miami favs

it's hard to say goodbye

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 19:16:49 -0400

dear miamians,

i did so well in my last post - i really should have just made it my last. but, alas, here we are.

my work, travel and life priorities have only grown over the summer, not diminished (i can barely make time to write 140 characters on twitter). so, i am finally taking the leap and saying farewell.

like i said in my last post, i really love it here. miami is an amazing, young city that is truly establishing itself as a cultural mecca (which locals would be silly not to embrace and participate in) and an amazing escape from reality (for locals and visitors alike, depending on whether or not you get out and take advantage of all it has to offer). i am so glad i am here to see miami during this growth. every year, we only get better - and i couldn’t be happier than to be a part of that.

as much as i love miami, i want to enjoy it, and not have to think about writing about it later. i just want to be here, be present, and enjoy all it has to offer. if i had more time, i would appreciate continuing to share all of the great things - but unfortunately, i don’t.

so, i wish you all well - and i hope that some of the miami favs i’ve listed come in handy - and that you have time to figure out which ones would have made it on here, if i had more time to write about them =)

enjoy our tropical paradise!

the world really is our playground.

with much love,

p.s. if you haven’t already, consider following the blogs below - especially the first and second (my favs!). xoxo

beached miami

south florida daily blog

(you can find more amazing ones at south florida daily blog) =)

gone for the summer

Thu, 02 Jun 2011 20:46:00 -0400

dear miamians,

miami favs will be out for the summer. i will return mid-september.

the decision was hard, but with a lot of upcoming travel, work and new life priorities, i figured it was better to shut down for the summer then to make you wait 5 weeks between posts.

please know that i REALLY love miami. and my list of favs is still long. i haven’t even reached half of them yet, i think.

some last summer ‘fav’ notes to remember me by until i return:

*if you haven’t tried paddle boarding yet, do it.

*while movies are awesome, so are things like xtreme go-karting, moonlight kayak trips, circus school and giving backing back (i.e. build a house with habitat or hand out hot lunches at cph)! be creative this summer - there is too much to do here to be boring!

*if you want a nice, different place to go out to eat, go to mandolin agean bistro in buena vista. it’s amazing. and if you’ve never been to mykonos - trust me, it feels like you’re there.

*don’t forget we have an amazing backyard called the everglades. enjoy it before the rick scott burns it all up, or makes it into a huge strip mall (he should really think about reading ‘the swamp’). annnd oleta park is also a great place to bike, kayak, etc.

*as a yogi, i recommend it (yoga). always. try it on the beach (google it), at green monkey (sunset drive, purdy ave and midtown locations), miami life center (if mysore/ashtanga is your thing) or the FREE yoga at bayfront park (mon/wed/sat) which is SO GOOD.

*if you want some good shopping, i recommend the boutique LF on 8th between washington and collins (i realize i just gave up my fashion secret; but i like to share). also, if you weren’t aware, UGG sells clothes. if you think their shoes are comfortable, you should try their sweaters. and there is a store on collins. we’re so lucky. and, of course, my mothership: anthropologie. love the one on lincoln.

*try a vegetarian/vegan place this summer. a ton are opening in miami, like, every five seconds. even better - do meatless mondays!

*two things i love - jessica gross and lost and found - have joined forces for ‘wanted wednesdays.’ go. beautiful funny girl (+friends) and amazing food (and blueberry beer). trust me (+you can thank me later).

*support the arts. culture creates community. learn it. live it. love it. wynwood art walk, university of wynwood events, summer shorts, arsht center performances, local theater, o cinema, miami beach cinematheque - go! and when i’m back, get ready for sleepless nights, miami international book fair - and then ART BASEL!

