2010.03.11

Vol. XXV No. 10 March 11, 2010 Visit us at miamisunpost.com

The Story Matters

Mayhem p.4Proclamations, Graffiti & Lotsof Lovely Liberty Prints...

SAVE THE STADIUMPreservation Efforts for Miami Marine Stadium Making Progress SEE PAGE. 12

MAYHEM P.4 POLITICS P. 6 HISTORY P.8 PROFILE P. 10 CALENDAR P.14 411 P. 16 BOUND P.19 MUSIC P. 23 FASHION P. 26

EXECUTIVE EDITORKim Stark

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SOCIETY EDITORJeannette Stark

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COPY EDITORMary Louise English

CALENDAR EDITORJake Orsinni

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERSJeffrey Bradley

Stuart DavidsonMarguerite Gil

Mary Louise EnglishJennifer Fragoso

John HoodThomas QuickJoe Robertson

Mary Jo Almeida-ShoreKim Steiner

Michael Sasser

Carl Zablotny

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERSStuart Davidson

Eitan Moshe KleinMary Jo Almeida-Shore

Marguerite GilInes Hegedus-Garcia

Jennifer FragosoMitchell Zachs

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• Thursday, March 11, 2010 • The SunPost • www.miamisunpost.com

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Letters

Gays Are Not Leaving the BeachTo the Editor:Michael Sasser's article, "Will the Show Go On?" in the February 25, 2010 issue of The SunPost was per-

fectly good, except for one unsubstantiated claim: That the gay community in Miami Beach "has dwindled in

numbers in recent years."

I hope he did not base his claim on the wildly sensationalized and inaccurate article Natalie O'Neill wrote

last month in the Miami New Times, which claimed that gays are leaving South Beach "in droves." That article

was widely criticized by many in the gay community, including me (see

http://joemygod.blogspot.com/2010/01/guest-post-bradley-carlson.html). The gay publication Wire devoted an

entire issue to debunking it.

I'm not aware of any data showing the gay population in Miami Beach has dwindled. My experience is that

the gay community in Miami Beach has changed--just as it has in most American cities--but it has not dwindled.

I fear news reports that spread the myth that gays are leaving Miami Beach will create a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Otherwise, thanks for giving coverage to the Palace drag show issue.

Brad CarlsonMiami Beach

Stop All the Towing! To the Editor:RE: Jeffrey Bradley, Towing My Way 2/25These two companies have been getting away with stealing forever. And as long as the City of Miami

Beach profits from them I would not expect anything to change in the near future. It should be against thelaw to make people pay $208.00 in cash, when they have a pocket full of credit cards. Dade Country lawsays you have a right to pay with a credit card at any tow company if your car gets towed. Why does this lawnot apply to Beach & Tremont towing companies?

My car was towed from my own condo because I forgot to put my parking pass on the dashboard of mycar. When I noticed that my car was gone Sunday morning from my lot I went straight over to Beach towingthey didn't have my car, but just down the block, Tremont Towing had my car.

The little man at the window had the deamenor of an iceberg. I told him I was here to get my car. Hesaid, "that will be $208.00". I pulled out my AMEX card and gave it to him. He just looked at me as if Ishould know better and said “we only take cash” and he gave me back my card. I told him I didn't havecash on me and its Sunday and how else was I going to pay? He replied, “they have an ATM at Publix”. I toldhim that would be great if I had a PIN number and never used an ATM in my life and never plan to. My onlysaving grace was my girlfriend who happened to have a PIN number. So she gave the money and I got mycar but had she not been there I would have had to come back on Monday and pay them even more money.

These two tow companies think they're above the law. Ever see them just drive thru the neighborhood?Ever see a police officer side with a person having their car towed? And you never will. All the cops are onthe side of the tow truck drivers right, wrong or indifferent.

At a condo where I live on West Ave people who visit us need to obtain a parking pass. That pass is goodtil 12pm and at exactly 12pm tow trucks come into our parking lot to see who they can tow away And ofcourse it's real easy to see who has a parking pass on their dash. My last experience with Tremont or Beachwas again in my condo parking lot. This is just a couple of months ago. I had a friend get a guest pass frommy building at that time the guest pass expiration was at 10pm. My friend came over around 6pm we wentto the movies and dinner on Lincoln Rd. We were running a little late as it was 10pm and we just finisheddinner. We walked back to my condo it was 10:15pm and the car was nowhere to be found. One of myneighbors told me they just towed it.

0 Now if the City of Miami Beach wasn't in their pockets it would not cost as much and they would nothave the run of the city. And maybe, just maybe the cops would be on the side of the person getting towed. Ihave lived on Miami Beach since I'm ten years old, I moved here in 1960. I have heard many horror storiespertaining to these two towing companies. When is somebody going to do something about this injustice? Ican remember it was not so long ago that the only way someone got towed on Miami Beach was if someonecalled and said there's a car in a spot where it is not allowed, could you please send a tow truck.

J.R.Miami Beach

www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • Thursday, March 11, 2010 •

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“Oh Hell Yeah! That place isawesome. I snuck in therewith a buddy a few weekendsago. It still has it! I say we doa community clean-up overthere, get the old girl back inshape.” - Jorge, Miami

“Is it saveable? From what Ihave seen it is nothing but agraffiti taggers paradise. Dowe have the money to put intoit? With the recession andreal estate so bad, I’m notsure that it is worth it. - Sandra, Sunny Isles

“Totally. I remember going toa Jimmy Buffet concert there.It’s part of Miami’s history.just as much as the drug deal-ers and the Marielles. A lot ofus have very fond memoriesof the stadium. I would loveto take my kids there for aboat race or a concert. itwould be fantastic!” -Patrice, Coconut Grove

“To me it s a living art piece! Iadore the graffiti that is all overit. It would be amazing to re-store it and somehow leave thegraffiti. You just don’t destroyart.” - Lexiandra, South Beach

BY BRIAN DAVIDShould the Miami Marine Stadium Be Refurbished and Renovated?

I was trying to avoid Biscayne Boulevard traffic when I came across this mural. It makesyou realize that some of the best Miami Art can be found on walls of old industrial build-ings in The Wynwood Arts District. These murals are alive, organic and real, and verymuch a part of our urban core.

Miami through my iphone

REAL MIAMI ARTby Ines Hegedus-Garcia - miamism.com - [email protected]


Tropical MayhemBITS AND PIECES OF MIAMI LIFE

Commissioner Jonah Wolfson presentedMark Lechter and Scott Balson, owners ofThe Electric Bicycle Store, with a Proclama-tion to recognize their role in"helpingMiami Beach to become a 'Greener' com-munity, serving a population that enjoys avibrant and energetic lifestyle." The Elec-tric Bicycle Store, is the only retailer to ex-clusively sell and rent Electric Bicycles inMiami-Dade County.

Liberty of London is the latest in a long line of dazzling de-

signers doing special collections for Target. Jean Paul

Gaultier, Anna Sui, Zac Posen are just a few {lots

more to come this year} to deliver style at affordable

prices. Liberty, a 134 year-old premier British brand is

Target’s biggest collaboration to date. A touch of British

panache will invade several departments throughout the

store. Liberty is known for their bright colors and iconic

floral and paisley prints, expect to see a whole array of

fresh, modern and sophisticted designs. target.com

Libertyat Target

Go Greenfor Good

Scott Balson, Mark Lechter and Commissioner Jonah Wolfson

Here’s a typical Miami Beach imbroglio for you:Toronto artist Franklin Sinanan put six paintings and one sculpture on display down at Miami Beach City Hall recently

as part of Black History Month. (If the words City Hall raise a certain dissonance, they should.) Franklin’s had to go backtwice now, to remove “inappropriate” pieces.

Raised in Canada by way of Trinidad, Franklin has channeled an Afro-Caribbean vibe since he moved here a coupleof years ago. But some, fearing perceived “voodoo elements” in his work, have called him a witch doctor.

