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Biscayne times

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Title:
Biscayne times
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Miami, FL
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Biscayne Media, LLC
Jim Mullin
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2008
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English

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newspaper ( sobekcm )
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United States -- Florida -- Dade -- Biscayne Boulevard Corridor
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25.831647 x -80.182343 ( Place of Publication )

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University of Florida
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University of Florida
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Copyright The Biscayne Times. Permission granted to University of Florida to digitize and display this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder.

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JUNE 2023 BISCAYNETIMES.COM VOLUME 21 ISSUE 5 Miami Shores NIMBY-ism Morningside Park Renovation Buena Vista Battles Soulful Art At MOCA Diaries B iscayne Fathers On the Frontline B iscayne Fathers On the Frontline The D a d

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| BiscayneTimes . com PUBLISHER Garth C. Reeves III garth@biscaynetimes.com EXECUTIVE EDITOR Emily Cardenas emily@biscaynetimes.com STAFF WRITERS Johania Charles Samantha Morell Jazmine Santillana COPY CHIEF Elisa Agostinho Serving communities along the Biscayne Corridor: Arch Creek East, Aventura, Bay Point, Bayside, Biscayne Park, Belle Meade, Buena Vista, Coventry, Design District, Downtown, Eastern Shores, Edgewater, El Portal, Enchanted Lake, Hibiscus Island, Highland Lakes, Keystone Point, Miami Shores, Morningside, North Greynolds, North Bay Island, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Oak Forest, Oakland Grove, Palm Grove, Palm Island, Sans Souci, Shorecrest, Sky Lake, Sparling Lake, Star Island, Wynwood and Venetian Islands. 17 28 GRAPHIC DESIGNER Edwin Cruz ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Nancy Newhart nancy.newhart@biscaynetimes.com EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS: Francisco Alvarado, Grant Balfour, Katina Caraganis, Jacqueline Coleman, Sid Hoeltzell, Irene Moore, Mark Sell, George Willis CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Sid Hoeltzell FOR ADVERTISING INFORMATION VISIT BISCAYNETIMES.SOLUTIONS OR CALL 305.694.6210 All articles, photos and artwork in the Biscayne Times may only be duplicated or reprinted with written consent from the editor or publisher. contents 39 COVER: ENVATO ELEMENTS; @NIKKIFRIED/TWITTER; MUMMIES OF THE WORLD; FELIPE CUEVAS ON THE COVER 12 The Dad Diaries Biscayne Fathers On the Frontline COMMENTARY 8 NIMBY-ism the Real Miami Shores Victor 10 Hold Elected Ocials to Account or Else CORRIDOR NEWS 17 Pulling Florida Democrats Back From the Brink 22 Morningside Park Gets its Dollars 24 Buena Vista Battles Design District Encroachment 26 Father Dedicated to Brain Cancer Awareness BOULEVARD LIVING 28 Mummies Take Miami by Storm 31 Summer Shorts Highlights Homegrown Talent 33 Oolite Arts’ Leader Dennis Scholl Stepping Down 34 Art to Touch the Soul 37 Father’s Day Reads From a Vintage Books Seller DISH & DRINK 39 Enjoy a Culinary East-Meets-West Adventure 42 Secrets From Chef Dewey Losasso’s Kitchen 43 Cool Cocktails From Miami’s Best Bars 46 The Revival of a Gelatin-Based Jewel 49 Summer Reds Are for Chillin’

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| COVER: ENVATO ELEMENTS; @NIKKIFRIED/TWITTER; MUMMIES OF THE WORLD; FELIPE CUEVAS