*oh, and read more. we have a fantastic independent book store here: books and books. they have spectacular authors come and do FREE readings all the time. and, did you hear that miami is one of the ‘most literary’ cities (based on statistics from amazon.com)? keep it up! (if you need book recs, this lit major has ‘em for you, just ask! - miamifavs@gmail.com).

i’ll still be tweeting frequently. so, follow me at the twitter handle @miamifavs and we’ll all stay updated on current miami happenings, restaurant openings and random things like national flip flop day (weird, i know).

i will miss you. but, have a SUPER SUMMER! i’ll be back before you know it, full of even more miami love =)

xoxo,

miami fav #123 / the round up

Fri, 13 May 2011 11:58:58 -0400

you can’t just go home after a rodeo. especially not when you don your go-to pink cowgirl hat. it just wouldn’t be right. the hat must make appearances! and when people put on boots, they mean business. and that business lasts all night long. which also translates to really long lines at the local country/line-dancing bar. in davie, this means the round-up. where the line is like country fashion runway. snake-skin, alligator skin, low boots, high boots, wranglers, diesel, flannel, sequins… and they are workin’ it. and the inside is even better. the round up is pretty spectacular. and they have amazing drink prices. i’m pretty sure i had three (or five) mixed drinks for all of like $5. let’s just say that added the magic of the evening. we scored a high table overlooking the dance floor, and the whole aura made it feel like we were outside at a county fair just a-waitin’ for a cowboy to ask us to dance. and about the dancing… luckily i remembered some of the dances from a distant past in central florida (where country dancing tends to be an exciting night out). however, most of the dances, i felt i needed to have either study on youtube beforehand, or thought to myself ‘oh hell no. i can total foreshadow the broken ankle here.’ mostly, i just made a fool out of myself and my friends by trying to learn these overly choreographed dances regardless. what ever happened to free-style? but change is good, and i truly believe in a’s for effort. and so we [tried to] dance. while groups of people walked in circles around the dance floor making the place seem a little like a country version of the skating rink circa middle school. however, i really loved this place. great atmosphere, fun dancing, cheap [and surprisingly good] drinks, fine people and an overall good time. so, my recommendation for next time your in davie: save a horse…

http://www.roundupcountry.com/

miami fav #122 / the rodeo

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 22:49:01 -0400

i had never been to a rodeo before. and then randomly, one day, i thought: ‘wow, i should really do that.’ weird. but i was like, there is no way there is a rodeo in south florida. ah. and then i remembered davie. and then i googled. and then i went. but you can’t ‘just’ go to the rodeo. an entire itinerary and wardrobe is needed. it started with soliciting (forcing) friends to go with me, polishing the boots, getting a hat, and for the boys, apparently a lot of plaid and flannel. oh, and tom jenkins. where it goes next… you’ll see in the next post. the rodeo is an interesting experience. i truly felt i was in a small town - and the people knew i didn’t really belong there (thank god). but it was fun to be on the inside for a moment. people were high off the concert that had happened earlier that day. i mean, this was no regular rodeo. this was the one, the only, southwestern circuit pro rodeo finals (!). and people were dressed up for the occasion! their best wranglers were ironed, and the ladies rocked the sequins. there were sequins on vests, hats, boots, bras, bracelets, whatever you could bedazzle, was bedazzled. it was amazing. i’m not really a diy girl myself. so, i was truly impressed by the drive to work that hard. just for sequins. when we entered the grounds there were (of course) tractors. you could just sit on them. test ‘em out. i think there was even a contest to win one (i did not enter, only because knowing south beach parking, it would 100% get towed. otherwise, i love winning things). there was also a little market where, mainly women, were selling more sequined merchandise. and there was a bar dedicated only to beer. and cotton candy. and people singing country music on a stand alone microphone, awkwardly near the tractors. and then there was the rodeo. the bright lights. the cheers. the oohhhs and ahhhs. as an animal lover, it was more than hard to watch. and i got more than one dirty look when i would erupt cheering for the animal on the field and laugh when the cowboys did horribly. but really. you cowboys have the upper-hand. it’s not even fair. anyway, i digress. they had the crowning of some rodeo princess or something of the like, and it was hilarious. she had on a lime green sequined sweat suit. and i was able to eat cotton candy, talk nice to some cows, have a few beers, be with good friends and buy an amazing pink cowgirl hat. all in all, the rodeo was a success. now, if only they would set the animals free, and go up against robots… i’d actually go back for that match.