Suddenly we feel like we’ve stepped into an H. P. Lovecraft novel. Seems that city officials, after initially approving the display for the fourth-floor public gallery, got a case of cold feet

and asked Franklin to remove the Rituals sculpture after complaints from city staff.Featuring votive candles, feathers, rope, baby dolls, skulls and crucifixes, the sculpture looks, well, “voodooish.”

Franklin’s as perplexed as us over the need to cart it away. “Why should anyone take offense?” he asks. Why, indeed?In the exhibition, Franklin replaced Rituals three days later with an abstract number entitled Rwanda. Let’s hope

no Hutus are staff members!And while nobody wants lupe-garoos running around the commission chamber, this is art we’re talking about!For perspective, let’s consider that when Andres Serrano’s Piss Christ made the rounds a few years ago under the

auspices of the NEA — you remember, it depicted a small plastic crucifix submerged in a glass of the artist's urine? —it was considered the highest of high art. Anyone who decried it could only be a barbarian or worse, and to make thepoint more clearly it won an "Awards in the Visual Arts" competition. Along with Mapplethorpe’s self-portrait featuring thatstrategically placed bullwhip, you’d think they’d cornered Beaux Arts photography. Now, if those pieces had been on dis-play and “offended” city staff, would those photos have come down? How would that have played with the Miami BeachGay Pride Festival? Funny how “freedom of expression” concerning the arts never seems to include anything that mightoffend a voting “community.”

As to the artists, why is nothing derogatory of Islam ever produced? After all, if Jesus can swim in pee, why not dressThe Prophet, say, as the 73rd virgin? Is it because this kind of Pop Art might not be politically correct?

See, with art, the same piece deemed as individual expression can also be seen as pandering obscenity; truly, itsessence lies in the eye of the beholder.

But is artwork even vaguely denoting religiosity to be spirited away in the dead of night from City Hall? Must anythingdecorated with raven feathers, skulls or votive candles bring out the weejums and hex signs? Where’s Papa Legba whenwe need him? And whatever happened to context?

Now for the shocker: Miami Beach officials refused to comment!So let’s delve a little. According to Florida International University Constitutional Law Professor José Vilanova (as re-

ported in The Lead March 5), “Any works of expression that are fully artistic in nature are covered under the ‘free exer-cise’ clause of the First Amendment. So, the government can display religious symbolism if there’s an expressly secularpurpose, like an art exhibit. Where municipalities run into problems is when they financially sponsor some form of overtreligious expression, like a manger scene during Christmas.”

There, isn’t that clear as Pluto on a cloudy night?In this case, the professor states that City Hall can decide what they do and do not want on display — as long as no

policy, “written or unwritten,” forbids religious-themed artwork or runs foul of the First Amendment. Wait, it becomes slipperier — this is City Hall. There’s no mention of religious symbolism in the city charter, so what

stays or goes is strictly ad hoc art critique. In other words, the policy du jour is subject to change. Franklin’s work apparently isn’t frowned on only by City Hall boobirds. More than one aficionado has described it

as “vodou.” So, what do these guardians of our local mores do during Art Basel? Surely, many more equally “offensive”pieces can be found there.

We’ve held the view for years that Miami Beach is an urban setting straightjacketed by suburban sensibilities. Andlike acid and oil on a madman’s face, reason tends to fly away. Eccentricities like these are especially pronounced by small,weird polar opposites; where else, do you think, are the merits of art argued based on voodoo content? Is it that we needto teach people more about art? Is the voodoo community lacking in political clout? Or do we just chalk it all up as moreSouth Beach craziness? Probably the answer, like art itself, depends on the individual. But there are many interpretations.

We recall seeing the artist’s painting of a rooster awhile back. Even that was called offensive, with dark mutteringsabout Santeria and black magic. (Sheesh!) Might as well call it Kentucky Fried Voodoo. Franklin doesn’t know about allthat, claiming his inspiration was — you guessed it! — Mr Clucky.

We can relate. We owned a rooster once named Mitchell that we kept in the backyard. Except for the early morningracket, he was the best pet we ever had. Of course, the neighbors took a dim view (despite our protestations that the noisewas a sick cat), and Mitchell had to go. But here’s the thing: We can personally attest that at no time, at no point, ever, didwe notice Mitchell mixed up in anything even remotely resembling voodoo. Not even a little.

Franklin rightly sees it as just art. “I just pull this stuff out of my head,” he says. “It’s all imagination.”Art Gratis Artis, baby.

COLUMN

Which Doctor Painted What?By Jeffrey Bradley

Politics


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Being Me Smoke-FreeBy Jennifer fragoso

Name: Jennifer FragosoAge: 38Years smoking: 23SMOKE FREE: One Week

WEEK 2: WHITE-KNUCKLING IT ALL THE WAY

I’m still on edge, moody and emotionally sensitive. With each intake of oxygen, I crave nicotinemixed with carbon monoxide more and more. I want to smoke! I imagine myself smoking, breathingeverything in. Breathing in all of my angst and frustration through the small paper torches I have car-ried with me for some 23 years. The good news is that even though I want to smoke, all the time, Idon’t. You see, deep down I really don’t want to be a smoker; I just want to play one on TV. You know,like a character in the movies who pulls out a pack of Marlboro Lights hidden in her sock drawer and

lights up in either crisis or ecstasy. Unfortunately that just isn’t smoking for me. Smoking cigarettes forme is like eating Lay’s potato chips — I “can’t have just one.” Honestly! I go from smoking a cigaretteout at night after a few drinks to having two or three on the next outing, then I’m back to buying packsin no time flat.

That is the cycle of smoking for me. I am addicted to smoking physically and mentally and as“they” say, the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem. So for the record, let me intro-duce myself one more time. Hi, my name is Jennifer and I am a recovering smoker. There, I’ve said itand I mean it: I AM ADDICTED TO SMOKING. What a relief! The charade is over. No more pretendingto be a part-time employee of the firm of Smoke ‘Em if You Got ‘Em Inc. No more pleading withstrangers in bars to give me a cigarette. No more stinky clothes, breath and hair. No more smoking,period, because I can’t have just one. (This appears to be my new mantra and I may or may not writea little ditty to sing along to… stay tuned.)

I find knowing the who, what, where, when and why of a problem helps. Attacking my addictionfrom the inside out, clearly, is what’s going to work for me. Because let’s face it, life doesn’t always runas planned. There will be problems, breakups, losses, couplings and celebrations to come. What therewon’t be is a cigarette before or after any of these impending events. From now on I’m going to be mesmoke-free no matter how tricky life may be.

“You see, deep down I really don’t wantto be a smoker; I just want to play oneon TV. You know like a character in the

movies who pulls out a pack of MarlboroLights hidden in her sock drawer andlights up in either crisis or ecstasy.”

www.miamisunpost.com • The SunPost • March 11, 2010 •

As noted in last week’s column, it was legitimately assumed by Miami’s business and commercial in-terests of the time that 1926 would simply be a continuation of the several great “boom” years precedingit. Thus imagine their distress when the five-masted Danish sailing freighter PrinzValdemar capsized in the turning basin at the mouth of the Miami harbor on Jan-uary 10, 1926, leaving the region bereft of shipping alternatives to the Florida EastCoast Railway.

Although the railroad was being double-tracked between Jacksonville andMiami, the then-existing infrastructure (sidings, team tracks, yards) was simplyoverwhelmed. Forced to embargo itself, the FEC was unable to accept any freightshipments of any kind, except food and drugs, unless those shipments were ac-companied by a letter permitting their movement signed by the FEC’s Vice Presi-dent and General Manager, H. N. Rodenbaugh. Simply put, there was no space fora single incoming freight car between Jacksonville and Miami: Every siding, everyteam track and every yard track was filled.

That embargo, the second of “the five terrible events of 1926,” would have itsown far-reaching effects. News of the embargo began to permeate throughout the

nation via the press, and to filter into the consciousness of thousands of home and lot buyers and the al-most equally large number of prospective business owners (particularly in the area east of the MississippiRiver). The perception of the Greater Miami area (including Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Sunny Isles, NorthMiami Beach and other boom-time developments) as a place of unlimited opportunity, fantastic growth,endless potential and enormous profit-making began to fade.

