, I have been considering liposuction for a while now, but I recently heard a rumor that when a person gets liposuction, they are removing healthy fat cells. As a result, fat deposits begin to appear in various other parts of the body that they would not have otherwise.

Is that true?

Best, Teresa, Miami Dear Teresa, Unfortunately, that is a frequently mentioned misconception about liposuction that I hear from my patients during consultations. The human body has a set number of fat cells that does not change. After significant weight gain, the fat cells enlarge and dilate. All liposuction procedures remove fat cells that are unevenly deposited in various sites on the body 20 | wire magazine

in order to improve overall shape and contour. It is essential to always leave a thin layer of fat cells underneath the skin's surface to insure smoothness and prevent dimples and skin depressions.

In patients with near normal body weights, who live healthy lifestyles, including exercise and sound eating habits, there is never an issue of recurrent weight gain after liposuction. These patients are the ideal liposuction candidates and almost always obtain the best possible aesthetic results. However, in patients with a history of weight gain/loss fluctuations and obesity, liposuction results are less predictable. When these patients gain significant weight after liposuction (more than 10 to 15 lbs), they usually show increased size and girth evenly distributed throughout the body, without the pre-operative contour deformities that they presented with. They do not show increased fat deposits in abnormal parts of the body.

Dr Tachmes

Have any questions for Dr. Tachmes?

You can email him at ltachmes@tachmesmd. com You can also visit www.tachmesMD.com for more information on the latest cosmetic procedures.

Dr. Leonard Tachmes 333 Arthur Godfrey Rd Suite #214 Miami Beach,FL 33140 305.531.9800

FEATURE STORY: KINSEY SICKS - WAKE THE F@#K UP AMERICA!

ER

S

T BY There is an assortment of drag performers around the country, who have made quite a name for themselves on the theater circuit. RuPaul, Lady Bunny, and Miami’s own Elaine Lancaster, have all become popular drag personalities by refining their niche in the drag world. RuPaul has hosted talk shows, produced albums, and went on to host her very own reality show, Lady Bunny launched Wig Fest, and has created an empire of raunchy recordings and shows that will live in infamy, and Elaine Lancaster has become synonymous with celebrity and glamour. If you really think about it, the United States definitely has a love for men donning wigs and heels for the sake of entertainment!

In Miami, in particular, drag performers such as Geraldine, Fernan-D-Cute, Adora, and Chyna Girl, among many others, have become a staple on not just the gay scene, but the mainstream as well. It seems, you can’t open a club, host a party, or launch a product in Miami without a drag personality or two. With fabulous performers already residing in our beautiful city, it takes a lot to really stand out here; yet, there have been a few drag performers, who have really created a buzz in the magic city, including the drag quartet, the Kinsey Sicks.

The Kinsey Sicks performed in Miami about three years ago, and ever since, the Miami Beach community has been eagerly awaiting their return. Luckily Miami event producer and promoter Edison Farrow of SoBeSocialClub.com was able to book the fantastic group of performers for a one-day showing this Sunday at the Colony Theater.

Infamous Kinsey Sicks characters Trampolina, Trixie, Rachel, and Winnie will hit the state to perform their latest production “Wake the F@#K Up America,� and from what we hear, this is going to be one hell of a show.

We took a moment to sit down with Irwin Keller, aka Winnie, to get the inside scoop on what to expect during the show.

Here’s what Irwin had to say: How did Kinsey Sicks Come about?

The original members of the Kinsey Sicks were friends of Ben Schatz, and Ben used to organize these drag excursions. We were all professionals at the time, and every once in a while,

we would let loose by showing up at places unexpectedly in drag. At one point, we decided to see Bette Midler dressed as the Andrew Sisters. We went thinking there would be a number of drag queens at the concert, and it turned out that we were actually the only drag queens there other than Bette. People applauded us.

At the concert, someone asked us to perform an Andrews Sisters number at an event. Up until that moment, it had never occurred to us that we could put an act together.