http://www.davie-fl.gov/gen/daviefl_spclprjcts/bergeronrodeo

miami fav #121 / tom jenkins'

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 21:16:00 -0400

if you’re ever on your way to davie - go to tom jenkins’. it’s the best bbq in south florida (i have a few friends that have literally tried every bbq place in south florida - at least two to three times -and still swear this is the best. sometimes i like when people do the work for me. good job, boys!). now, you might wonder a) why i was going to davie and b) how a pescatarian could recommend a bbq place, well, ever. answer a: you’ll find out in the next post, i promise. answer b: because they actually had stuff i could eat. and a bbq place that has stuff a pescatarian can eat is pretty much my hero. and i don’t just mean starches (although the mac and cheese and corn bread are to die for). they have bbq catfish. and not just any catfish. but mississippi catfish. (not that the mississippi part is particularly relevant. it’s just been a long time since i got to write out mississippi and it seemed like way to much fun to miss the opportunity. mississippi.) the atmosphere is pretty cool too. like you’ve stepped into the actual south. they have picnic tables. inside. so it’s all cute and family-like (although a little awkward when you’re sitting on the side of the bench closest to the line where you put in your order, staring into the label of a lot of wranglers. although, if you like wranglers, and the area they cover, this seat is probably a lot fun for you. but i digress…). the food is great, the atmosphere is fun (if you like packed bbq joints with the staff yelling out the names of orders) and it’s good to know a good joint if you’re ever heading into davie. in case, you know, you ever have to actually go there.

http://www.tomjenkinsbbq.com/

best of blogs

Tue, 05 Apr 2011 14:02:00 -0400

i hate to be selfish and ask all of you busy miamians to take a second and vote for miami favs on the sun sentinel’s best of blogs awards (especially since it’s more like minutes, because you apparently have to register), but it’d be really cool. as i’m not used to asking for such things, i figured i would look to one of the best politicians of all times, and see what she would have to say. and so here we go. a miami favs version of tracy flick’s election speech.

Poet Henry David Thoreau once wrote, “I cannot make my days longer, so I strive to make them better.” With this election, we [Miamians] also have an opportunity to make our [] days [in Miami] better. [Throughout my blogging experience] I have had the opportunity to speak to many of you about your concerns [about Miami]. I spoke with [friends who feel Miami is a superficial town]. I spoke with [locals who cannot stand Miami traffic for one more minute]. I won’t bore you with long winded promises about all the new and innovative things I will definitely [post about] during the year in which it will be my honor and privilege to represent each and every one of you [as the Sun Sentinel’s Best of Blogs Winner], but I can say that my [mere year] of experience [as a blogger] ha[s] taught me the three most important attributes the [winning blogger] needs to possess; commitment, [a macbook], and [more time in the day than anyone else could possibly have, apparently]. I’ll add one more, caring. I care about [Miami] and I care about each and every one of you and together we can all make a difference. One of the things I would like to establish is a regular open forum where any [reader] can [email me] and voice their concern about issues we face here in [Miami]. I [] would then [blog about more positive Miami experiences], so a continuous dialogue would exist. When you cast your vote for [Miami Favs this] week, you won’t just be voting for me. You’ll be voting for yourself and for every other Miamian. Our days won’t be any longer, but they can sure be better.

http://interactive.sun-sentinel.com/best-of-blogs/2011/voting/?vote_for=385#385

http://interactive.sun-sentinel.com/best-of-blogs/2011/voting/?vote_for=386#386

thank you miamians (!).

to vote, you must have a sun-sentinel account, which is free and can be created by going to sun-sentinel.com and clicking ‘sign-up’ in the top left corner. (you can do this quicker by signing in with your facebook account).

once logged into your account, head to the best of blog awards page and cast your vote for miami favs which is listed under two categories: neighborhood and travel/tourism (direct links are above).

you can cast a vote in each category once per day, and voting closes on april 11 at 10 am est.

