Wire Magazine 26.2018 Hot Models Calendar

ISSUE # 26 | 06.28.18 HOME CHEF: ENJOY THE DELECTABLE AVOCADO AESTHETE: BEAUTIFUL ARTWORKS IN PUBLIC PLACES TOP TRAX: LIBERATION

BY CHRISTINA AGUILERA

HOT MODELS CALENDAR THE SEXINESS OF SUMMER

By DAVID VANCE

8. AESTHETE: ART FOR THE MASSES

For a fun tour of the Miami-Dade Art in Public Places Trust artworks, spend a few days on the project, wear comfortable shoes and think of using panoramic photography.

12. TOP TRAX: LIBERATION UNLEASHES THE REAL CHRISTINA AGUILERA

By ignoring trends, taking bold risks and carving out her own path, Christina Aguilera turned Liberation into her long-overdue declaration that she is done falling in line.

14. COVER STORY: HOT MODELS CALENDAR

We welcome the sexiness of summer with three months of stunning model images by celebrated photographer David Vance.

22. HOME CHEF: CELEBRATING THE AVOCADO

Enjoy our look at delicious avocado recipes made with this delectable green fruit rich in healthy fats – the kind that lower your bad cholesterol – plus superfood nutrients.

GO TO WIREMAG.COM: GOING OUT

Visit wiremag.com/goingout for this week's rundown of nightlife, dining and cultural events to plan your outings and have fun!

PHOTO CREDIT: © DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM | BELCHONOCK

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

Publisher/Editor in Chief Rafa Carvajal Associate Publisher/Editor Michael Bustamante Design & Production True Ink Designs L.L.C. | trueinkdesigns.com Columnists Alfredo Barrios Alyn Darnay Anthony Reyes Michael W. Sasser Dr. Amy Wecker Official Photography Studio Photo Studio Miami Staff Photographer J.R. Davis Local Advertising advertising@wiremag.com National Advertising Rep. Rivendell Media | 212.242.6863

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Contact Information Tel: 305.520.WIRE Email: info@wiremag.com 1541 Brickell Avenue, #2004, Miami, FL 33129 Wire Magazine is published, produced, and owned by Wire Media Group L.L.C. All Rights Reserved.

Distributed in print in Miami, The Beaches, and Fort Lauderdale, and digitally worldwide through wiremag.com The views, opinions or positions expressed by contributors to and interview subjects of Wire Magazine are theirs alone and do not necessarily reflect the views, opinions or positions of Wire Magazine, its staff or publisher.

Cover photo by David Vance davidvanceprints.com Model: Quinn Biddle

PUBLISHER'S CORNER THE HEAT IS ON It is that time of the year when many Wire Magazine readers take summer vacations to relax and get some rest away from the stress of everyday life. It is also time for a new Wire Magazine Hot Models Calendar special issue, welcoming the sexiness of summer with three months of stunning model images by celebrated photographer David Vance. I hope you enjoy the beautiful men we selected for this week's cover, and the months of July, August and September.

June marks the official beginning of summer and the celebration of Pride month in the United States. June is also California Avocado Month, a time to savor the Golden State's official fruit at the peak of its season.

In this week's Home Chef, Michael W. Sasser and I celebrate all the wonders of this delectable green fruit rich in healthy fats – the kind that lower your bad cholesterol – plus superfood nutrients. Enjoy some of the delicious recipe ideas showcased in this week's column and learn how California makes it very easy to look up a plethora of mouth-watering recipes online, crafted through collaborations with top chefs to celebrate the versatility of its official fruit. Bon avocado appétit!

In Top Trax, music writer DJ FR8-O looks at how Christina Aguilera turned Liberation into her long-overdue declaration that she is done falling in line by ignoring trends, taking bold risks and carving out her own path.

If you like art and discovering new things in our Magic City, check out our Aesthete column showcasing art for the masses right on Miami's very own streets. Thanks to the Miami-Dade Art in Public Places Trust artworks program, you can stroll around on your very own tour of artworks, while getting some exercise. Wear summer clothes, comfortable shoes and use panoramic photography to capture the art pieces in their full glory.

I also want to encourage you to visit wiremag.com/pastissues or wiremag.com/blog to read many Destinations columns with great insights for planning a fun summer vacation. If you are staying closer to home this summer, remember there is always something going on in South Florida. You can visit wiremag.com/goingout every week for a rundown of upcoming nightlife, dining and cultural events in our Magic City and Fort Lauderdale.

In closing, I want to share with you what a wonderful time I had celebrating the 25th anniversary of TWIST this past Wednesday. It was very special evening. I was surrounded by many friends reminiscing about wonderful memories created during a quarter century at this iconic LGBTQ bar and nightclub in the heart of South Beach, which so many people love visiting because there is "Never a Cover... Always a Groove."