That wasn’t really the direction any of us were headed in; however, we all had a musical or theater background. We ended up staying up all night, coming up with ideas for parodies and shtick. We sang together till three or four in the morning, and it actually sounded reasonably good.

Can you describe the various personalities and characters that make up the Kinsey Sicks?

Trixie is our glamourpuss often found in the company of wealthy men. Trampolina is our little innocent character. I wouldn’t call her stupid, but no one would call me a liar if I did. Rachel is pure Id. She’s full of vulgarity, anger, and vulnerability. Last but not least is Winnie, who is the controlling lesbian den mother of the group.

What can people expect during your show this Sunday?

Other than horror and nausea? People should expect to be appalled and outraged, but they should also expect to hear glorious four-part a cappella. The show is a true delight.

MA HO

RK BA

different from that. They are always surprised when we bust out in a four-part harmony.

Why the name “Wake the F@#CK up America!�?

Because the premise of the show is that we are hosting a live, national morning news and features show from the Colony Theater in Miami. It’s sort of our answer to The View.

The name of our show within the show is Wake the F@#K up America! So we’ll be singing and delivering the news. We’ll be having special guests. Anyone who comes to the show is a part of our studio audience.

In terms of some of the more shocking elements, what do you guys have in the works?

Like I’m going to tell you! Did I leave out the rather intense raunch? People can expect both their heart and their stomach to turn. That is all I will say about that.

What do you look forward to the most about performing in Miami?

The sex! But really, unlike Northern California, you can actually swim in the water. We had a wonderful time last time we performed at the Colony Theater, and we always wanted to come back, which is why we are really tickled to be back. We are in South Florida regularly. Every year to a year-and-a-half we perform at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, and it will be great to make our way down to South Beach’s sandy shores!

What makes your show so unique?

Our show is generally distinguished by poor writing and lack of talent! In truth though, we bring a very, very sharp political edge to what we do. We also bring a very strong musicianship to the performance. It really is a rolling in the isles comedy, and by that I mean, we roll in the isles until you finally laugh. The mixture of the music, comedy, and satiric political bite is what is particularly unique about our show and us. I think that surprises people, because they walk into our shows without knowing what to expect from our drag performance. A lot of people base their expectations on what they’ve witnessed in the past, and we are just very

Wake the F@#K Up America!

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Colony Theater

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FOOD 11TH STREET DINER Corner 11th Street and Washington Ave., MB 305.534.6373

Array of home-style American diner cuisine, from meatloaf to fried chicken.

Daily specials and great prix fixe menu for only $12.99. Can’t beat the prices here!

It’s where the locals eat as well as the starving tourists.

A LA FOLIE 516 Espanola Way MB | 305.538.4484

South Florida’s original crêperie that is more café-like in its offerings of classic French crepes, sandwiches, salads, and platters. A very casual, friendly lounge with competent, knowledgeable wait staff.

No need to rush here! It’s French, after all!

Sit, relax, peruse the numerous periodicals over a glass of Pouilly Fumé or a Stella Artois. Or maybe an herbal tea or infusion.

Right in the heart of the fabulous Española Way neighborhood. Outside lounge open for special champagne nights in season.

Call for special prix fixe international dinners.

ANDIAMO 5600 Biscayne Blvd.,Miami | 305.762.5751

Seven-year-old pizzeria that has expanded

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outdoor seating with video screens and complimentary wi-fi. Gourmet pizza is award winning and nationally recognized!

Additional Italian menu selections include paninis, salads, soups, desserts. Serves beer and wine. Now Serving Frankie’s Philly Cheese Steaks!

al fresco. Ask about their special prix fixe menus – one at $15.95 and one at $27.50. They can’t be beat. Full bar with drink specials, too. The service has been outstanding as owners Leo and Mario keep careful watch. That’s why this restaurant is so popular!