happy voting! xoxo, m

o, miami

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 22:01:06 -0400

o, miami is a knight foundation sponsored event and their goal is to have every single person in miami-dade county encounter a poem during the month of april (which is amazing! help some bros out!). they have a fantastic line-up of events (including readings by the james franco and u.s. poet laureate w.s. merwin). this is probably one of the most inventive, coolest events i have ever heard of, and i have been stoked about it since the day i heard about it. i CANNOT WAIT. we are only two days away! (or, 1 day, 5 hours, 53 minutes and 15 seconds as i write this, based on the o, miami clock. check it: http://www.omiami.org/). don’t miss out on the spectacular month of events! we will have poets from all over the world here - live it up! or eat it up, april 1, at their first event ‘eating our words’ with pork and poetry. and now i leave you with my love poem to my fav, o, miami:

roses are red /

violets are blue /

i heart o, miami /

and so should you (!)

o, miami events: http://www.omiami.org/list.html?id=114

miami fav #120 / garcia's

Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:01:29 -0400

post-trapeze i was starving (you’d be surprised at how many calories you burn while flying through the air. who knew fat burning could be so fun?) and i wanted a beer (a girl has needs). it must have been fate that a friend invited me earlier that day to garcia’s. because although i couldn’t go then, it was close-by now. and i was starting to get hangry (yes, hangry). we zipped down flagler to north river drive (which i didn’t even know existed). the drive was so pretty. right along the river. there were yellow and pink boats going quietly by. the sun was setting. and we came upon some adorable looking houses. and voila - garcia’s. we miraculously found parking. the place was packed [how is it that so many people are here and i didn’t even know this place existed until noon today?]. we walked in and stared straight at a case full of stone crabs. yes, please. and then found seats by the water. what a beautiful setting. i think sometimes we forget that we live by a gorgeous river. and i think some of us don’t even know that we can sit by it. while eating. at really good restaurants. i didn’t. but i do now. as if i needed one more reason to love miami. we ordered apps and stone crabs and drank cold beers while the sun set and we reminisced about swinging from a rope just an hour earlier. some evenings can never be repeated. but, we’ll always have the memories. and miami just keeps on bringing them.

http://www.garciasseafoodgrill.com/

miami fav #119 / flying trapeze

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 23:01:55 -0400

when i heard that miami had flying trapeze classes, i obviously had to go. that weekend. i mean, what was i waiting for? how had i never known that this awesome experience existed for non-carnies? luckily, four of my fabulous friends also saw the opportunity for fun and joined me. let me tell you: IT IS AMAZING. at first i was thinking, i’ll probably get to swing back and forth really high in the air on a bar for a bit, and that’s cool. i wouldn’t have believed you if you told me that every person taking a lesson that day would not just learn how to ‘swing’ but also how to hang UPSIDE down, do BACKFLIPS off the bar, and DO A CATCH. even if you crossed your heart, hope to die (you know the drill). i mean, zomg. it’s too much! there is no way! the lesson is only 2 hours! and there are 7 of us! but lo and behold. we did it. we did it all. and we loved every freaking second of it. of course my arms felt like someone had been trying to stretch them off of me for days. and the backs of my knees looked like i had been caned. but, whatever. it was more than worth it. if you’re looking for something extreme and fun, you could do something passive like skydiving. or you can tear it up and trapeze till you drop. i’ll choose the latter.

http://www.theflyingtrapeze.net/

miami fav #118 / wall's

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 21:42:16 -0400

i love the 50’s. play me some billie and ella and i’m content. add poodle skirts, saddle shoes and buddy holly, and now it’s a party. let me split a malt shake with a cute boy in a varsity sweater and i swoon. so i’m kind of in love with wall’s for giving me the opportunity to live out some of my 1950’s fantasy. yummy ice cream. gentlemen prefer blondes playing on a black and white tv. 1950’s tunes dripping out of the speakers. ah! i die. they also bring the neighborhood it’s own little drive-in movie area. pull up or sit on an umbrella covered table and watch some favored old (but good) films after the sun sets. although, being the dessert whore i am, i probably would have loved wall’s anyway. they had me at ‘life’s short, eat dessert first.’ i completely agree. diamonds are a girl’s best friend. but desserts come pretty close to the top too.