Cheers to TWIST! May you continue bringing our community together and creating fun memories for many more years to come.

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AESTHETE

ART

By Michael W. Sasser

for the Masses

First examples of public art installations were religious based, often commissioned or created by religious leaders or institutions and paying homage to the deities du jour. Nobles and other civic leaders followed suit with artists and artisans creating tributes to the well-off. Sculpture and architectural pieces were obviously the early favorites as they were built to stand the test of time. Over the centuries, art in public places became a hallmark of great societies – think the Greeks and Romans among many others. It was a sign of the greatness of a society, of its intellectual and artistic establishment – things prized from the Classic era onward. Unlike art intended for private or smaller audiences, good public art is intended to be experienced en masse, speaking to a community about a community and revealing something about its particular space and time.

8 WIREMAG.COM #26 2018

PHOTOS COURTESY OF MIAMI-DADE ART IN PUBLIC SPACES

ince not long after humankind evolved past its hunter-gatherer phase (assuming, if you will, that we all have) and began developing communities built to last and with relatively stable environments, the concept of public art was born. Although it's impossible to identify exactly when and where it began (just as it is largely impossible to define "art"), but it became commonplace on civilizations around the globe.

PHOTOS BY RAFA CARVAJAL

Public art dates back to the beginnings of U.S. history and it is little surprise that Miami-Dade County was among the first to institute a plan for funding and installations. According to the county, "Miami-Dade Art in Public Places was established in 1973 with the passage of an ordinance allocating 1.5% of construction cost of new county buildings for the purchase or commission of artworks. Art in Public Places is overseen by a citizens' Trust appointed by the Board of County Commissioners. The Trust receives recommendations on acquisitions and commissions from the Professional Advisory Committee, an independent group of professionals in the field of art, art history, public art, architecture, landscape architecture and architectural history."

Miami-Dade Art in Public Places Trust, celebrating its 45th anniversary this year, has acquired or commissioned more than 650 works of art since its inception and gained international recognition as a leader in its field. Artworks are installed countywide at diverse sites and for the past decade, the focus of the program has been on site-specific, collaborative projects that involve the thinking of artists, landscape architects, historians, engineers, and architects in a team approach. For a fun tour of the art, spend a few days on the project, wear comfortable shoes and think of using panoramic photography. Some of the installations shine the most when viewed in the context of location. Following are a handful of sites you might include on your tour.

"Red M," was created by Roberto Behar and Rosario Marquardt outside the Riverwalk Metromover Station to symbolize a new Miami in 1996. The M could stand for "Metromover," then a new addition to downtown, "Miami," or even "Magic City." Its distinct deco look leaves room for interpretation while undoubtedly inspiring resident pride in the city. A far more classic appeal rests with "Delights and Terrors of the Sea" at the Vizcaya Metrorail Station turnstiles.

The fountain statue installation speaks perfectly of the nautical influences of our region while conjuring images of the ancient precursors of public art – and is considered a must-see for visitors to South Florida.

Still it is Robert Calvo's "Flight Patterns" at Miami International Airport with which many people, including visitors, are most familiar. His 880-foot-long floor mural explores the tension between the impulse to travel and the need to return home. Calvo incorporated powerful symbols referencing maps, celestial cycles, and astrology in his floor imagery that in the artist's words is "balancing transience and nomadism with domesticity and sense of place." "Flight Patterns" demonstrates the site-specific nature of many of the Miami-Dade installations, wherein they must be considered in context to fully appreciate. It isn't universal for our local Art in Public Places, but it is an important recurring theme should you plan a tour. Regardless, however, a survey of public art installations is deeply revealing when it comes to the role of such installations and of

10 WIREMAG.COM #26 2018

the nature of our community. For more information on Miami-Dade County's Art in Public Places, visit miamidadepublicart.org.

In addition to the Miami-Dade Art in Public Places Trust collection, if you walk through several neighborhoods, such as Design District, Downtown and Brickell Avenue, you will enjoy additional works of art in public spaces of private businesses and apartment buildings.

Author and writer Michael W. Sasser has previewed and reviewed art for hundreds of publications in South Florida and internationally.

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TOP TRAX

By DJ FR8-O

LIBERATION

UNLEASHES THE REAL CHRISTINA AGUILERA

hristina Aguilera has spent the better part of last two decades experimenting and exploring a parade of personas for our entertainment, from post-Disney pop princess to rock vixen, to bionic dominatrix. Some of them soared and others not so much. The one thing they all had in common, however, was that they were never predictable. So why should her latest reinvention be any different?

Despite all of these delicious little morsels that Christina has fed us over the last six years, what we really wanted to see (and hear) was what her next transformation would deliver, but it seems as though the diva has just been patiently waiting for the right moment to make her next move – a moment when the industry is overstocked with safe choices and copycats.