CAFÉ AT BOOKS & BOOKS

DAVID’S CAFÉ II

933 Lincoln Road, MB | 305.695.8898

One of the most important things that Books & Books has that sets it apart from any other chain bookstore is a wonderful personality.

Not only can you find the latest books and coolest magazines, now you can enjoy truly delicious and generous food in one of the most relaxed environments possible on Lincoln Road. The food is really quite something, especially their Miami Cheese Steak Sandwich.

DA LEO TRATTORIA 819 Lincoln Road, MB | 305.674.0350

One of the pioneers of Lincoln Road, Da Leo is popular spot with locals, tourists, and celebrities. Where else could you enjoy rich, tasty food, which is basic homestyle pastas and meat dishes, and some of the best people-watching while dining

1654 Meridian Ave., MB | 305.672.8707

You don’t have to travel 90 miles to enjoy Cuban cuisine. Just walk over to David’s Café II off of Lincoln Road Mall on Meridian Avenue for some of the finest Cuban dishes anywhere. And all at very reasonable prices. They’re open 24 hours.

Full bar. Incredible buffets for those on the go.

FRONT PORCH CAFÉ 1418 Ocean Drive, MB | 305.531.8300

After 17 years of serving South Beach locals the freshest, impeccable meals in generous portions, this restaurant has nothing to prove. It’s the best for casual fare at any time, but especially for their breakfasts. A great menu with the most reasonable prices. You might have to wait, but be patient, it’s well worth the effort as Larry, Michael, and Dawn cater to your every need.

GRAZIE 701 Washington Ave., MB | 305.673.1312

Sample the haute Italian cuisine and service that have made Grazie one of the most popular fine dining restaurants in South Florida. At this 75-seat location, diners will find a rare gem – an elegant yet comfortable space that eschews pretense and embraces a dedication to hospitality that turns every diner into a VIP. www. graziesouthbeach.com.

GRILLFISH 1444 Collins Ave., MB | 305.538.9908

Best fresh seafood in a great open-air atmosphere. Great fish and pasta combos.

Very popular with the local crowd. Great bar for a drink while waiting for a table.

LA SANDWICHERIE 229 14th St., MB | 305.532.8934

Sandwiches and salads along with fruit smoothies and shakes is what you will find at this landmark sandwich shop on 14th Street between Washington and Collins.

It’s one of the best places on the Beach for an outstanding selection of light fare with a French flair. Very reasonable prices. Open from 9 a.m. to 5 a.m. and delivery until 10 p.m.

WIRE MAGAZINE’S LIST OF DINING PLEASURES MISS YIP

PASHA’S

1661 Meridian Ave., MB | 305.534.5488

900 Lincoln Road, MB | 305.673.3919

Not even Cameron Diaz could have a successful and long-lasting restaurant in this space, but leave it to the intrepid Jennie Yip to defy gravity. This Hong Kong-style Chinese restaurant has easily become a very popular spot right off Lincoln Road in a very short time. They serve truly scrumptious homemade Wonton or hot and sour soup; really good Moo Shu pork and Mongolian beef; and a terrific variety of vegetable, rice, and noodle dishes. Don’t forget their awesome Shanghai Express $8.88 lunch specials – over 45 choices!

As one of Miami’s healthiest places to grab a bite, Pasha’s has become a staple among South Beach’s trendiest dieters.

The menu features a number of delicious Mediterranean dishes including kebabs, hoummus, and falafel. You can now also grab breakfast at Pasha’s as well. Located on Lincoln Road, the restaurant also features outdoor dining for great people watching, and you can either take the food to go or have a nice sit down dinner.

PALACE

One of the best places for fantastic thincrust pizza. Piola has made a name for itself for high quality ingredients, friendly service, and a very local and lively crowd that comes back again and again. Pizzas, pastas, salads, and a full bar.

