A Weekend of New in Miami

Culture was alive this weekend in Miami -- combining something old with something new for a fresh mix of cultural entertainment.

The New World Symphony transformed into a lounge setting during PULSE.

The New World Symphony and The New Tropic delighted Miami's young crowds this weekend with two vibrant events back to back on Friday and Saturday, respectively. Although the two organizations are unrelated, you'd think they almost did it on purpose.

The old saying "what's old is new again" couldn't have been more appropriate this weekend.

The New World Symphony put on quite a show with orchestra musicians performing alongside South Florida institutions Spam All Stars and DJ Le Spam, known for improvising electronic elements and turntables with latin, funk, hip hop and dub.

The New Tropic Miami, a media and events organization that brings curious locals together, organized an interactive event at the historic Alfred I. Dupont Building in Downtown Miami as part of the launch of its new neighborhood guide. New Tropic called the event "Epcot for Miami" and it truly was -- with local food, drinks, music and organizations representing a variety of interests, from opera to science to grassroots organizations.

PULSE: LATE NIGHT AT THE NEW WORLD SYMPHONY

Standing room on the ground floor at PULSE, up close to the orchestra.

I'll never say South Beach has a hold exclusively on sleazy nightlife again. And when I say sleazy, that includes ridiculously snooty and over-priced night clubs, too. New World Symphony put the kibosh on that one, for sure, with PULSE, which wasn't exactly your grandma's night at the orchestra. Consider this: it starts way after the senior early bird dinner special. Doors open at 9 P.M. House lights and last calls don't happen until after midnight. The symphony turns into a nightclub of sorts, with areas for dancing and plenty of cash bars to get your drink on.

They've been doing this for six years and if Friday's event was any indication, they're doing it right. The event was packed and that's a good thing, as it targets a younger generations of supporters through Friends of the New World Symphony and makes this an affordable night out on the town in South Beach. Forty dollars gets you in -- compare that to the cost of clubbing -- all with a touch of class.

Although PULSE offers a set program of music, it's nothing like a traditional, stuffy classical music concert. The boundary between performer and audience is blurred, making the performance friendlier and more intimate: ground floor seats are retracted for dancing and the space behind the main stage is opened for lounge-style seating in comfortable, cushioned bleachers. If you switched the soundtrack, you'd think you were at a civilized punk rock concert with a mosh pit -- minus hurling bodies, of course.

People stand, sit, mingle, socialize and come and go throughout the entire circular concert hall, which boasts enormous walls, shaped like sails, where behind-the-scenes video wizards project larger-than-life images. Even the orchestra musicians were part of this stimulating audiovisual experience; they wore glow-in-the-dark wristbands that changed colors in synchrony with the performance's lighting design.

Stage lifts behind the orchestra spotlight soloists and small ensembles.

Spam All Stars with DJ Le Spam in the background.

The program consisted of two DJ sets and musical performances as well as the world premiere of Ibakan, which The New World Symphony commissioned from alumnus Sam Hyken, co-founder of Miami's Nu Deco Ensemble. Hyken wrote the piece for five orchestra instrumentalists, DJ Le Spam and the Spam Allstars.

With its haunting melodies and driving percussion, Ibakan alludes to Afro-Cuban influences. The word means "constant" in Yoruba and features a canto for Obatala, a deity in the Yoruba religion, as well as a section in which each member of Spam All Stars improvised a solo with an Afro-Cuban groove.

For more information about PULSE and other programs, visit The New World Symphony.  More photos from Pulse: Late Night at the New World Symphony

NEW TROPIC'S MIAMI LAND

A gilded sign for a new golden age of Miami at the Alfred I. Dupont Building.

No sooner did doors open, crowds formed a long line and kept trickling in throughout the night -- a surprising turnout because the whole city was in wash-out mode with a deluge of rain. That's a coup for Miami. No one ever goes out in the rain.