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| BiscayneTimes . com GREGORY REED/BISCAYNE TIMES; JANET BOOK GOODMAN/FACEBOOK; MIAMI SHORES VILLAGE OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT/FACEBOOK; LINKEDIN W hile I appreciated the Biscayne Times’ coverage of recent Miami Shores Village elections, the true story was that beyond the decisive winning slate of George Burch, Jesse Valinski and Jerome Charles, the true winner was NIMBY-ism. e acronym NIMBY, which stands for “Not in my backyard,” is the behav ioral phenomenon that most acutely aects wealthier communities whose residents’ band together against any kind of development, irrespective of the larger social good or societal costs. And in 2023, this was a village election moti vated by NIMBY concerns, organized by NIMBY fears and propelled by NIMBY electors to deliver the most NIMBY council in recent memory. Fueled by social media hysteria regarding the updating of the village’s Comprehensive Development Plan (Comp Plan for short), the election was a single-issue election. Every declared candidate was an ardent opponent of adopting the Comp Plan. Conversely, no declared candidate had any proposed alternative to what to replace it with. e village experienced a Trump-ian election based on NIMBY fear, anger and misinformation. ere were false claims that the proposed Comp Plan would allow for high-rise developments or promote Sec tion-8 housing (a commonly understood racial dog whistle) on vacant lots Barry University seeks to develop, and that the golf course would be ringed with condos. e removal of street barricades also was oated on social media in op ponents’ eorts to gin up fear and anger amongst residents. Council eorts to debunk these wild claims fell on deaf ears as red-hots descended on village council meetings, Jerry Springer-style, to berate coun cilmembers as corrupt, Nazi-like and seeking to “destroy the village.” It recalls Mark Twain’s quote that “a lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes.” But NIMBY-ism is more serious than just concerned auent residents seek ing to block developments adjacent to their homes. It has tremendous impact from a granular local level up to the more societal level. Because of Miami Shores NIMBY-ism, locally: • In 2017, villagers overwhelmingly voted down a bond initiative to con struct a new recreational community center. Public meetings were met with cries of crime, outsiders, trac, etc. • e village may surrender $1.3 mil lion in state monies to rehabilitate the Bayfront Park seawall because there would be a requirement for “public access” to the bay, perhaps as a – GASP – kayak launch, which would of course produce crime, outsiders, trac, etc. • ere is no appropriately placed dog park. Once under consideration along Second Avenue, the village’s current dog park is located at the pedestrianinaccessible aquatic center. Perhaps the most damning result of NIMBY-ism is there may be NO hous ing within the village ever so slightly aordable to mainstream profession als. When a councilmember noted the median sales price in Miami Shores was $1.3 million, he was met with cheers and whistles of elite approval. Members of the public, including one now elected village councilmember, posited that future multifamily resi dents would be a threat to the village, bizarrely stating these residents would then become “multifamily voters” who don’t share the “priorities” of singlefamily residents (whatever any of this NIMBY-istic/xenophobic gobbledygook means is anyone’s guess). Instead, village housing NIMBY-ism will deliver South Florida greater unaf fordability, more urban sprawl, more greenhouse emissions, more automobile dependency, more concentrated poverty in already low-income communities and further economic segregation. NIMBY-ism is as politically potent as it is morally bankrupt. John Ise Miami Shores NIMBY-ism the Real Miami Shores Victor “Perhaps the most damning result of NIMBY-ism is there may be NO housing within the village ever so slightly affordable to mainstream professionals.” letter to the editor The controversial Miami Shores Comp Plan was the featured Biscayne Times cover story in January 2023. Vice Mayor Jesse Valinsky, Mayor George Burch and Jerome Charles (L-R) are the Miami Shores Village Council’s three newest members.

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| GREGORY REED/BISCAYNE TIMES; JANET BOOK GOODMAN/FACEBOOK; MIAMI SHORES VILLAGE OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT/FACEBOOK; LINKEDIN NIMBY-ism the Real Miami Shores Victor