1200 Ocean Drive, MB | 305.531.7234

Landmark gay owned and operated restaurant and bar on Ocean Drive and 12th Street with a simple, popular tourist and locals’ menu. An American bistro flair still with one of the best 8-ounce burgers on the Beach. The bar has long been a meeting point for American and international gay tourists. Stop by any day of the week – open from 10a.m until 2 a.m. and serving food until 10p.m.

PIOLA

1625 Alton Road, MB | 305.674.1660

QUATTRO GASTONOMIA ITALIANA 1014 Lincoln Road, MB | 305.531.4833

This 160-seat restaurant includes an outdoor terrace for the more casual look while the interior has to be one of the chicest around. It’s chock full of Murano glass chandeliers, hand-crafted Italian furniture, and leather banquettes. Twin

chefs Nicola and Fabrizio Carro from Alessandria in the Piemonte region of Italy have developed a Northern Italian menu paired with an all-Italian wine list. Quattro Gastronomia Italiana is open for lunch and dinner Sunday through Thursday, from noon until midnight and until 1 a.m.

Fridays and Saturdays.

SEGAFREDO 1040 Lincoln Road, MB | 305.673.0047

This is the most fun and authentic Italian café in South Florida! It has coffee, deserts, light food, a fabulous bar, and the best music, all of which guarantee a fantastic time for hanging out with Miami’s hottest coolsters and tourists alike. This is where the hip hangs out with the hipper.

SOYKA 5556 N.E.4th Court, Miami | 305.759.3117

Famed restauranteur Mark Soyka’s namesake restaurant at 55th and Biscayne.

Great array of affordable “comfort food” for everyone. Comfortable and inviting.

Draws a great local crowd who like to hang out at 55th Street Station adjacent to the restaurant. Food and service are well worth a visit. Now featuring The News Lounge!

SPRIS 731 Lincoln Road, MB | 305.673.2020

The pizzeria restaurant of Tiramesu.

Absolutely the best Italian pizza on South Beach prepared by a great pizza chef.

An excellent selection of white pizzas, too. You can also order your pizza with a whole wheat crust. Sandwiches and salads are excellent. Best bet for an after movie light dinner or late night snack.

TIRAMESU 721 Lincoln Road, MB | 305.532.4538 A thriving Italian restaurant on Lincoln Road with great service and excellent, moderately priced Northern Italian specialties. Expansive menu – open for lunch and dinner with very friendly staff and management.

VAN DYKE CAFÉ 846 Lincoln Road, MB | 305.534.3600

What News Café is to Ocean Drive, the Van Dyke is to Lincoln Road. Another huge success for Mark Soyka who has now partnered with Graziano Sbroggio to run the place. Always packed offering some of the best people-watching on the Road and a quick breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Also check out Upstairs at the Van Dyke for an evening of Jazz and entertainment.

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WIRED: INSIDE THE ARTIST'S STUDIO - IMAGE1ST

BUILDING CONFIDENCE

DANNY GABRIEL

arlier this year, John Anthony Sutton and Danny Gabriel of Image1st in London (www.image1st.com) decided to pack their bags and bring their art of photography across the pond to open a second studio in Miami. Of all the places in the world to open a second studio, why would they choose Miami? Well the answer is simple: because London is often gray and cloudy and the clear sunny skies of Miami offer some of the most beautiful soft light for amazing photography.

The Image1st team spent one and a half-months custom building a photo studio in the Wynwood District that includes 25 unique sets and endless alternatives through the use of creative lightning and filters. If that were not enough, the Miami studio is also redone every three months to keep it fresh and original.

After perusing hundreds of stunning photographs, it became clear to us that John and Danny have a living passion for photography. John and Danny work very hard to exceed the expectations of the people they photograph. They also truly focus on making sure their clients leave their photo sessions feeling great about themselves and with a renewed sense of confidence about who they are. One of their greatest joys as artists is showing a young woman, who is constantly bombarded by images on the covers of magazines such as Cosmopolitan, that she too can look just like the model on the cover by using some artistic photography, great lightning, and a little Photoshop.