Miami Land took place in Downtown Miami's beautifully restored 1939 architectural gem, The Alfred I. Dupont building, originally a bank. This event celebrated a different kind of classic -- the city itself, which was founded nearby in 1896 with a population of 300 -- less than the number of people who attended Miami Land.

Simply put, Miami Land was an energizing way to spend an evening in which -- God forbid! -- you might actually have fun while learning something, free of charge. Florida Grand Opera featured a soprano performing with a local ensemble. The old bank's vault turned into a gallery with two video streams -- one projecting vintage footage and the other displaying slides about Miami's future.

Florida Grand Opera's soprano performed with local musicians.

Yours truly contributed #miamischlep to the ideation board.

Front page of the Miami Metropolis, 1913 on display in a swipe screen.

Among the interactive activities: New Tropic invited guests to post their ideas on blank 4 x 6 cards in a section of the space turned into a giant community ideation board. Moonlighter, a local company that encourages creative collaboration and personal manufacturing, let guests carve their own Miami signs out of cardboard in a maker faire booth. O Poetry, which was stationed next to a booth promoting the Miami Science Barge, asked guests to write short poems about art and science. Museum-style digital displays let guests swipe screens with slides about Vizcaya's farming history, the estate's underhanded accounting during the Prohibition era and more historical trivia.

No Miami-inspired event would be complete without food and drink reflecting the city's culture diversity. Nibbles included Venezuelan cheese pastries (tequeños) and tropical fruit samples of jackfruit and dragon fruit. Cocktails included a tasty saison brew from Biscayne Brewing Company, straight from Doral (yes, Doral) and New Tropic's own recipe in a spiced rum and coconut water libation. To top it all off, 3:05 Cafesito served Miami's most iconic beverage -- Cuban coffee -- which left a delicious scent trail.

Miami runs ... and runs on 3:05 Cafesito, the city's official coffee break.

Naomi Ross of #DiversityMiami was among several groups showcasing their causes.

Rebekah Monson, co-founder of The New Tropic, loves Miami!

Not everyone who attended was a New Tropic reader, but that's OK, because it's more than just an online media outlet -- it's also this -- a gathering of curious locals. One guy, a transplant from Mexico wasn't aware that a newsy magazine was associated with the event, but he did tell me where to get the most authentic tacos in Miami. See? Curiosity. Connection.

For me, it was refreshing to see folks gather to celebrate something about a city that often receives negative attention in comparison to older and bigger metropolitan hubs of the U.S. But warts and all, why cares about other cities? We're doing our thing down here in Miami Land and true to the New Tropic's motto: "live like you live here" -- not somewhere else. Be present.

Friday night at The New World Symphony and Saturday night with The New Tropic proved the city is as unique and fresh as ever in the cultural sphere. I'll take my old with the new anytime.

For more information about New Tropic events, visit The New Tropic. More photos from Miami Land.

Disclaimer: I used to write for The New World Symphony and currently write for The New Tropic. I love them both and so should you!

Why Men Obsess Over the Remote Control and Other Observations

Ever wonder why he hogs the remote control and zones out while channel surfing? It's not the he's neglecting you. Watch the video.


Men and women's brains are wired differently, according to Arnie and Michelle Roza of Heart's Desire International -- that was just one of many love and relationships lessons we learned at the Lifelong Romance Retreat in Fort Lauderdale last month.

That may seem like stating the obvious, but there are definite relationship skill sets that work based on these biological differences.

The three-day retreat featured author Laura Doyle, whom I've written about here before at Sex and the Beach. During the weekend, Doyle, who penned The Surrendered Wife and The Surrendered Single, lectured and worked with small groups on relationships coaching.

Gladys Diaz and Brandi Baldwin, also with Heart's Desire, were involved in group coaching along with the Rozas.  All the women leading the retreat were humble while sharing their past mistakes and generous in revealing their best practices.