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| BiscayneTimes . com viewpoint EILEEN BICABA Mark Sell Biscayne Times Contributor T here’s evidence civic trust is in retreat all over. Democracy is not a spectator sport and earn ing trust starts on your block rather than on cable news or Facebook. Today, I’m holding up three encouraging if preliminary examples of trust-build ing in North Miami and North Miami Beach, of all places. On May 8, the Miami Herald Edi torial Board won the paper’s 24th Pulitzer Prize for “Broken Promises,” a devastating series documenting the failure of public ocials to deliver on promises from parks to transportation to respecting ancient Indigenous sites. We can also look to the guts, brains and persistence of the Miami Heat in its gritty rise from eighth seed to NBA nals and possible championship as inspiration for the needed work of holding ocials accountable. And let’s face it: In North Miami and North Miami Beach, trust has taken dings. After giving themselves big raises by a vote of 3-1 (Councilmember Kassandra Timothe was the no vote in October), the North Miami City Council in December voted to extend their terms by a whopping 18 months to November 2024, thus making Alix Desulme the unelected $89,880-a-year mayor and Pierre Frantz Charles an unelected District 4 councilman at $77,910 a year. e purported reason was to streamline elections, save money and increase participation. Candidates and residents sued in February over the extended terms and on May 8 lost in court – at least for now, as they have vowed to appeal the decision. Nearby in North Miami Beach, recent head-spinning chaos culminated May 16 with the 3-1 sacking of Commis sioner Michael Joseph for allegedly being absent from commission meet ings for 120 days. at stemmed from a three-month walkout of three commis sioners over Mayor Anthony DeFillipo’s disputed residency. DeFillipo’s voting residence is certainly fair game if the walkout isn’t, and a judge ordered the commissioners back to work in March. Joseph’s lawyer said he was conned to bedrest after a heart attack. He’s The bad, the good and the squeaky wheel get the grease led an injunction to prevent a city wide special election. Amid the drama, three provisionally encouraging signs have emerged – two from North Miami and one from North Miami Beach, reecting the spirit of the Biscayne Times’ two-parter on citizenship in the May and June 2022 issues. RASHA CAMEAU On March 13, Rasha Cameau started her new job as North Miami city manager with the blessing of most of the council and particularly Desulme, a longtime “people’s councilman” turned “people’s mayor.” Her mis sion: to restore broken morale among city employees, keep politics away from sta, formally seek $39 million in thrice-delayed state funding to replace the city’s 1962 water and sewer plant, and force water delinquents an astonishing $18 million in arrears as of last year to pony up, so the city can get its new plant. e big scoaws are multifamily condo and rental developments – and, being a former North Miami and North Miami Beach CRA director and assistant county manager, it’s familiar territory for Cameau. “I am passionate about North Miami and we have to get this right,” she said. “e city is leaking money and leaking pipes. I hope to make huge changes in the rst year and will meet some resistance. I intend to be here for 10 to 15 years.” Cameau is hiring an eciency man ager to curb waste, a public engage ment ocer to address complaints and a grants administrator to get money. Incoming North Miami Beach City Man ager Mario Diaz, late of Biscayne Park, might want to compare notes with her when he reports for duty June 15. NORTH MIAMI HOMEOWNERS In NIMBY news, the oft-ooded resi dents of North Miami’s NE ird Court thanked the usually developer-friendly North Miami City Council May 9 for its 4-1 denial of Abreu Development’s request for 24 townhomes just south of its vintage-2018 Citadel Plaza on 135th Street, between NE ird Avenue and NE ird Court. at site, dominated by a new mon ster Public Storage, includes a Fam ily Dollar, coin laundry and day care center. Since Citadel broke ground and elevated the land, NE ird Court has repeatedly ooded, with sewage burbling into the pavement. at night, residents faced ace zon ing lawyer Jerry Proctor and superlobbyist Ron Book, who’s also the chair of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust. e new management had earlier invited the residents to join in talks with the city, the South Florida Water Management District – which oversees the nearby Biscayne Canal – and the county’s Department of Environmental and Resource Manage ment. e council listened and the residents prevailed – for now. Resident Eileen Bicaba knows this is a gut ght. “I have been ooded 30 times in the last six seasons,” she said. “I have had to walk through a block of sewage water to get to my house. [e devel opers] will be back because they have always come back.” NORTH MIAMI BEACH RESIDENTS Crisis breeds opportunity. At recent meetings, North Miami Beach resi dents have been showing up for hours on end and saying their piece about their neighborhoods and the city, particularly since last November’s election and the three-month staged walkout, when city business essen tially froze. at prompted a necessary debate over city services and respon siveness. Sometimes, it got ugly. at’s ne. We’ve gotta talk. May they all stay on it. Speaking truth to power and getting into good trouble is worthwhile, especially when you don’t try it alone. Trust takes work. Hold Elected Officials to Account or Else North Miami residents Jose Riviera, Acineto Jourdain, Eileen Bicaba, Lauren Landgrebe, Prenos Volmy, Victor Vigano, Belicardic Rodriguez and Natalie Correa successfully blocked a 24-townhome project.

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| EILEEN BICABA

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COURTESY OF FRED JONAS; COURTESY OF THOM MOZLOOM corridor NEWS efore the 1970s, research studies didn’t give too much credence to the role of fathers beyond the bearer of nancial sta bility. eir role in children’s development was actually dismissed as “insignicant,” but that’s all changed. Today’s father may not be the traditional married breadwinner and disciplinarian. Dads take on many forms, and their aection and positive inuence is recognized now more than ever. So much so that in honor of Father’s Day, the Biscayne Times decided to share the stories of some of the men in our orbit who collectively are parenting or have raised a combined 15 children. You’ll recognize some of the dads in this report from their Biscayne Times byline or perhaps from the community. Either way, we hope their experi ences will help our readers reect on their relation ships with their own fathers, for better or worse, and we hope for many, with love. om Mozloom, 55, grew up in Trenton, N.J . He lives in the Belle Meade neighborhood of Miami with Biscayne Times Family Matters columnist Lisa Mozloom and their three children, ages 14-18. B ENVATO ELEMENTS EMILY CARDENAS Biscayne Times Executive Editor | BiscayneTimes.com Diaries Dad B iscayne Fathers On the Frontline B iscayne Fathers On the Frontline The