The less than positive commentary began to make its way into business news sections of newspapersand national magazines, including The American Weekly, Collier’s and others. The third terrible eventwould, unhappily, be no more than a prelude to the fourth, as household after household would decide tosimply stop (in their minds) “throwing good money after bad” and would allow the properties they hadbought from George Merrick, Harvey Baker Graves, Carl Fisher, Ellen Spears Harris and Hugh Anderson,

Arthur Griffing and others selling land in the various de-velopments to go into default. And when thousands ofwould-be owners ceased making monthly payments, thevarious boom-time magnates became more and more

hard-pressed to make good on their promises ofservices and a golden future.

One of the least fortunate of the developers wasMerle Tebbetts, the founder of the Florida Cities Fi-nance Company, which purchased the acreage of LafeAllen, who had bought the property from Captain Ful-ford and began the development of what eventuallywould become North Miami Beach. Tebbetts pouredmoney into Fulford-by-the-Sea, and, like Merrick inCoral Gables, Griffing in Biscayne Park, Spears Har-ris and Anderson in the Shoreland Company (MiamiShores) and almost all the rest of them, was ridingthe crest of the great boom until, following the firstfour events noted last week and above, “the bottomdropped out.” Tebbetts, unable to make good onmany of the promises he had made while developingFulford-by-the-Sea, was arrested and jailed on fed-eral mail fraud charges. In bankruptcy, the develop-ment simply faded away; it would only be resurrectedyears later when Lafe Allen (for whom North MiamiBeach’s public library is named) took back the prop-erty, paid the taxes on it and, basically, saved NMB.

The four events discussed thus far, terrible asthey were, would pale in comparison to the horrorof the decade, the Sept. 17-18, 1926 hurricane.Next week we will present that event to you in all itsterror.

Seth H. Bramson is Adjunct Professor of History at both FIU and Barry University, where he servesas Historian in Residence. The Company Historian of the Florida East Coast Railway, he is the singlemost published Greater Miami history book author in America, with 12 of his 17 books dealing di-rectly with the villages, towns, cities and people of Miami-Dade County.

COLUMN

The Five Terrible Eventsof 1926 – Part TwoBy Seth H. [email protected]

A Special Moment in Time

ABOVE: THE HALCYON HOTEL WAS A GREAT BOOM-TIME FA-VORITE OF MIAMI'S VISITORS. LOCATED AT THE CORNER OF FLA-GLER STREET AND NORTHEAST SECOND AVENUE, THE HOTELFRONTED FLAGLER STREET. IT WAS TORN DOWN IN THE LATE1930S AND REPLACED BY THE ALFRED I. DUPONT BUILDING.LEFT: THE FULFORD DEPOT WAS LOCATED AT WHAT TODAY ISNORTHEAST 163RD STREET AND BISCAYNE BOULEVARD ANDWAS BUILT AND OPENED IN THE VERY EARLY YEARS OF THE 20THCENTURY. ALONG WITH OJUS AND ARCH CREEK (LATER NORTHMIAMI), FULFORD'S TRAIN STATION SERVED DADE COUNTYPRIOR TO THE SEPARATIONS OF PALM BEACH (1909) ANDBROWARD (1915) COUNTIES FROM DADE. IS THE MAIN EN-TRANCE TO THE PORT OF MIAMI.

TAKEN FROM A PLANE OVER BISCAYNE BAY, THE FLAMINGO WAS ONE OF SEVERAL MIAMI BEACH HOTELS BUILT FACING THEBAY RATHER THAN THE OCEAN. A CARL FISHER PROPERTY, THE HOTEL WOULD REMAIN, UNTIL THE EARLY 1950S, AN EXCLU-SIVE AND SOUGHT-OUT DESTINATION RESORT. BY THE EARLY 1960S ITS LUSTER HAD FADED AND THE HOTEL WOULD BE TORNDOWN TO BE REPLACED BY THE HIGH RISES THAT HAVE BEEN THE BANE AND SHAME OF MIAMI BEACH.

"MISS MIAMI" CIRCA 1926. A ZAFTIG BEAUTY, BUT STILL ABEAUTY, SHE IN A "CHEESECAKE" POSE TYPICAL OF THE ERA.



Few people can say they've allowed groups of artists to run rampant in their homes but in 2005, artenthusiast Dr. Leonard Tachmes did just that. The former gallery owner and practicing plastic surgeonopened the doors to his two-story bungalow that year and used the Design District home not only as liv-ing quarters, but as a showroom where packs of artists displayed collections of works and hosted count-less events.

The surgeon began his affair with the arts in high school and the passion grew as he began pursuinghis education in the various art capitals of the country. Just before settling down in New York, Tachmes wasstruck with unfortunate news regarding his father’s health and rushed back to Miami. After reacquaintinghimself with the sunny city, he was able to find work in group practices and began quenching his thirst forthe arts by volunteering at the Museum of Contemporary Art.

When the surgeon came across extra spending money, he gravitated toward galleries and vendors, plac-ing down payments on pieces that seemed to call out for him. Soon building a strong assemblage of art-work, Tachmes began inadvertently preparing for days to come, selling off pieces he felt he could let go.He and his cousin-in-law discussed sharing a space where Tachmes could run a gallery while his cousin-in-law set up shop selling his handmade frames.

Years of consideration and contemplation paid off in 2001 when Tachmes took over an old eyeglass

PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY YOU SHOULD KNOW

Dr. Leonard TachmesPlastic SurgeonBy Thomas Quick

store in North Miami, just across from MOCA. Renovated and remodeled, it transformed into the LeonardTachmes Gallery. Soon after, the frame shop moved and Tachmes was left with a 1,000-square-foot spacewhere he was free to do as he wished. "There were no limits to what we did there," he stated with a smile."We did painting, photography, video, sculpture. We did installations, we did performance pieces. Just alot of crazy artists doing whatever they wanted. It was cutting edge." On Sept. 15, 2001 the Leonard TachmesGallery held its first art show, featuring painters Matt Rush and Carlos De Villasante.

As time passed, slowly all the galleries in the area Tachmes framed as the “NoMi District” began shut-ting down. In 2005 when the showrooms went from eight to two, the art dealer moved to the Design Dis-trict, resulting in the second reincarnation of the Leonard Tachmes Gallery. After eight years in the artbusiness, Tachmes closed the doors for good and decided it was time to focus on starting a medical prac-tice of his own. After three months of searching, he found a headquarters for his practice on Miami Beach— ironically, inside the building where his father once performed surgery.

Although Tachmes claims his gallery days are over, and he is solely focused on growing his medicalpractice, he can’t help but dabble a little in the art world. And, just in case he misses the creativity, he hascovered his office walls with art, allowing him to look back fondly on his days as an art entrepreneur.

PHOTO: MITCHELL ZACKS/MAGICAL PHOTOS


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Preservation Efforts for Miami Marine Stadium Making ProgressWritten by Michael W. Sasser

SAVE THE

THE ABANDONED MIAMI MARINE STADIUM

STADIUMNative Miamian Chris Gilbert remembers well

his most vivid experience at historic MiamiMarine Stadium.

“It has to be a Jimmy Buffett concert,” Gilbertsays. “It is just such a perfect setting for that kind oflaid-back, tropical-themed kinda performer. Audi-ence on the shore and on boats. Stage right on thewater. Open, sea air. I remember a lot of boat racesthere, which were great. But there was somethingabout Buffett and Miami Marine Stadium that wentlike cake and ice cream or peanut butter and jelly.”

Of course, Gilbert adds, Buffett and the stadiumat the entry point to scenic Virginia Key is a lot likeWoodstock.

“Sure there were a lot of people who werethere,” he says, and laughs. “But 10 times as manypeople say that they were there years afterward.”

Whichever of those groups Gilbert really fallsinto might be unclear. But what isn’t is that count-less longtime South Floridians have powerful, fondmemories of the heyday of the unique stadium.

Increasingly clear is that this Miami Modern ar-chitectural jewel and beloved community icon justmight be back on track to once again light up theVirginia Key basin with culture and memory-mak-ing.