Topics covered included how to practice gratitude, how to become better listeners, how to communicate our desires clearly without drama, how to be open and receptive without being a doormat, how to enjoy a dating life graciously, why we should be devoted to self-care and so much more, including fun tips such as how men will pay more attention to a woman wearing red lipstick.

A "man panel" of five guys -- single, in relationships or married -- let us probe gently in the mind of the opposite sex.  Their answers were light-hearted but enlightening.

The retreat was also just plain fun. Social activities included happy hour at Blue Martini, lunch aboard a yacht and Mary Kay cosmetics sessions.

I attended with a group of gal pals, all of us in different stages -- moms, divorcées, single, married --  and it helped us create stronger bonds in our friendships.

Of the new women I met, some were incredibly candid and it was eye-opening for me to see how resistant and hardened they had become in their hearts.  One divorcée confessed how she told every man she dated that she'd have friends to recommend for him in case things didn't work out -- this before he even picked her up at the doorstep for the first time. Talk about self-sabotage and not even giving the guy a chance.  Of course, it was all about fear of rejection, despite the combative attitude.

But love is neither a competition nor a battle.  Or at least it shouldn't be, according to the philosophy behind Heart's Desire.  Instead of putting the blame on the man, we have to look inside, too. It may be cliché, but it really takes two to tango.

I see this in so many women -- utter confusion and anxiety when it comes to men, as if they're reaching out in a deep, dark mine for a diamond with no light, no tools and no skills.  It just aint gonna happen if you keep repeating the same negative though patterns within yourself that prevent a shift in behavior.

Ladies, being single isn't easy but the grass doesn't necessarily get greener just because a man puts a ring on your finger.  We go to college for our careers, but we often don't take time to learn relationship skills our mothers never taught us. This wasn't a weekend about finding a husband with hokey promises, but a time to reflect on what is to come and to be prepared for all the love we deserve.

I'm still not inclined to actively seek out dates (Doyle would ask "Why not, Maria?"), but I do feel incredibly enriched by this experience. I realized that because I've taken time to work on myself in the last few years, I've gotten rid of the fear and anxiety I used to have as a younger woman when it comes to love. I'm at peace with myself and have faith.

Every single woman owes it to herself to work on these skills before the man walks in the door.  Just like you go to the gym, get your hair and nails done and shop for clothes, don't neglect the inside. It's your spiritual homework, which once completed, is amply rewarding.

HistoryMiami Honors the Guayabera in New Exhibit

The classic guayabera.

July 1 is National Guayabera Day, so the timing for a VIP party at HistoryMiami last Thursday couldn't have been better. The occasion? The Guayabera: A Shirt's Story exhibit, which runs through January 13, 2012.

HistoryMiami pulled all the stops with major exhibit sponsor Cubavera, treating guests to a lively shindig in downtown's Cultural Plaza -- paella, Bacardi mojitos, music, cigars and dominoes gave the evening a definite Latin sabor.

Yes, ladies smoke too.

No Cuban-inspired party is complete without a cigar maker, this one from Mobile Cigar Store.

Dominoes are part of the Cuban tradition.

A massive seafood paella fed the guests after passed hors d'oeuvres.

But the real star of the festivities was the guayabera -- a button-down man's shirt with vertical pleating and four pockets associated with Cuban culture. Today, the once-humble menswear has become iconic and a fashionable wardrobe item for women and children as well.

The exact origin of the guayabera is unknown, but variations of it exist in Mexico, where embroidery distinguishes it from its Cuban counterpart.

Michael Knoll, a folklorist at HistoryMiami, curated the exhibit through the cultural institution's South Florida Folklife Center. Originally from Wisconsin, Knoll became fascinated with the culture of the shirt.  “The guayabera is culturally meaningful to a large number of South Florida residents," said Knoll in a statement.  "You only have to look at how many men are wearing guayaberas on any given day to see that.”

George Feldenkreis, founder of Cubavera.