Right out of the gate, it's clear that Liberation is neither of those things. The collection opens with the haunting title track, a dramatic orchestral intro that you would be more likely to hear on a Scorsese film score than on a pop album.

As if that wasn't enough of a head-scratcher, enter Christina singing an acapella clip of The Sound of Music's "Maria," before signaling a trap beat and a very young Michael Jackson to join in on what is one of the most epic mashups of the year.

What follows is a waterfall of refreshing tracks that don't necessarily follow any particular genre, but still seem to find harmony in their originality. The common thread among all of them, however, is those earth-trembling vocals. Unlike greener artists whose talents rely on the bells and whistles of overproduction, Aguilera's voice takes center stage on every track. From the Janis Joplin-esque "Sick of Sittin'" to the reggae-tinged "Right Moves," to the wedding song closer, "Unless It's With You." Liberation isn't short on strong collaborations either. The first one being with fellow Disney alumni Demi Lovato on the girl-power anthem, "Fall In Line."

Some of the other guests at the party include hip-hop icons Ty Dolla $ign, 2 Chainz, Goldlink, Keida, Shenseea, and Latin Grammy-nominated songwriter Lauren Evans, all adding to the unapologetic themes their hostess has planned for the night.

Aguilera's discography is littered with pop anthems, stripped vocals, club bangers, experiments and power ballads that have made her the legend she is today, despite the occasional interference from the powers that be. By ignoring trends, taking bold risks and carving out her own path, she's turned Liberation into her long-overdue declaration that Christina Aguilera is done falling in line.

If you're a recording artist, producer or musician and would like your work featured in TOP TRAX, hit me up at abarrios@wiremag.com.

12 WIREMAG.COM #26 2018

PHOTO CREDIT: © DEPOSITPHOTOS.COM | KAVRAMM

Anyone who's been paying attention for the last few years may have noticed that Christina has been playing her hand close to the vest, at least since the disappointing performance of her last album, Lotus (2012). Despite the stumble, she still managed to keep her fans engaged, and critics at bay, with her trail of winning collaborations like Pitbull's "Feel This Moment," Alejandro Fernández's cover of "Hoy Tengo Ganas de Ti," and A Great Big World's Grammy-winning hit, "Say Something." She also teamed up with the legendary Nile Rodgers for the disco-inspired "Telepathy," which was featured in the Netflix series The Get Down. In addition, she showed her support for the victims of the Pulse Nightclub tragedy with her inspiring single "Change" by donating all proceeds to the victims' families.

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HOME CHEF

By Michael W. Sasser

CELEBRATING THE AVOCADO

Green Is Good

Yes, yes, the healthy, tasty breakfast (or lunch!) dish is ubiquitous in pop culture association with the millennial crowd, but that doesn't make it wrong. Well, it is wrong to pay $18 for the simple food combination that a child could put together. But the home version is cheap and if you haven't experienced it, you really should.

So why on and on about avocado toast? Because to plenty of people, the avocado is just an ingredient in guacamole – the more traditional use of the fruit. Yes it is a fruit – technically a single-seed berry. Younger people and their green-topped toast represent an evolution in the appreciation of the avocado.

On a personal note, I didn't appreciate avocados until I was an adult. As a kid in Miami, I was used to the jumbo variety that grew in my back22 WIREMAG.COM #26 2018

Chicken Adobo CA Avocado Fried Rice Trey Foshee CA Avocado Fruit Salad

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CALIFORNIA AVOCADO COMMISSION

illennials might take a lot of abuse in online memes and late-night talk shows, but they are on to one thing that the rest of the country would do well to pick up: avocado toast.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CALIFORNIA AVOCADO COMMISSION

yard. They were not... great. Sorry, as much I love eating local, the Florida variety is a world away from those avocados with which most Americans are familiar. The Hass variety is the unquestioned king. Stick with the smaller variety and they make a nutritious component to many dishes and styles of cooking.

Your avocado is a temperamental mistress.

They're perfect to eat when there is a little give when you press a thumb into them – and depending on the temperature and the amount of sunlight they get, their "good" period is not very long. To mature a hard fruit quickly, place them in a paper bag and store somewhere warm for a day or so. Keep checking them and use shortly after they are just slightly soft.

Avocados are a healthy component with which to work. Although they seem fairly high in calories to some people (about 160 for a small one), much of those come from healthy fats – the kind that lower your bad cholesterol. They have some protein, and even their carbs are offset by high fiber. They're packed with nutrients and researchers seem to find more "superfood" elements in them every year.

Did I mention delicious? Some people (ahem), reflecting on the savory, umami-laden taste and health benefits, consider them the food of the Gods along with other self-contained beneficial foods like coconuts, bananas and blueberries.