“That’s one of the things that makes Miami Ma-rine Stadium not just worth restoring, but also whatmakes it so very special — so many people have

such strong memories of itand such love for it,” saidMiami Beach preservationactivist Don Worth, oneof the co-founders ofFriends of Marine Sta-dium. “This is a magicalplace, a special place. In-variably when we makea presentation on it,there are people wholight up because theyhave such memories ofit. This is where SammyDavis Jr. huggedRichard Nixon. It’swhere Pete Townsendof The Who lit his gui-tar on fire, threw it inthe water and a dozen

Please see Stadium on page 20

CalendarWHAT TO DO IN MIAMI THIS WEEK


THE SECOND CITY

March 12PERFORMANCECirque DreamsMarvel as 26 performance artists reinvent everyday ob-jects, balance on wires, leap structures and redefineflight with entertaining variety and extraordinary oc-currences. 8pm. $40-$70. Hard Rock Live, 1 Semi-nole Way, Hollywood. For info: 954-975-9525 orcirqueproductions.com

March 12FASHIONFashionMiamiA 5-day fashion extravaganza showcasing Fall/Winter2010 designs. Local Runway shows, events and partiesin the Design District. NE 39th Street & 1st Court in theMiami Design District. For info:fashionmiamishows.com

March 12MUSICMichael BubléCatch the crooner when he hits town for his Crazy Love Tour. 8pm.$52.25-$92.25. BankAtlantic Center, 2555 NW 137th Way, Sunrise. Forinfo: livenation.com

March 12MUSICThe Live SeriesA variety of local and national acid jazz and r&b acts live on stage every Friday night at The King isDead. 9pm. The King is Dead, 10 NE 40th St., Design District. For info: kingisdead.com

March 13ARTDesign District WalkGallery walk featuring inspiring art, design, music, cocktails, dining and shopping. 7pm. Free. North-east 36th Street to the south, Northeast 43rd Street to the north, Northwest First Avenue to the west and

Biscayne Boulevard to the east. For info: 305-573-8116 or miamidesigndistrict.net

March 13FESTIVAL

Marathon Seafood FestThe original Seafood festival features the freshest local seafood like lobster tails,

stone crab, fish, shrimp, live music, games for kids, rock-climbing wall, boat show,vendors selling jewelry, clothing, and arts and crafts. 10am to 11pm. $5. Free forkids. Marathon Community Park, 200 36th St., Marathon. For info: 305-743-5417 or floridakeysmarathon.com

March 13ART

Seder As ArtArts Inside The Open Tent which aims to celebrate and deepen Jewish identity, presents

creative Passover Seder as Art. The show engages artists in a variety of media(performing, media and visual arts) with their own interpretations of parts of

the Seder. Participating artists are Tomas Loewy, Toby Needler, MichaelPertnoy, Stuart Sheldon, and Deborah Sherman. 7pm. Free. TheMoore Building, 4040 NE 2nd Avenue, Suite 103, Miami Design Dis-trict. For info: miamidesigndistrict.net.

March 13MUSICAirBrought to Miami by the Rhythm Foundation, French electronic duo, Air will hit Miami for a debutone-night-only performance. Expect to hear a range from all their albums, including their sixth stu-dio album, Love 2. $26.50 - $36.50. 8pm. Fillmore Miami Beach, Jackie Gleason Theater, 1700Washington Ave., Miami Beach. For info: livenation.com or rhythmfoundation.com.

JOIN AUTHOR FRANCES MAYES AS SHE READS AND DISCUSSES HERLATEST BOOK, EVERY DAY IN TUSCANY. IN THIS SEQUEL TO HER NEWYORK TIMES BESTSELLERS UNDER THE TUSCAN SUN AND BELLATUSCANY, MAYES LYRICALLY CHRONICLES HER CONTINUING, TWODECADES-LONG LOVE AFFAIR WITH TUSCANY'S PEOPLE, ART, CUI-SINE, AND LIFESTYLE. SHE OFFERS HER READERS A DEEPLY PER-SONAL MEMOIR OF HER PRESENT-DAY LIFE IN TUSCANY,ENCOMPASSING BOTH THE CHANGES SHE HAS EXPERIENCED SINCEUNDER THE TUSCAN SUN AND BELLA TUSCANY APPEARED, ANDSENSUOUS, EVOCATIVE REFLECTIONS ON THE TIMELESS BEAUTYAND VIVID PLEASURES OF ITALIAN LIFE. WITH MORE ON THE PLEAS-URES OF LIFE AT "BRAMASOLE," THE DELIGHTS AND CHALLENGESOF LIVING IN ITALY DAY-TO-DAY AND FAVORITE RECIPES, EVERY DAYIN TUSCANY IS A PASSIONATE AND INVITING ACCOUNT OF THE RICH-NESS AND COMPLEXITY OF ITALIAN LIFE. 6PM. FREE. FAIRCHILDTROPICAL BOTANIC GARDEN, 10901 OLD CUTLER ROAD, CORALGABLES. FOR INFO: BOOKSAND BOOKS.COM.

SAVE THE DATE:THURSDAY, APRIL 1

FRANCES MAYES – EVERY DAY IN TUSCANY

Please see Calendar on page 24


BLACKS’ MAGICThe Blacks’ Annual Gala, hosted by power couple Lea and Roy

Black, took place right smack in the middle of the South Beach

Wine and Food Festival, on Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Fontainebleau.

Known for hosting one of the coolest events every year, with the

most eclectic guest list and entertainment roster, the Blacks wel-

comed more than 700 guests during this year’s 15th anniversary

gala. One hundred percent of the ticket sales and auction proceeds

benefited The Consequences Charity, Educate Tomorrow, I Have

a Dream and Project Medishare for Haitian relief efforts

founded by internationally renowned physician Dr. Barth Green.

After the reception and silent auction, guests enjoyed a four-

course meal and special musical performances. The first was a

soulful saxophone rendition of Bob Seger’s Turn the Page by Alto

Reed, quite fitting for a benefit for the Consequences Charity, which

is primarily devoted to helping troubled youths do just that.

Latin Pop sensation Paulina Rubio took the mic next, followed

by Grammy Award-winning artist Natalie Cole, who got guests to

their feet to slow dance (when was the last time you did that?), es-

pecially when she sang crowd pleaser Unforgettable. Platinum

recording artist Rick Ross performed next. We did say “eclectic,”

did we not?

This year’s live auction included a Rolls-Royce Ghost, Bentley

Mulsanne and Bugatti Veyron, provided by Braman Motors; a 2009

Limited Production Spyker C8 Laviolette, provided by The Craig

Zinn Automotive Group; and an extraordinary modern design

package including furnishings, art and accessories by award-win-

ning designer Tui Pranich, creator of Tui Lifestyle Showroom.

The auction was followed by an exhibition boxing match (which

explained the ring set up in the center of the room) between top

heavyweight boxer Fres Oquendo and mixed martial arts special-

ist Andrei Arlovski.

Celebrities in attendance included Florida Gov. Charlie Crist

and First Lady Carole Crist; Gloria Estefan, Grammy Award-win-

ning singer and songwriter; Emilio Estefan, 19-time Grammy

Award-winning producer and author; Bobby Flay, chef, restaura-

teur and television personality; Ana Cristina, singer; Helio Cas-

troneves, three-time Indy 500 race car driver; Lennox Lewis,

former world heavyweight champion; Alonzo Mourning, former

NBA player and wife Tracy Mourning; Evelyn Lozado, of VH1’s

Basketball Wives; artist Romero Britto; musician Alto Reed; DJ

Irie; DJ Tracy Young; EJ Viso, IZOD IndyCar driver; Ron Duprat,

Top Chef; and Kim Zolciak of The Real Housewives of Atlanta.