John and Danny love their art and get great joy watching clients from all walks of life embrace their lens and transform right before their eyes to reach their true image potential. Image1st’s clients range from everyday people, who want beautiful photographs of themselves, to models, musicians, and business people, who want powerful images to enhance their careers. Wire Magazine has selected just a few images from Image1st’s immense body of work to show our readers the artistry of their craft.

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JOHN ANTHONY SUTTON

ONE POWERFUL IMAGE AT A TIME

WIRED: INSIDE THE ARTIST'S STUDIO - IMAGE1ST

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THIS WEEK THURSDAY, July 16 AZUCAR: Join Shanaya Bright and Amanda West at Miami’s only seven-day-a-week Latin gay bar as they host Drag Wars, a month long competition where Miami’s fiercest drag divas duke it out for a grand prize of $500. 2301 SW 32nd Ave., Miami.

BUCK15 LOUNGE: It’s The Simple Life Thursdays. DJ Daisy D. spins fun hip-hop, ‘80s, rock, and dance hits, with Chyna as Door Goddess. 707 Lincoln Lane, Miami Beach.

HALO: Tonight Halo hosts Sweet Thursdays hosted by Pandora Events. Live DJ from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Happy Hour from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. with half price drinks! Located near the corner of Lincoln and Michigan.

NEWS LOUNGE: music by a rotating repertoire of some of Miami’s best DJs, including Induce, Doormouse, Manuvers, Benton, and more. Happy hour until midnight, and there are Scrabble Battles, Book of the Month, and general fun for everyone. 55th Street Station.

PALACE: Enjoy an incredible dinner and a show, complete with a fabulous menu from 7 to 10 p.m. Three-course prix fixe menu for only $29.99. Ocean Drive and 12th Street.

SCORE: Enjoy cocktails out on the patio and watch the famous Lincoln Road traffic pass by as you and your friends chill and enjoy great music. Tonight Score hosts the steamiest Thursday night soiree with fab beats by DJ Pride and an incredible crowd of delicious partygoers. No cover tonight!

727 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach.

TWIST: Don’t miss out on a fabulous night at TWIST with seven different bars, DJ Mika, stiff drinks, beautiful dancers, and of course, the only place where there’s “Never a cover... Always a groove.”

VLADA LOUNGE: Swing by the only gay bar in Midtown Miami. Happy Hour specials, 2-4-1 Infused Vodka drinks, well drinks, and domestic beers.

FRIDAY, July 17 AZUCAR: Stop by Miami’s hottest Latin club to enjoy a night of fabulous beats by DJ Jarel and an evening of scandalous banter by Las Divas del Jacuzzi and Mariloly the Queen of Comedy. 2301 SW 32nd Ave., Miami.

HALO: Friday Happy Hour! Half price drinks and complimentary hors d'oeuvres from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. DJ FR8-O on the turntables all night long. Great music and never a cover! Located near the corner of Lincoln and Michigan.

NEWS LOUNGE: Amazing sounds of DJs Terence and Mike Sike, spinning an eclectic cornucopia of sound. The evening also features Newstendo, our throwback to the original Nintendo NES System, where everyone can indulge in an old school game of Galaga, Tetris, Punch Out, etc. 55th Street Station.

PALACE: The Palace is the place to be after the beach, as well as for lunch or dinner. The incomparable Geraldine and Fernan-D-Cute shows start at 9:30 p.m.

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SCORE: The Penny Back Boyz host the all new weekly Friday night party Filthy Gorgeous Fridays with DJ Honey Dijon spinning a true open format and Score’s hottest Go-Go boys on the speaker boxes.

SEGAFREDO: Friday Happy Hour starts at 6 p.m. This outdoor Italian-inspired café has comfortable, living-room style furniture on the terrace so that patrons can truly enjoy themselves in friendly surroundings. 1040 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach.