miami fav #117 / deli lane

Sun, 13 Mar 2011 21:40:00 -0400

i kept driving by sunset place on us-1 and could see this little off-street that looked kind of cute. every time i drove by i would strain my neck to see what was down there, never having the time to go and see for myself. although promising myself that the next time i went by i would make the time. one day, i finally gave up and just asked a friend. they said, ‘you must be talking about deli lane.’ with a cute name like that, i was sure i was. so, finally, i made a date out of it, and had some friends meet me there. consensus: i kind of really like sunset place. maybe because it reminds me a bit of home. sure, it has it’s ugly chains (i despise even getting a glimpse of the window of that ‘z gallerie’ place), but it also has cute boutiques, a beautiful whole foods, a great nail place called ‘kimmy’s’ (that lets you watch movies like ‘wedding crashers’ while you’re getting your mani/pedi on), and some good restaurants - like deli lane (!). i love places that serve up a good brunch and deli lane does just that. and you get to sit outside, under huge umbrellas and people watch (always a plus!). everyone that works there is super friendly and it has that neighborhood-type-of-feel. like everyone just got back from church or they’re out having a family day. a little dose of suburbia isn’t so bad every once in awhile; and i’m glad i finally got to experience what that little street has to offer.

http://www.delilane.com/

miami fav #116 / art walk (or, 'second saturdays')

Tue, 08 Mar 2011 22:14:00 -0500

the first art walk i went on, i didn’t make it very far (basically, i made it to a bar in the design district) - so i don’t count it. and, because the first art walk was a little ‘lame’ (although the bar was super fun) it took me forever to feel the need to go again. but when i did, i realized what an idiot i had been and how much i was missing (!). as someone who used to work for a museum and was friends with many gallerists, i missed those gallery openings where you would peruse amazing contemporary work with friends and like-minded art lovers while sipping wine. miami definitely does it different than dc, but not in a bad way. where dc can be conservative, miami tips the scales on the other end. i love how the streets are filled with people and energy - and things like the miami poetry collective (i totes bought myself a nice little poem and i love it). there is nothing like the sound of multiple typewriters chugging away mixed with hipster music blaring from galleries and the smell of under-the-radar-pbr and the scene of mustaches and plaid shirts to make you feel like you’ve found miami’s artistic mecca (or at least miami’s hipster haven - we like to call them wypsters). and now with the addition of more rad street art and the infamous food trucks - you cannot go wrong. i feel like it’s the best of both worlds - a party outside, and a place to appreciate fine art inside. i appreciate that balance.

miami international film festival

Fri, 04 Mar 2011 11:23:00 -0500

the miami international film festival is here march 4-13 (!). i’m going to the screenings below. they are $12 per film (except the gusman is $14). this is only here once a year! hope you can make it out for some of them too. =)

friday, march 4
gusman theater
7:00 p.m.
chico & rita
trailer: http://miami.slated.com/2011/films/chicoritachicoyrita_miami2011

saturday, march 5
gusman theater
6:45 p.m.
potiche
trailer: http://miami.slated.com/2011/films/potiche_miami2011

sunday, march 6
gusman theater
7:00 p.m.
in a better world
trailer: http://miami.slated.com/2011/films/inabetterworldhven_miami2011

tuesday, march 8
regal south beach
7:30 p.m.
page one: a year inside the new york times
synopsis: http://miami.slated.com/2011/films/pageoneayearinsidethenewyorktimes_miami2011

thursday, march 9
gusman theater
7:00 p.m.
young goethe in love
trailer: http://miami.slated.com/2011/films/younggoetheinlovegoethe_miami2011

friday, march 11
regal south beach
9:45 p.m.
the names of love
trailer: http://miami.slated.com/2011/films/namesoflovelenomdesgensthe_miami2011

sunday, march 13
regal south beach
3 p.m.
the first grader
trailer: http://miami.slated.com/2011/films/firstgraderthe_miami2011

march

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:23:00 -0500

i am a huge dork. but here are some awesome events in march. sharing is caring. hope i get to see your pretty faces. xo, m

wednesday, march 2
6:30 p.m. / live from the met (nixon in china)
at regal sobe. tickets are $18 which you can get here.