FEAST WITH THE BEASTS Party animals united at the Feast with Beasts at Miami Metro-

zoo last Friday, where guests were treated to great food from more

than 40 top restaurants and eight open bars serving premium

liquors, keeping patrons warm during the cool evening. The car-

nival-themed event featured the pyrotechnics of the Pyro Fusion

fire dancers and the Miami Heat dancers along with wild animal en-

counters, live entertainment and Ron Magill’s dance party, which

lasted into the late hours of the night.

ROCKIN’ AT THE RITZThis year The PlayGround Theatre literally rocked the Ritz-

Carlton South Beach on Sunday with its annual Tea at the Ritz to

raise funds for its education and outreach programs. Barton G.,

known for his creative genius of “all things delicious,” produced

scrumptious kid-friendly bites. Also in the “scrumptious” category

was WSVN/Deco Drive’s Louis Aguirre, who served as master of

ceremonies for the annual fashion show featuring styles from the

Gap, IOS of Coconut Grove, and Kidding Around, amping up the al-

ready excited crowd. The highlight of the tea was when LIVE! School

COLUMN

A Gala, a Feast and a TeaBy Mary Jo [email protected]

Photos by Mary Jo Almeida-Shore

The 411

Michael Capponi, Taylor Erickson and Dr. Barth Green at the Black Gala

Elaine Lancaster, Frank Amadeo and Lea Black at the Black Gala for the Consequences Charity


Guests enjoying themselves at the Black Gala

Roy Black at the Gala

Ferraro and Randazzo ringside at the Black Gala for the Consequences Charity

Michael Shore and Governor Charlie Crist Black Gala for the Consequences Charity

of Music students took the stage and played old school ballads such

as the ever-popular Sweet Child of Mine and Joan Jett’s I Love Rock

and Roll. The pint-sized rock stars were a hit, working the kids and

their parents into a frenzy.

ON THE CLUB FRONTJust in time for Spring Break and WMC, which hits our shores on

March 23, are two new offerings in the club department: Coco De

Ville and Mokai 2010. Coco de Ville, the L.A. transplant, set up shop

in the Gansevoort Hotel during Super Bowl weekend and has been

getting lots of attention from cool kids and club rats ever since. Coco

De Ville’s Roy Alpert describes the vibe as “like you’re hanging out

at someone’s beach house. The programming is open format with

more NY, L.A.-style feel. The space is small so we keep the door pretty

tight but if you show up with good energy and a good attitude, then

I am sure you won’t be hassled.”

Man-about-town, TARA, Ink. principal Nick D’Annunzio raves,

“I love Coco De Ville. It’s the hottest spot in Miami, with the tough-

est door. You have to have a table or be genetically blessed to get in.

I am not sure who is better looking, the crowd or the staff. And I am

gaga over one of their signature drinks, the Coco Cotton Candy. I

die!”

Up the street from Coco, Mokai reopened last weekend with a

new look and new ownership. At the helm of Mokai 2010 is the

Opium Group, which also owns South Beach hotspots WALL, SET,

Louis, Mansion and Cameo, in addition to Opium Hard Rock and

Prive up north. The “new” Mokai’s facelift includes “eye-popping

cherry-red sofas, black lacquered walls, lipstick-pink panels, an

‘Alice in Wonderland’ array of custom-designed chandeliers and a

Baccarat-inspired chandelier pit — a modern take on a traditional

fireplace. Mokai’s design embraces modern New York sensibility and

Miami joie de vivre,” according to Vanessa Menkes, Opium Group’s

vice president of communications. Mokai’s innovative music pro-

gramming will include a mix of house music, open format and elec-

tro formats. Weekly parties will be announced soon.

COMING UPOur favorite space in Wynwood, Cafeina, will be hosting a

monthly Canadian-themed party named The Eh Team in honor of

our neighbors to the north starting this Friday, March 12, at 9 p.m.

Hosts include Michelle Leshem, Sasha Lauzon and Maxwell

Blandford (who will be spinning), Jochy Ortiz and a few others.

Colorado music heavyweights Pnuma Trio and Big Gigantic

bring their unique brands of livetronica to Florida for a five-show

run March 15-20 that includes a show on March 18 at The White

Room. Pnuma Trio will showcase the powerful improvisation that

propelled them onto the scene. Opening act Big Gigantic combines

DJ elements with a live band setup, dynamic sax solos and dance

beats. Together Pnuma Trio and Big Gigantic offer two explosive sets

of musical exploration rooted in the lush electro/jam style. All shows

are 18 and over and tickets are available at glittergluproduc-

tions.com.

CELEBRITY SIGHTINGSBasketball pros Kobe Bryant and Dwyane Wade dined at Mr.

Chow last Wednesday night. Seated a few tables away was Wade’s fel-

low Heat player Rafer Alston.

Scott Disick has been spotted all over the Gansevoort South,

stopping by Coco de Ville for the Favela Chic party hosted by The

ONE Group and One Fifty on Tuesday. On Saturday he spent the day

poolside at Plunge rooftop, and Monday night he and a group of five

others enjoyed STK during a business meeting. Disick was seen at

Mokai on Monday night, where Jerry Bruckheimer was spotted on

Saturday during the grand opening.

While celebrity sightings were slim to none over the weekend,

thanks to the Academy Awards being held out West, we had our fair

share of former Oscar winners, including Francesca Lo Schiavo

and Brigitte Berman, at Miami’s own edition of Oscar Sunday. Miami

Beach Film Society’s Cinematheque hosted the official local celebra-

tion of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Oscar Night

America party at Smith & Wollensky. MBC was selected by the Acad-

emy for the eighth year in a row to host and be the beneficiary of the

event. $50,000 was raised to fund MBC’s upcoming move to Miami

Beach City Hall this summer. VIP guests included Viktor Solnicki,

producer of Hugh Hefner: Playboy, Activist, and Rebel; Jesper

Ganslandt, director of The Ape; Calin Peter Netzer, director of

Medal of Honor; architect Scott Weinkle; interior designer Jeffrey

Barone; Diana and Alan Lieberman; Michael Gongora; Alitza

Weiss; Lily Zanardi; Elaine Lancaster; Nick D’Annunzio; Tara

Solomon; and MBC founder Dana Keith.

D. Ashlee Harrison at the Black Gala

Kim, Rodriguez, Donahue, Brier, Sawaya, & Vega at the MBC party

Tara Solomom & Dana Keith at the MBC Oscar PartyMichael Capponi and Taylor Erickson at the Black GalaJilian Sanz and Lauren Gnazzo at the Black Gala

Oscar Winner Francesca Lo Schiavo, Grassi, & Lily Zanardi

Tyler Wright, Tara Block, Elaine Lancaster, Lindsay Bira and Syd Brisbane


Metro Zoo’s Ron and Rita Magill at Feast With the Beasts

The Playground Theater’s Tea at the Ritz


411

Norma and Ali Quintero at Playground Theater's Tea at Ritz

Louis Aguirre and the Shore boys at Tea at Ritz

Pedro Barios, Richard Burton Jr., and Natvig at the Miami Beach CinemathequeOscar bash at Smith & Wollensky

Oscar Winner Brigitte Berman (in red) and friends Alitza Weiss & Vega at the Oscar Party at Smith & Wollensky

You read a lot of hard-boiled fiction. Maybe even

a little too much. The kinda little too much Cocteau

called “just enough.” You cut your teeth on Chan-

dler and Hammett and James M. Cain. Learned to

crack wise through Mickey Spillane. You got your

dark view of the world from Jim Thompson. Con-

sider yourself an authority on Elmore Leonard. And

you’ve spent a good chunk of a hard life alongside

walk-alones like Travis McGee, Hoke Mosley, Harry

Bosch and Elvis Cole.

You prefer alleys to main drags, suits to denim,

highballs to beer. You speak fast, think once and

never apologize, no matter how wrong they say you

are. You’ve got swollen knuckles, a tin ear and a chip

on your shoulder that’s been around so long it’s got

a name.

When you heard word that Robert Coover had

gotten with his inner gumshoe, you weren’t mad. In

fact, you were pleased by the news. You saw that he

called his experiment Noir, and you said “What

else?” And when you got the book in your hands,

you didn’t put it down until you’d reached The End.