TWIST: Don’t miss out on a fabulous night at TWIST with seven different bars, DJ Mika, stiff drinks, beautiful dancers, and of course, the only place where there’s “Never a cover...Always a groove.”

VLADA LOUNGE: Come for Happy Hour specials, 2-4-1 Infused Vodka drinks, well drinks, and domestic beers, then join the men of Positive Muse for the monthly Vlada social mixer @ 8 p.m. followed by a night with DJ Troy Landen, who will be bringing a soulful, funky, house music style to Midtown's hottest venue.

SATURDAY, July 18 AZUCAR: Stop by Miami’s hottest Latin club to enjoy a night of fabulous beats by DJ George Ferraro and great shows by Naomi, Victoria Grantty, and Maite West. 2301 SW 32nd Ave., Miami.

HALO: Tonight Halo hosts a weekly themed party with resident DJ George Figares.

Happy hour from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. Located on the corner of Michigan and Lincoln.

NEWS LOUNGE: The Good News. Old School Miami DJ trio DHM spins a diverse mix of funk grooves, deep house, rock, disco and everything in between and beyond.

55TH Street Station.

PALACE: The only gay bar on Ocean Drive and 12th Street, stop by for lunch or dinner, and enjoy the hottest people-watching this side of the ocean. Tonight is Drags Gone Wild with Drag Shows by Geraldine and the gang today starting at 6 p.m.

PINK PALM: Geir Ness, the creator of the Norwegian perfume line Laila, will be on hand to showcase the variety of infused scents from 7 to 11 p.m.

SCORE: Tonight is Bigger Saturdays, the largest gay dance party on the Beach with beats by DJ Abel, and performances by CircX. 727 Lincoln Road.

TWIST: Happy Hour 2-4-1 with Tommy and the locals from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on everything. Come tonight and enjoy a full house of hot men and some incredible beats by DJ Craig Demo. “Never a cover...Always a groove.”

VLADA LOUNGE: Join DJ FR8-O every Saturday at Vlada for some Saturday Love and enjoy the awesome music and "Show Me Love" martini specials from 10 p.m to close! The HOTTEST tunes and bartenders mixed with the COLDEST drinks in Miami only at Vlada!

SUNDAY, July 19 AZUCAR: The Best show in Florida, running for nine years now with comedy at its

best as Marytrini and Las Divas del Jacuzzi (Sophia and Teresita) hit the stage to perform one hell of a show. 2301 SW 32nd Ave., Miami.

HALO: Bloody Marys, mimosas, and fresh fruit cocktails! Happy Hour from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. with half price drinks! Located near the corner of Lincoln and Michigan.

HEATHROW LOUNGE: Omar Gonzalez, the Penny Back Boyz, and Dustin Reffca present CLICK, SoBe’s hottest Sunday night party. Shows by Adora and Chyna Girl with special guest appearance by Misty Eyez, Elaine Lancaster and Asia Avience. DJ Kidd Madonny, DJ ROXX, and DJ Power Infiniti along with special guest DJs. THE NEWS: The News Lounge and The Miami Art Museum Contemporaries present Cinematic Sounds. Starts at 8 p.m. 55th Street Station.

PALACE: Stop by and check out Palace’s new Sunday drag brunch with the infamous Geraldine. Unlimited champagne and fabulous nibbles for only $25. You also won’t want to miss their weekly Sunday T with fab drinks, gogo dancers, and incredible drag shows at 6 p.m.! 1200 Ocean Drive.

SEGAFREDO: Hip outdoor Italian-inspired café with comfortable, living-room style furniture on the terrace for patrons to truly enjoy themselves in friendly surroundings. 1040 Lincoln Road.

TWIST: 2-4-1 happy hour from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on everything. Ebonee Excell and her girls perform upstairs. At TWIST: “Never a cover...Always a groove.

VLADA LOUNGE: Weekend wine-down with organically infused bloody Mary's.

Doors open at 4 p.m. and never a cover.