FYI: sobe comedy festival begins TODAY until March 6.

saturday, march 5
12 p.m. / miami bike hunt
hosted by beachedmiami.com and emerge miami (FREE)
7:30 p.m. / nws wallcast (FREE)
10 p.m. / big brothers big sisters impact circle after party
at the jw marriott marquis ($50 OPEN BAR)

FYI: miami international film festival begins TODAY until March 14.
see my picks here: http://miamifavs.tumblr.com/post/3244392177/miami-international-film-festival

sunday, march 6
4 p.m. / art in the park
florida grand opera at collins park (collins and 21st) (FREE)

monday, march 7
7:30 p.m. / ra ra riot show
culture room in ftl ($25 total) you can get tickets at live nation.

saturday, march 12
6:00 p.m. / second saturday art walk
wynwood and design districts

monday, march 14
7:00 p.m. four lions
at the miami beach cinematheque ($10)

thursday, march 17
SAINT PATRICKS DAY!

friday, march 18
7:30, 8:30 & 9:30 p.m. / $2.50 mini concerts at the NWS

saturday, march 19
7:00 p.m. / art in the park
orchestra miami ‘mozart under the moonlight’ at collins park (collins and 21st) (FREE)
7:30, 8:30 & 9:30 p.m. / $2.50 mini concerts at the NWS

FYI: sony ericsson open (on virginia key) beings March 21 - April 3.

after that i’m in the keys - thank god.

a friend is coming to town...

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 21:35:25 -0500

my out-of-town friends always reach out to me when they, or friends of theirs, are coming to miami for a quick trip - mainly with the question: what should we do while we’re there? i recently put this novel of an answer together for a friend of a friend and thought - why let it go to waste? why not share? so here goes - feel free to copy/paste! =)

the best restaurants are in midtown/wynwood/design district (on the mainland). i suggest gigi, red light, sugarcane, mandolin, buena vista bistro, joey’s and wynwood kitchen and bar.

for south beach, if you’re willing to splurge, go to barton g, devito or prime 112 (i haven’t been to the latter, because i’m a vegetarian, but i heard it’s amazing). if you’re going to the beach and want a quick bite, go to la sandwicherie on 14th between washington and collins. if you want to eat on lincoln road (and want to splurge) go to the meat market. if you want healthier (but good) food, go to books and books cafe (and visit the book store, it’s adorable).

also, you MUST go get cocktails around sunset at the Mondrian on south beach - it’s called the sunset lounge.

and for clubbing on south beach, you’ll want to go to the florida room at the delano and the red room at the shore club. both have GORGEOUS outside bars too.

check out the new world symphony website - you may have heard that they have a new building designed by frank gehry - they do wallcasts of some of their performances. if you’re here for one, you should go. they’re free, and you sit in a park with surround sound and watch and listen. it’s an amazing experience. you can pick up food on lincoln road and eat it there (you can also get a trenta cup at starbucks on the way - which, btw, fits an entire bottle of wine).

collins avenue between 5th and 12th has great shopping. lincoln road has okay shopping. it gets better the closer you get to alton road (the further west you walk).

definitely go to the beach. it’s so beautiful. you can do paddle boarding lessons which are super fun - although if it’s your first time, you may want to do this in the bay where the water is calmer.

also, if you’re here during a second saturday, wynwood and the design district have an art walk that is super fun. food trucks are HUGE here and there is a big gathering. you can also find them on twitter and get food from them whenever - my favorites are la camaronera’s fish box, cheese me and sugar rush.