You didn’t mind that the antihero’s name was

Philip M. Noir because you know it comes from the

best. You didn’t care that the bad guy was called Mr.

Big, the alley cat was christened Rats, or that Noir

had the hots for a dame named Flame. You were

even somewhat charmed by the fact that “her lovers

were called moths.”

You dug the stuttering neon, the puddled shad-

ows, the holstered heaters. And you knew what was

coming when the veiled widow showed up in need

of a peeper. Tomorrow was gonna be black-and-

blue, and you couldn’t wait.

In truth, the whole book is a bruise, punctuated

by dead bodies, and it smarts. You wouldn’t have

wanted it any other way. And since you too have been

“sucked into stories that have already been told,”

you already knew how hard would be “to step out of

it.” But you also know that “it’s not the story you’re

trapped in,” it’s “how you play it out. Your style.

Class. The moves you make.”

You see that now, here, in Coover’s shady strut

through the “dark damp night.” Just as you saw it

then, in Chandler and Hammett and Cain. You rec-

ognize the “filthy, smoky, gloomy, rank” as if it were

an old friend. You too have walked these streets,

made these mistakes, lived these myths. And you will

continue reading these stories until there are no

more words.

COLUMN

Noir Sung BlueRobert Coover Gets with His Inner GumshoeBy John Hood

BoundNew York Times online

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10. 36 hours

11. art in review

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people at the concert jumped in after it. There are somany memories.”

But these days Worth and the growing number ofkey figures in South Florida who have rallied in supportof Marine Stadium are more focused on the future thanon the past.

“I think it has asensational future,”Worth said.

As well it should,says Jorge Hernan-dez, Friends’ otherco-founder and ar-chitecture professorat the University ofMiami.

“Here you have averdant island [set-ting] in the middle ofa submerged nationalpark, larger thanCentral Park,” Her-nandez says. “Weknow that this is theonly stadium of itstype in the countryand we have been unable to identifyanother one like it so far anywhere inthe world.”

LONG HISTORYThe 6,566-seat grandstand of Ma-

rine Stadium was completed in 1964and originally dubbed CommodoreMunroe Stadium. Its folded-plate roofsupported by eight slanted columns an-chored through the grandstand led to itbeing considered a highlight of MiamiModern architecture. Originally the landit sits on was owned by the county. Itwas deeded to the city of Miami for thepurpose of building the stadium. It cost$2 million for development and dredging.The manmade basin — 6,000 feet by1,200 feet — is the length of the Wash-ington Mall.

From 1964 through the early 1990s,Marine Stadium was a very busy place. Originally de-signed for boat racing, the stadium also featured musi-cal performances of every type, boxing, water shows,Easter sunrise services, campaign rallies and communityevents.

However, in the later days of that period, Worth says,the stadium was not managed well and fell into disre-pair. In 1992, Hurricane Andrew swept through SouthFlorida. In its wake, the city claimed the storm did majordamage to the stadium and requested FEMA funds to

demolish it. However, astudy commissioned by theinsurance company foundthat the storm did no dam-age and only $2 million to

$3 million was needed to repair damage from years ofuse and poor maintenance.

From 1992 to 2007, the stadium remained shuttered,was vandalized with graffiti and suffered further deteri-

oration from neg-lect. Numerousdevelopment pro-posals includeddemolition of thestructure, but it re-mained standing.

In June 2007,the city unveiledthe first draft of amaster plan forVirginia Key bythe planning firmEDSA. The MarineStadium was noton it. The 200people in atten-

dance at the commu-nity meeting unanimouslyand spontaneously askedthe city to put the MarineStadium back in the plan.

At the time, the stadium’s future remained uncertain.Several months later, Worth — a Miami Modern en-

thusiast — said that his wife, Nina, saw something ontelevision about the stadium that sparked the birth ofFriends of Marine Stadium.

“We called Dade Heritage Trust, they were very sup-

portive and we arranged for our first meeting,” Worthsays. “We thought we might have five people show upand we had 20.”

There was a synchronicity to the launch of thepreservation initiative. Separately from Worth, Hernan-dez too was pondering the fate of the stadium.

“I’d been kicking it around in my head,” Hernandezsays. “I was driving back and forth to Key Biscayne. Ihad a son in crew so we were visiting the basin often.Here we were setting up tents to avoid the sun and hereis this stadium just sitting there. Don was pitching at thesame time.”

Worth met Hernandez and the organization wasformed in February 2008. The Friends group is an in-formal, all-volunteer coalition of individuals and organ-izations under the administrative umbrella of DadeHeritage Trust, Miami-Dade County’s foremost historicpreservation organization. The goal of the group is sim-ple — to have the stadium restored.

In April 2008, Friends of Marine Stadium had its firstevent, a fundraiser at the Miami Rowing Club held in con-junction with Team Row, a not-for-profit organization thatseeks to promote rowing among the community’s youth.The event sold out (more than 400 people attended) andthe stadium initiative received coverage on the front pageof the Metro section of the Miami Herald.

Since then, the Marine Stadium preservation efforthas accelerated and garnered near-universal support.

In the summer of 2008, the stadium made it onto arevised Virginia Key Master Plan, albeit surrounded byparking structures. Shortly thereafter the City of MiamiHistoric and Environmental Preservation Board ap-proved the designation of the Marine Stadium, the basin,and an envelope of land 100 feet east and west of theMarine Stadium — all the way forward to RickenbackerCauseway. The City of Miami administration appealedthe designation of the basin and envelope of land, butallowed the stadium designation to stand.

Stadiumcont’d from page 13

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: 1.A DRAWING OF THE RE-FUR-BISHED STADIUM. 2. GRAFFITIFILLS THE ENTIRE STADIUM.THE FLOATING STAGE WAS AHIGHLIGHT FOR CONCERTGOERS.


Momentum continued to build. In April 2009, theMarine Stadium was named to the National Trust forHistoric Preservation’s “11 Most Endangered HistoricPlaces,” and later to the Florida Trust For Historic Des-ignation’s “11 Most Endangered” list. The World’s Mon-uments Fund, the foremost organization worldwidedevoted to the preservation of architectural and culturalsites, named the Marine Stadium to its 2010 watch list(significant sites that are endangered), along with placessuch as Macchu Picchu, the historiccenter of Buenos Aires, the City ofOld Jerusalem and Gaudi’s LaSagrada Familia in Barcelona.

In October 2009, the City Com-mission heard another revised mas-ter plan with less density proposedsurrounding the stadium and incor-porating many of the ideas incu-bated by Hernandez and hisstudents at a preservation workshop.The city also dropped its appeal ofthe historic designation of the MarineStadium Basin and envelope of landsurrounding the stadium, and tableddiscussion of another revised masterplan until May 2010.

A month later, Tomas Regalado — a preservationsupporter — was elected mayor of Miami.

Most recently, a study estimated the cost of the con-crete restoration at the stadium to be between $5.5 mil-lion and $8.5 million — far less than was cited in a 2008city report that estimated the cost of concrete restorationto be as high as $15 million.

And just this week, a Miami Commissioncommittee is hear-ing a proposal toapply $3 millionavailable from bondfunds earmarked forpreservation to theeventual revival ofthe stadium.

The initiative hasbeen “lightning in thebottle,” Worth says.“Friends of MarineStadium is more of amovement than it isan organization.”

Dade HeritageTrust Executive Direc-tor Becky Roper Matkov is verypleased and impressed with thepreservation progress to date.

“Since 2008, it has gone frombeing an idea to getting so muchsupport — political, from mediaand even some financial support,”Matkov says. “It’s moving along alot faster than we ever believed itcould. It’s been great.”

A BRIGHT FUTUREAdvocates agree on the next steps toward resurrect-

ing the stadium. Supporters must continue to rally forthe stadium to be a centerpiece of a new Virginia KeyMaster Plan. In trying financial times, funding sourcesfor the renovation must be identified. Although studiesare still needed, a rough estimate for the total cost ofrenovation has ranged upward to $30 million.

Perhaps most important, the right use has to beplanned for — and the right management identified.