MONDAY, July 20 BLACK SHEEP MONDAYS: Shelly Novak hosts an insane night of performances, cheap drinks, and scandalous banter. Joanna Mills, the Liquor Sisters, and various guests will perform all night beginning at 11 p.m. for your entertainment! 721 N Lincoln Lane.

HALO: Swing by and imbibe a 1/2 priced gin and vodka martini on Halo’s Martini Mondays. Located on the corner of Michigan and Lincoln.

PALACE: Stop in for comfort food at lunch or dinner. Monday nights you can grab an Infusion Mojito for only $6 and domestic beers for $4. 1200 Ocean Drive.

SCORE: Happy Monday, where all drinks, well and domestic, are half-price from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. No cover.

TWIST: Happy Hour 2-4-1 drinks ‘till 9 p.m.

Then it’s “I’m A Local” night, with $3 drinks for anyone with TWIST’s “I’m A Local” I.D. all night long. Join Nathan in the Frolic Lounge for his signature mix of pop and the top 20. Also check out the fabulous men of Gaiety in the Bungalow Bar starting at 10 p.m.

VLADA LOUNGE: Happy Hour specials, 2-4-1 Infused Vodka drinks, well drinks, and domestic beers.

TUESDAY, July 21 BOTANICAL GARDEN: Weekly book club meeting begins at 12:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. 2000 Convention Center Drive. 305.968.1068 CRÈME LOUNGE: It’s Latin Night tonight at Crème Lounge, playing the best Latin music in a posh New York-style lounge and drink specials.

HALO: LoLo Inc., the Penny Back Boyz, and Omar Gonzales, host the Art of Life, featuring local artists paired with delicious martinis all night long. Located on the corner of Michigan and Lincoln.

MARTINI TUESDAY: Edison Farrow hosts the most sophisticated cocktail party in South Beach from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. www.sobesocialclub.com PALACE: Better than ever before on Ocean Drive and 12th Street, try it for lunch or a late afternoon snack, or just hang out at the bar with the locals. $6 Long Island Ice Teas and frozen drinks all day.

SCORE: It’s Planeta Macho, the hottest Latin Party in Miami Beach, featuring incredible Latin beats by award winner DJ George Ferrero, Pelu Rivero on drums, amazing shows by Miami’s best female impersonators, and the hottest crowd in town. Don´t miss this party – it’s South Florida’s Best Latin Party!

TWIST: 2-4-1 Happy Hour from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. on everything. Pussila Madness night with DJ Diva Bugie in the main room and the hottest boys in South Beach.

VLADA LOUNGE: Happy Hour specials, 2-4-1 Infused Vodka drinks, well drinks, and domestic beers.

WEDNESDAY, July 22 HALO: Tonight Wire presents Wire Community Wednesdays with 1/2 priced Absolut Vodka drinks all night long. Located on the corner of Michigan and Lincoln.

PALACE: French Kiss for girls who loves girls with great drinks, hot music, and beautiful mommies. 8 p.m. to close. 1200 Ocean Drive.

SCORE: Come and spend a pleasant evening on one of Score’s outdoor couches as they host Martini Madness Night. A half price Happy Hour runs till 9 p.m. and then it’s $7 Martinis all night long.

TIRAMESU: Swing by and enjoy some delicious Italian fare while imbibing on a half price bottle of wine during Tiramesu’s Half Price Wine Wednesdays.

TWIST: It’s time to hit the stage as Sean Brady hosts the Sean Brady Show. Karaoke and tons of entertainment all night long.

Afterwards head upstairs to WERK @ WERK WEDNESDAYS with DJ Craig Demo. Happy Hour from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. with 2-4-1 on everything. “Never a cover...Always a groove.”

VLADA LOUNGE: Midsummer's Wednesdays by Dolce Entertainment. Hot music, men, and dancing! Drink and bottle service specials 8 p.m. to close. wire magazine | 27

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