xoxo, m

miami fav #115 / superwheels

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:33:55 -0500

it is fitting that this post happens for fall on the same day as president’s day. firstly, because roller skating is my FAVORITE american pastime and secondly, because what better way to celebrate a birthday than at a skating rink with 80’s music, neon lights, pizza, sno cones, air hockey, whac-a-mole and space invaders galactica (or at least spending some time reminiscing about such birthdays)? luckily for us, superwheels has it all. i actually wanted to go here for my birthday (again, i realize i’m a huge dork) - but karaoke won out instead (and now i just realized i missed that post. crap.) . however, when i decided to sign-up for roller derby tryouts, i knew i needed a quick practice run before i threw myself in the rink with girls three-times my size who have been training to be aggressive for years. and to superwheels we went! where instead of big girls we had to fight our way through bieber-loving teens. regardless, it was amazing. that feeling of being on skates - it’s like swinging on a swing for the first time in a decade. that magical, giddy feeling. and i had almost forgotten about the slow skate, and the backwards skate, and the low-skate games. and, i didn’t think that, when the dj announced red light/green light, that i’d participate. but *somehow* i ended up in the game. and oh my god did i bring it. actually, didn’t just bring it. i won. against teenagers. after not skating for like five years. apparently roller skating rinks bring back my other favorite american pastime - the art of competition. even against kids. apparently i have no shame. my prize? a free ticket to go back to superwheels. so, who’s coming with me? (i’ll promise to sit out of red light/green light this time).

http://www.superwheelsmiami.com/

miami fav #114 / oleta

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:56:47 -0500

oleta park is like narnia. you’re in south florida, sitting in traffic, and then boom. you take a quick turn and end up someplace that cannot actually exist where it is located. therefore, it must be otherworldly. well, until you encounter the mosquitos, and then you realize: no, i’m definitely still in florida. regardless, this place is beautiful. in a city full of beaches (which i love) this is like a hiker/biker’s oasis. oleta has over 15 miles of mountain-bike trails. i don’t have a mountain-bike, but that didn’t stop me. my teal beach-bike and i rocked it. i mean, we mainly stayed on the novice trails, but we killed it. and my seat might be bent a little more to the left than i would like it to be, but i’ll settle for that versus broken bones. which did seem possible at one point. but let’s ignore that for now. i found oleta so refreshing. trails lined with trees you don’t ever normally see in miami - like the exotic melaleuca and brazilian pepper trees (not that i’m saying exotic trees that take over our wetlands are good; but they’re there, and for now, they’re pretty). and the sounds of birds (not seagulls). and the feeling that you’re actually breathing in fresh air (i.e. not being surrounded by car fumes). and doing something active and getting dirty while doing it. who doesn’t love that feeling? and after you’re done, you can still get a little taste of the real miami. they have a little beach where you can lay and swim and even barbecue. i really liked it here. and i really appreciate knowing that such a diverse setting is so close-by. diversity is a real reason why i love miami so much. we’ll never get bored here. and that makes it a true paradise.

http://www.floridastateparks.org/oletariver/

miami, be mine?

Mon, 14 Feb 2011 08:29:09 -0500

even after all this time

the sun never says to the earth, ‘you owe me.’

look what happens with a love like that!

- it lights the whole sky.

(hafiz)

happy valentines day miami!

to the city i will never take for granted,

i am sincerely yours,

xoxo, m

miami fav #113 / coco de ville

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 20:10:43 -0500

give me a reason to dance, and i’ll take it (we’ve actually instituted ‘random acts of dance’ in our office just because we can’t help ourselves). i don’t venture out to ‘the clubs’ on sobe much - even though hitting the dance floor is a favorite pastime - but when there is an art event, i go and support it. and when dancing is involved, even better. so when the miami city ballet upper room held a kick-off party for their 25th anniversary season at coco de ville, it was basically like inviting a fat kid to a party with free, never-ending servings of birthday cake (annnnd ice cream with a cherry on top). now, i don’t know if the same dj is there every night, but the dj for this party rocked it. and we responded. we danced for what seemed like forever. and we loved every hot second of it. not one person was sitting unless it was because they were panting after the latest salsa song or had just rocked their thriller moves. it was amazing. it is always a good party when the dancing don’t stop. and coco de ville, i will always love you for keeping the music rocking, the drinks flowing, and the dancers (me!) smiling.

http://www.gansevoortmiamibeach.com/coco-deville/

miami culture

Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:59:00 -0500

the opening of the new world symphony center combined with the coming of spring has everyone excited for arts and parks - and a combination of the two! here is a quick post of some of the awesome cultural events that are available in the coming months. and most are FREE! (note: don’t complain about the lack of culture in miami if you never go to any of the cultural events that are available to you - especially when they’re free. it’s annoying.)

miami beach hosts ‘arts in the parks’

these events are FREE!