Knoll introduced the audience to George Feldenkreis.

Cuban-born Feldenkreis is the founder of Cubavera, a leading manufacture of the garment, which retails at Macy's and online. Widely known as the "King of the Guayabera," Feldenkreis joked about taking the title of king back from Lebron James after this season's Miami Heat victory.

For garment industry royalty, Feldenkreis was actually very humble during his speech.  He told us he had arrived in Miami in 1961 and had fallen into the guayabera industry almost by accident. No sooner did he step behind the mic, he praised the U.S. as land of opportunity -- a very familiar tale among Cuban immigrants from his generation.

Even dogs enjoy guayabera fashions today.

Local fashion blogger Kelly Saks, here sporting a guayabera dress, was Miss Cuba 2011 (mainland Cuba, aka Miami, not the island).

This dress, part of a one-night only special addition to the exhibit, was designed by a student from the Miami International University of Art and Design.

The exhibit features Cuban and Spanish military uniforms from the 19th century, embroidered Mexican wedding shirts, contemporary versions by Cubavera, a guayabera dress worn by legendary salsa songstress Celia Cruz, a Pacific variation known as the Hawaiibera, guayabera-inspired accessories, a late 1940s shirt crafted by famous guayabera tailor Ramón Puig and much more.

(Incidentally, a new Ramón Puig store also held an opening night party Thursday just down Flagler street.)

For me, the guayabera has always been symbolic of my Cuban heritage and beckons a certain nostalgia. There's nothing more elegant than a crisp, white, well-pressed guayabera on a man.  Picture him in that shirt, hair neat and trimmed, wearing a nice cologne and on his best behavior.  A very fitting lady's companion indeed.

IF YOU GO

The exhibition will be accompanied by an online exhibition and a variety of educational programs, including a free family program on July 14th, a City Tour highlighting Cuban establishments in downtown Miami and a lecture/demonstration on the making of a guayabera.

For more information, visit HistoryMiami.

Silicone Bitch Summer Edition: Social Media Day Miami and Other Events

Silicone Bitch hasn't posted in a while here, but that's because we've been busy actually making a living at social media, plus fishing for tarpon on the gulf coast of Florida and taking naps in the doldrums of summer. But even though the humidity is sticky, Miami isn't sitting still.

SOCIAL MEDIA DAY

Ah, June 30. This is the day that Mashable decided would be cool to celebrate all things social media worldwide. Little does Pete Cashmore know we're in the early throes of Hurricane Season and that most of us would rather sink our toes in the sand while sipping a frosty beverage, but no matter.

A group of Miami's top social media influencers have volunteered to put together with an afternoon of workshops and panels at Zadok Gallery in Wynwood followed by cocktails and networking. A Social Media Day breakfast at Preemo's Tech Bar in South Miami is in the works. Social Media Day will be a great opportunity for newbies or even the jaded to network and learn in a casual conference format.

Ditch the beach that day and head out to tweet your ass off at Miami's largest social media gathering.  Registration is FREE and strongly encouraged, please visit Eventbrite.  For additional, last-minute details, visit Social Media Day Miami on Facebook. Follow hashtag #smdaymia on Twitter, too.

IGNITE MIAMI AND TEDx MIA

Ignite Miami, our local version of Ignite talks around the world, challenged speakers to present great ideas in 5 minutes with 20 slides rotating every 15 seconds. On May 29th, yours truly regaled the audience of 300 plus at The Stage Miami with a talk on #toptenlies -- remember the little hashtag that could? Yeah, seriously, what's a little white lie in Miami when we have cannibals roaming the streets?

Other speakers discussed everything under the sun -- from crossing off milestones on your bucket list to turning a reef project gone bad into art to hyperlocal coverage of Little Havana.

Ignite talks are like TED on the fast lane.  And speaking of TED, TEDx Miami will be broadcasting talks from the mother ship event in Edinburgh at The Stage Miami on June 28.  Find more information at TEDx MIA.