“The city can’t run it and we have no interest in mor-phing into some kind of organization to run it,” Worthsays. “We’re talking to many dif-ferent event promoters to deter-mine what the best market is forit. We have a list of 28 event pro-

moters who would like to use it. It can host many dif-ferent types of events so well.”

Worth says the Friends have received “great interest”from people who could manage it successfully but hedoes not want to reveal details.

Supporters also recognize that locating capital for theeffort will be a challenge.

“The city will need to get creative in funding,” Her-nandez says. “We’re working on being placed on the

National Register of Historic Places,which will allow the use of preser-vation tax credits now.”

Matkov said the potential $3 mil-lion discussed this week is a goodstart and that private donors are in-terested both for sentimental rea-sons and because of the potentialeconomic benefits a revived sta-dium could provide.

“We’d certainly appreciate pri-vate donors,” she says.

In the meantime, the push goeson for Miami Marine Stadium’sprominent inclusion in the vision ofVirginia Key’s future. On March 27,

a Virginia Key Planning Charrette is scheduled for 9 a.m.at the Rusty Pelican.

Marine Stadium supporters share a belief in its brightfuture.

“The stadium could be like thefront door to the larger picture ofwhat Virginia Key will be,” Hernan-dez says. “It could pull people thereand it could be a source of revenueto support [Virginia Key].”

Questions still must be ad-dressed in regard to use, manage-ment and funding, but given thechallenges supporters have over-come already, the smart moneymight be on the movement that is

Friends of Marine Stadium. “The answers are within five miles of us,” Worth says.For more information on the Friends of Marine Sta-

dium and their efforts, visit marinestadium.org.


“This is where Sammy Davis Jr. hugged Richard Nixon. It’s where

Pete Townsend of The Who lit his guitar on fire, threw it in the water and a dozenpeople at the concert jumped in after it.

There are so many memories.” – Friends of Marine Stadium co-founder, Don Worth

CLOCKWISEFROM ABOVE: 1.A SIDE-VIEW OFTHE STADIUM.2.THE ABAN-DONED STA-DIUM. 3. BOATRACES PACKEDTHE STADIUM ONWEEKENDS.

The Snitzer Gallery in Wynwood had a closing night reception last Tuesday and, not surprisingly, it was verywell attended. The reason for the hordes of guests: Norberto (Bert) Rodriguez.

Bert is an interesting artist. To say he walks to the beat of a different drummer is an understatement. Hisworks are quizzical, confrontational and often critical, butnever boring. One of the works on view consisted of a whitestore mannequin in the center of the gallery. A battery wasplaced on the floor in front of her and electrical cords wereattached from the battery to her mouth. Simultaneously,flowing neon letters were being excreted from her genitalsand falling onto the floor. The caption behind her stated “I’llCross That Bridge When I Get to It.”

Other works included two large-scale photocompositions of the artist and his dog, held together by largebinder clips.

In a book entitled MIAMI Contemporary Artists (byPaul Clemence and Julie Davidow), Bert states: “I have avery soft beard and extraordinarily tender ways. I draw someof my undying inspiration from Sharif, toothless sweetie onBiscayne, pups, dipeys and beef tartare. I hope that, throughmy work, I can get across that I am, above all, a peanut-headed man whose soul truly cries from the gutter. I livehere.”

During the reception, Bert (along with his adorabledog) watched guests as they examined the clever pieces ofhis challenging exhibition. Unassuming and seeminglycomfortable in his own skin, he smiled curiously atadmirers. Whetherhe uses recuperateddiscards ortransforms objectsfrom his daily life,his objets d’artcontain winks at theviewers, riddles to beuntangled (or not)and a dose of irony.

The SnitzerGallery, 2247 NW 1stPlace, Miami, willhave a newexhibition on displayduring SecondSaturdays inWynwood on March13. Details:snitzer.com.

COLUMN

Norberto Rodriguez atthe Fredric SnitzerBy Marguerite Gil([email protected])

Art

Theatre

One of the most stunning theatrical spectacles anywhere has arrived at the Miracle Theatre in CoralGables. It’s Miss Saigon, and it’s definitely worth the drive.

The Tony Award-winning, international Broadway sensation, from the creators of Les Miserables,opened on March 3. Composed by Claude-Michel Schonberg with lyricist Alain Boublil and Richard Maltby,Jr., this epic production is a testament to the human spirit and a scathing indictment of the tragedies of war.It deals with controversial, contemporary issues that define the modern world.

Fueled by raw emotion, Miss Saigon tells the tattered love story of an American GI and a young Viet-namese woman during the Vietnam War. They fall in love, only to be separated during the fall of Saigon. Artis-tic Director David Arisco said, “Years ago, if you told me that we would be presenting Les Mis, I would havesaid, NO WAY. Now we’re presenting Miss Saigon — it’s unbelievable! This is our production. It was castby us. We brought 14 people from New York but everyone else is local. I’m very proud to bring Miss Saigonto South Florida.”

This writer loved the show. It is spellbinding and the actors are amazing. Note: The opening act is ratherrisqué and not suitable for children under 15. Otherwise, try not to miss this incredible production. Also, beaware that it runs about three hours, so a bite to eat before you get to the theatre might be a good idea.But you’ll no doubt be mesmerized by the singing-dancing actors who display such talent and showman-ship. Lighting, music (live orchestra), special effects and costumes are noteworthy. This is a must-see mu-sical drama that runs through April 4.

Miracle Theatre is located at 280 Miracle Mile, Coral Gables. Info: 305-444-9293 or actorsplayhouse.org.

Miss Saigon at the Miracle TheatreBy Marguerite Gil([email protected])

ABOVE: A WHILE-U-WAIT NEON SIGN BYBERT. LEFT: TAMEKIA BROWN ANDARTIST FRIEND ZACK BALBER AT THECLOSING NIGHT RECEPTION.


ONE OF THETWO LARGE-SCALE COM-

POSITEPHOTO-

GRAPHS OFBERT AND

HIS DOG

Alicia Keys spent two weeks in a studio working up the songs for her Freedom Tour, and most of anotherweek in production rehearsals. But she knew the show wouldn’t be perfected until it had been on the roadawhile.

“A lot of time goes into rehearsing and it’s still never enough,” Keys said. “When you’re starting a tour,you’re also close off of just releasing the album, like I am, and putting in all the promo that it takes to makesure everyone kind of is aware that the album is in the world and that kind of thing. So it’s always a jugglingact, and you’re trying to rehearse as much as you possibly can and you’re in a different country like every otherday, so it’s pretty nuts.”

The missing variable, of course, is the audience and discovering how it responds to various moments. That’swhen the show truly takes shape.

“You can prepare for it (in rehearsals) as much as possible, but the rest is just like feel and what happenswhen you are both in the room together,” she said.

Keys made those comments during a telephone press conference held while she was on break from thefinal rehearsals for the show. The tour started Feb. 28 in Montreal and runs through mid-April in North Americabefore going to Europe for shows in May and June.

The show will be heavy on songs from The Element of Freedom, Keys’ new album that sold 1.9 millioncopies around the world in its first nine weeks of release.

“I love all my albums, but I love this new album so much,” she said. “So I have definitely included a lot ofthe songs from the record. A lot of my favorites from the record are in there.”

One of the new songs that is almost certain to provide a concert highlight is “Empire State of Mind,” Keys’already-iconic hit that she shares with rap superstar Jay-Z.

She said she knew “Empire State of Mind” was special as it was being recorded.“When we did the song, you did feel it,” Keys said. “I didn’t quite know exactly what it was, but I knew that

I felt something really strong. And even just in its rawest form before it was even exactly what it is now, it justfelt like wow, this feels good. So I think that’s what the world felt too, something that just really feels good andsomething that really says that kind of sentiment of being able to make it and achieve your dreams.”

One of the old songs Keys is likely to perform is “Fallin’,” which got a well-done performance on AmericanIdol the night before the teleconference interview. That surprised Keys.

“They told me it was banned from Idol, she said. “Maybe it was one year they banned it. It amazes me that‘Fallin’’ is on karaokes. I can’t even believe it.”