Ground Up and Rising’s production of
Shakespeare’s ROMEO AND JULIET
Saturday and Sunday, February 12 + 13, 3:00 p.m.
Flamingo Park, Meridian + 12 Street

FLORIDA GRAND OPERA
Sunday, March 6, 4:00 – 6:00 p.m.
Collins Park, Collins Avenue + 21-22 Street

FROZEN MUSIC Sound Installation
Sunday, March 13, noon – 4:00 p.m.,
Collins Park, Collins Avenue + 21-22 Street

ORCHESTRA MIAMI “Mozart Under the Moonlight”
Saturday, March 19, 7:00 p.m.
Collins Park, Collins Avenue + 21- 22 Street

NWS’ wallcasts at the miami beach soundcape

also free!

CONCERTO SHOWCASE
Saturday, March 5, 7:30 p.m.

POETIC PORTRAITS
Saturday, March 26, 7:30 p.m.

PARISIAN GLIMMERS
Saturday, April 9, 7:30 p.m.

THE MAHLER LEGACY
Saturday, April 30, 7:30 p.m.

soundscape cinema series

free!

AVATAR
Wednesday, March 16, 8:00 p.m.

FANTASTIC MR. FOX
Wednesday, March 23, 8:00 p.m.

GREASE
Wednesday, March 30, 8:00 p.m.

STAR WARS
Wednesday, April 6, 8:00 p.m.

MOULIN ROUGE
Wednesday, April 13, 8:00 p.m.

BIG
Wednesday, April 20, 8:00 p.m.

CASABLANCA
Wednesday, April 27, 8:00 p.m.

NORTH BY NORTHWEST
Wednesday, MAY 4, 8:00 p.m.

WALL-E
Wednesday, MAY 11, 8:00 p.m.

2001 A SPACE ODYSSEY
Wednesday, MAY 18, 8:00 p.m.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC
Wednesday, MAY 25, 8:00 p.m.

FANTASIA
Wednesday, June 1, 8:00 p.m.

THE WIZARD OF OZ
Wednesday, June 8, 8:00 p.m.

DIRTY DANCING
Wednesday, June 15, 8:00 p.m.

(note that dates are subject to change without notice)

the met: live in HD

this is one of my favorites. the metropolitan opera in new york city does a series where they feature 12 live transmissions of a performance at movie theaters throughout the nation. so, you get to watch marvelous productions LIVE for less expensive than an opera ticket, and you don’t even have to leave miami to do it. the regal cinema on lincoln road hosts some of the performances. i already have a ticket to one (!). you can purchase tickets here (approx. $20 with fees).

ADAMS’S NIXON IN CHINA - NEW PRODUCTION
Saturday, February 12, 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 2, 6:30 p.m.

GLUCK’S IPHIGENIE EN TAURIDE
Saturday, February 26, 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, March 16, 6:30 p.m.

DONIZETTI’S LUCIA DI LAMMERMOOR
Saturday, March 19, 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 6, 6:30 p.m.

ROSSINI’S Le Comte Ory - NEW PRODUCTION
Saturday, April 9, 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, April 27, 6:30 p.m.

STRAUSS’S CAPRICCIO
Saturday, April 23, 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 11, 6:30 p.m.

VERDI’S IL TROVATORE
Saturday, April 30, 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, May 18, 6:30 p.m.

WAGNER’S DIE WALKURE - NEW PRODUCTION
Saturday, May 14, 1:00 p.m.
Wednesday, June 1, 6:30 p.m.

i’ll update this occasionally! if you have any additions, send them to me at miamifavs@gmail.com =) xoxo, m