June is California Avocado Month, so you can celebrate it with distinct avocado eats and recipes available at the California Avocado Commission website californiaavocado.com, or by visiting the Golden State to savor its official fruit at the peak of its season. The Commission partnered with a variety of chefs from well-known food halls in Los Angeles' historic Grand Central Market and Portland's unique Pine Street Market to host limited-time California avocado menu items. The chefs have crafted a diverse selection of delectable dishes featuring fresh California avocados to take advantage of this year's bountiful avocado harvest. If you are in California this month, make sure you enjoy some fresh avocado dishes from local restaurant menus.

CA Avocado Key Lime Pie

#26 2018 WIREMAG.COM 23

• You've probably seen served a halved avocado with tuna stuffed in the avocados welcoming center. The problem is, too often the tuna is made with mayonnaise, killing the healthy aspect of the dish. Who needs the dreck that is mayo when you already have the creamy, unctuous healthy fat of the avocado? Instead, dress Albacore tuna with lemon juice, salt, pepper and a hint of garlic or chili flakes, plop in a halved avocado, drizzle a tiny bit of good olive oil, and mix each bite with the components. Or better yet, grill or bake a tuna steak rare, slice the meat and elevate a common dish to the elegant level.

• Mash avocado with salt, pepper, lime juice and garlic and use in the place of mayo on sandwiches or in salad dressings. Tastes much better and much healthier. Why not turn an average lunch into something that will delight and intrigue relatives and co-workers.

• Avocados play a part in the cuisines of many cultures, from the Caribbean to Asia.

Their high (good) fat content makes them excellent additions to spicy dishes to calm the heat. As most know, if your mouth is burning, stick to high fat things like milk, rather than water, to calm the flames. I make a lot of Asian dishes and the Thai and Indian ones often rely on heat in their sophisticated balance of flavors. Particularly when cooking for guests with less tolerance for heat, I dice avocado and top dishes with it, both for added flavor and to let diners cool their palates.

• Skip topping your tacos with guac and fold your favorite taco fixings into an avocado half.

• Crab and avocado are wonderful natural partners. Skip the tuna filling and go with crab meat, lime juice, green onions and season to taste.

• Add avocado to a simple hummus recipe, kick it up with cilantro for something healthy, fresh and surprising.

• Even the simplest dish can be improved with avocado, from Mac and cheese to scrambled eggs – anything that benefits from creamy goodness.

Crispy Black Bean Cake with CA Avocado

OK, so back to avocado toast. You don't have to be a millennial to enjoy it and you certainly don't have to spend a fortune on it. Following is my favorite, simple, healthy, delicious version. The combination of avocado, Swiss cheese and tomato is terrific.

• Mash one small avocado flesh with a little lime, salt, pepper, and a dash of pepper sauce or sprinkle of crushed red pepper.

• Toast two slices of good whole-grain bread, the darker and nuttier the better. Skip the white bread or mundane commercial stuff. You want something that stands up to the topping and has real texture and flavor. I prefer Ezekiel sprouted grain bread.

• Apply a thin slice of Swiss cheese to each slice of toast.

• When toast has cooled a little, coat each piece of toast with your avocado mash.

• Top avocado with tomato slices – the better the tomato, the better the dish.

• Season the tomato with a little salt and pepper.

That's it – as easy as can be, inexpensive and a healthy and tasty alternative to other savory breakfast, brunch or lunch options. Anyone can enjoy it, even if you don't live in your parents' basement!

"CALIFORNIA AVOCADO SEASON IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE SEASONS! BECAUSE THE FRUIT IS AT ITS PEAK, LOCALLY GROWN AND PICKED NEARBY, I NEVER HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR TO GET GREAT TASTING AVOCADOS FOR MY MENU AND MY HOME." - CHEF MANZKE

24 WIREMAG.COM #26 2018

Power Hour Pick Me Up CA Avocado Smoothie

Author/writer Michael W. Sasser has written on food and dining in South Florida and abroad for hundreds of publications, ranging from Where Miami and the Sun-Sentinel Group to Frommer's, Fodor's, Time Out, Fresh Guides, Black Book NY, and more.

Rafa Carvajal, publisher, editor in chief and writer of Wire Magazine, contributed to this story.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CALIFORNIA AVOCADO COMMISSION

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Here are a few perfect ways to use avocado in your home cooking, besides guacamole and salads.

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Avita Pharmacy is a specialty pharmacy dedicated to the wellness and care of people living with complex health conditions. But we do more than just fill prescriptions: we join your healthcare team. Avita Pharmacy is dedicated to providing personalized service to our patients, partners, and providers that is professional, reliable, confidential, convenient, and cost-effective.

Financial Assistance Programs Free Delivery Refill Reminders 24/7 Pharmacist Support

Getting Better, Together. avitapharmacy.com WITH US