“Fallin’,” of course, was the song that pretty much put Keys on the map.It helped turn her 2001 debut CD, Songs in A Minor, into a blockbuster hit that has sold more than 10

million copies worldwide, while winning five Grammy Awards.Her impressive success continued with her 2003 CD, The Diary of Alicia Keys, another chart-topping hit

and highly acclaimed work. It sold more than 7 million copies and added four Grammys to Keys’ collection.As I Am, released in 2007, continued the winning streak, becoming her fourth straight album (including her2005 Alicia Keys Unplugged live CD) to debut at number one on Billboard’s album chart, while producingtwo chart-topping singles, “No One” and “Like You’ll Never See Me Again.”

Keys hinted that in addition to showcasing material from The Element Of Freedom, the song set will featuremuch more.

“There’s a very good balance,” she said. “You will hear a lot of the new songs from the album and, of course,you will hear like the favorites, too.”

Visually, Keys said, she believes the show will be very effective without losing sight of its central point —the music.

“It’s really focused and centered around music, so the intimacy and musicality is always prevalent and themost important,” Keys said. “I think without overdoing [the visual element], we’ve been able to achieve a reallynice way that the show can take you to many different places through what I want.”

While getting ready for the tour, Keys was also putting the finishing touches on the video for “Put It in aLove Song,” her duet with Beyonce. The singers went to Brazil to shoot the video, completing a collaborationthey both loved, Keys said.

“It just feels so good and it really represents the song and it has that same energy as the song,” Keys saidof the video. “It was really great to be able to collaborate. We both admire each other very much and have alot of love for each other. So it was great to get on a record with each other like that and do something historic.”

Alicia Keys will be performing on Saturday, March 27 at 8 pm. Tickets start at At the American AirlinesArena in Miami.


MusicINTERVIEW

Alicia Keys and the Element of FreedomBy L. Kent Wolgamott

March 14FOODWaterfront BrunchUnlimited champagne mimosas, bounteous food stations in-cluding an iced seafood boat, and the most incredible viewsin Miami. $34.95. 10:30am. Rusty Pelican, 3201 Ricken-backer Cswy., Key Biscayne. For info: 305-361-3818 ormiami.therustypelican.com

March 15COCKTAILSHappy Hour From Sushi Samba comes the latest in hip hangouts, Sugar-cane Bar & Grill. Head over to experience happy hour withSangria and beer pitchers for $18 and $5 cocktails. Indulgein some wicked small plate goodies including West CoastOysters, five different sushi rolls and Kobe Beef Sliders, mar-inated Olives and Edamame as well as Steamed Pork Bunsand Brandade. 4pm. Sugar-cane Raw Bar Grill, 3250 NEFirst Ave., Miami. For info:sugarcanerawbargrill.com.

March 16COMEDYEl Show MasFunny!John Belushi, Stephen Col-bert and Tina Fey are justsome of the comedy legendswho launched their careers atThe Second City. The Miamishow brings a new generationof comedic geniuses perform-ing an all new show that lam-poons Miami’s fabulousitywith sketches, songs and improvisation. 7:30pm. $39.50. Carnival Stu-dio Theater, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami. For info: arshtcenter.com.

March 18BOOKSBonnie ClearwaterAudiences have been flocking to the Contemporary Art Boot Camp lectures that Museum of Con-temporary Art Executive Director and Chief Curator Bonnie Clearwater delivers at the museum eachmonth during MOCA by Moonlight. These lively talks are based on Clearwater’s original research andcontact with artists who defined contemporary art. Books & Books will host cocktails and a specialContemporary Art Boot Camp Preview where Clearwater will discuss the work of such influential artistssuch as Frank Stella and Andy Warhol and sign copies of her book, The Rothko Book. RSVP re-

quired 305.893.6211. Books & Books BalHarbour Shops, 9700 Collins Ave., BalHarbour. For info: booksandbooks.com

March 18BOOKSGerald PosnerMiami Babylon author Gerald Posnerwill read from his book and sign copies atthe Miami Beach Author Series heldmonthly at the Miami Beach Garden. Thebook details Miami, through the eyes ofthe people who lived here in the eightiesand early nineties. 6:30pm. Free. MiamiBeach Garden, 2000 Convention CenterDrive, Miami Beach. For info: mbgar-den.org.

March 19FOODBiltmore Boot Camp

Part of the Biltmore Hotel's culinary academy is a weekend bootcamp with Miami-born Cuban author, Lourdes Castro. Castro whocurrently teaches at NYU, will teach even the most amateur chefhow to be a kitchen diva in 37 hours of non-stop culinary mad-ness. Sounds like a fun weekend! $1,500. Biltmore CulinaryAcademy, 1200 Anastasia Ave., Coral Gables. For info: bilt-

more.com

March 19MUSICJazz RootsSinger, pianist, and composer Tony De-Sare, hailed by critics as the modernday Frank Sinatra, will replace the pre-viously announced Michael Feinsteinin the Jazz Roots: A Tribute to frankSinatra. The program will feature themusic of Sinatra’s career through his

most memorable songs. Accompanied bythe Henry Mancini Institute Big Band,

John Pizzarelli will headline the show. Oneof today’s most celebrated performers, Piz-zarelli opened for Frank Sinatra on one ofhis final tours in the 1990s. 8pm. $25 to$125.

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Celebrated handbag designer Carlos Falchi previewed his spring 2010 collection at a private cock-tail reception hosted by the United Way’s Tocqueville Society at Saks Fifth Avenue in Bal Harbour onThursday, March 4. The event had a Brazilian theme in honor of Falchi’s native land. The designercharmed guests while they sipped on caipiroskas and shopped the spectacular new handbag collection.Saks Fifth Avenue will donate 5 percent of the evening’s sales to the Tocqueville Society.

Carlos Falchi handbags are synonymous with quality, color and creativity. In turn, the man himselfhas become a legend in the fashion industry. For three decades, Falchi has been bringing his modernvision to the marketplace and garnering worldwide attention for his technique and innovation. In 1983Falchi won the Coty Award for accessories design and in 2003 and 2004 he was nominated for CFDA’sAccessory Designer of the Year Award. In 2004 he was honored with the prestigious Lifetime Achieve-ment Award from the Accessories Council — and he’s still going strong, evolving and looking forwardto new endeavors.

Designers inspire us, as con-sumers, but what inspires de-signers? Carlos Falchi took afew minutes to talk about his in-spiration and, as usual, thewomen of South Florida are anoted source.

SunPost: What was yourinspiration for spring 2010?

Carlos Falchi: Art. Finearts, sculptures and paintingshave always been my long-time inspi-ration. Also, the theatre productions at BAM (Brooklyn Academy ofMusic).

Carlos Falchi and Saks Bal Harbour seems to be a marriagemade in heaven. How does it feel to interact with the BalHarbour customer directly?

I love the Bal Harbour customer. They understand fash-ion and are young in spirit. They are forward-looking anddaring.

Do you have a favorite bag in the spring 2010collection? Why?

The rush bag is my favorite. It is new, fresh andlightweight. It is feminine but yet sporty.

What is next for Carlos Falchi?I am working on a men’s collection and also

excited about the growth of our evening line.

Stop by Saks Fifth Avenue in Bal Harbourto shop the Carlos Falchi spring 2010 collec-tion for yourself.

For more information on the UnitedWay’s Tocqueville Society, log on to liveu-nited.org/Tocqueville.

COLUMN

An Evening with Carlos FalchiBy Jennifer Fragoso([email protected])

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BELOW & FAR LEFT: THE CLASSICFALCHI CLUTCH: BOMBE PYTHONFLAT CLUTCH IN PURPLE A GREATPAIRING TO GIVE SOME POPTO THIS SPRING'S NEU-TRAL LOOKS


BELWO RIGHT: THEFALCHI FAVORITE RUSHLEATHER TOTE IN TAUPE.BELOW LEFT: THISCARLOS FALCHIHOBO IS SLOUCHYAND HAS A ZIPPERAND TIE CLOSURE


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