View Ignite Miami videos on YouTube.

INSPIRATION UNIVERSITY

On May 25, yours truly moderated a panel on blogging at Inspiration University's day-long social media conference for women entrepreneurs, which took place at NOVA Southeastern University in Davie. Panelists included successful business women and creative bloggers Raw Candor, Mi Caminar and Coral Gables Story.  Inspiration University is a great resource for women in South Florida looking to learn, share and expand their networks through quality programming that's not some bozo pitching a business.  No bait and switch here -- expect real learning and informative, educational events.  Check out Inspiration University.

WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL HOLISTIC CONFERENCE

And speaking of stuff that's good for women: Dr. Elizabeth King, founder of The International Holistic Center in Fort Lauderdale, is putting together a day of speakers and panels at the Ritz Carlton on July 13.  The tag line for the conference, which claims to be more of a movement rather than a one-day affair, is "Suits, Stilletos and Lipstick: The Balancing Act." Yours truly will be speaking and moderating a panel on social media focused on the balance between online and "real" life.

Of particular interest to Sex and the Beach readers: Julia Yarborough, an Emmy Award winning broadcast and print journalist who created the road trip blog Highway to a Husband, will be speaking at the conference.  Dr. Sonjia, who opened the School of Sensual Satisfaction in Miami Beach (yes, it's a real school) and authored Sex in South Beach, will also be behind the podium.

To register, visit Women's International Holistic Conference. A portion of the silent auction proceeds benefits Big Mama's Team of Life, a local charity.

Miami Rat Pack Party on Ocean Drive

My friends and I at the social group Miami Rat Pack are putting together this rogue fundraiser to benefit the New World Symphony's community programs. Come on by and have a drink with us in South Beach at the Hotel Breakwater! The event takes place this Saturday, October 22, starting at 7:00 PM. Details at the tweetvite: Miami Rat Pack Fundraiser.

What is the Miami Rat Pack?

We are a group of friends from diverse professions who like to socialize in real life and use social media to stay connected online. The name recalls the early days of the 60's when the musical "rat pack" of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis, Jr. and other artists used to perform in Miami, Vegas and Hollywood.

Sex and the Beach 5th Anniversary Bash

Sex and the Beach is celebrating its fifth anniversary and the damn good art of blogging at the Clevelander on October 17, starting at 4 PM. Come join Maria, friends and other bloggers for a laid-back sunset party with an ocean view in South Beach -- that crazy town where it all started. At 7:00 PM we'll announce the winner of the Sex and the Beach contest (ladies, have you submitted your video yet?).

Enjoy $5 Punanitinis (Stoli, triple sec and a splash of bitters shaken and served up with orange garnish) or any $5 Stoli mixer drink of your choice. Great Clevelander drinks, beer, wine and appetizers available at their already recession-friendly prices. R & B and Hip Hop spinned by Sunday's DJ. Dress casual!

We're working on some schwag and other goodies. Details to follow!

Please visit Sex and the Beach Party at Eventbrite for more details and to RSVP.

No ticket required but please RSVP so we have a headcount.

Miami Is So SxSe!

A bunch of Twitter people are getting together again for a second time in the magic city April 16-20. Some folks are even flying in from out of town to enjoy our hospitality.

This is a very informal, casual and relaxed un-event, un-featuring dinner at iconic Cuban restaurant Versailles, an Afro-Cuban funk performance by PALO! in a great Little Havana music lounge, brunch at JJ's in South Miami, a meet-up at Carrabbas on Miami Beach and a lazy day trip down to Morada Bay in the Keys. You pay for your own shit and get there on your own. Come to one or all. Just show up! Only extra cost is a $10 contribution for the musical performance.

All local bloggers are welcome -- you needn't be on Twitter!

Curious? Everything you need to know is at www.sxse.info ... including information about our supporters.