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| Mozloom describes his upbringing as idyllic, not because he came from money but because his parents loved each other. His mother was a forklift driver and his father a teacher. “My earliest memory of him was him throwing a football in the mid dle of the street in front of our house with a glass of scotch in the mailbox – he was the coolest guy of the 1970s. My dad was everybody’s father he was incredibly engaged and had an unbelievable sense of humor.” But Mozloom readily admits his dad was not without aws and there were never any pretenses that he was perfect. His mom demanded honesty and any tensions in the family were talked about openly. “My fatherhood example is the ex ample he set I don’t hide my aws to anyone,” said Mozloom. And if he lacks answers for some thing he’s done or a wrong decision he’s made, the most valuable tool in his parenting arsenal is to simply say, “I screwed up.” He believes this has taught his children grace. “ey forgive me for my aws before I have to ask them for forgiveness,” he said. Mozloom has forwarded that philoso phy into his children’s teenage years by emphasizing to them that “there’s noth ing you could do to make me not love you,” which he believes gives them the freedom to make mistakes while know ing they can always conde in him. Other lessons from his childhood that Mozloom brought to his own growing family are that fathers need not rule with an iron hand and that parenting is a team sport. When his kids were born, he thought he could do everything and be everywhere, but the demands of run ning a business made that impossible. Now, time is his greatest wish. “My son is graduating and going to West Point what I wouldn’t give for a couple of more years,” he said. When his son was born, Mozloom’s own father said, “I bet you think you know what love is? You have no idea. What until you hold that kid for the rst time you’re about to nd out.” And he was right. Fred Jonas, 73, is a longtime Bis cayne Park resident and blogger who was born in Miami and grew up in Miami Beach. He’s divorced with two children, ages 40 and 42, and two grandchildren, ages 4 and 6. Jonas doesn’t mince words. His fa ther’s example was one he eschewed. He describes his dad as a solid breadwinner, but menacing, manip ulative and untrustworthy. “I learned before my teens to cre ate a distance between us. My father mistreated everyone, including ev eryone in the family – my mother the most,” whom Jonas alternately de scribed as “one of the most beloved people on Earth.” Jonas married almost immediately after college and at first decided not to have children, “because I thought my dad was such a bad role model that I was afraid I would repeat history. It wasn’t until several years later that I realized I had a control over this and that I didn’t have to treat people the way I had been treated I decided I didn’t have to be like my father.” Did he succeed? “I hope I have been a good father, caring and respectful. Giving them advice, setting an example and accept ing of them as human beings,” he said. “I wasn’t authoritative, domineer ing and controlling. My father never would have interacted with us the way I interacted with my children.” As a psychiatrist, Jonas is trained to COURTESY OF FRED JONAS; COURTESY OF THOM MOZLOOM corridor news Ever the creatives, Lisa Mozloom in 2010 feigning shock and dismay in this staged photo as her husband, Thom Mozloom, pretends to let their two oldest children vie for the keys to drive their 1983 Monte Carlo. Fred Jonas with his two children, who are now 40 and 42. ENVATO ELEMENTS Diaries

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| BiscayneTimes . com corridor news COURTESY OF MARK SELL; COURTESY OF JOHN ISE understand human development, so he says nothing his children did ever sur prised him. But he did have something to say about growing up and being a father. “When you are a teenager and in your twenties it’s all about you, but when you form a relationship with someone else, it’s not all about you anymore. Once you have children, nothing is about you anymore, it’s about the children. I’ve tried to conduct myself that way because I believe it.” So, what’s it like to have grandchil dren? “I love them and I uphold them. I’m just supportive of anything they want to do. I treat them the same way that I would treat my children.” Grant Balfour, 54, is our libations columnist and self-proclaimed “Biscayne Tippler.” Born in Miami Beach and raised in other parts of South Florida, he now lives in West Palm Beach with his wife, Jeannie, also a native Floridian. ey have two children, ages 17 and 20. Balfour’s relationship with his father blossomed as he neared adulthood. “He was a National Inquirer report er, so he was out of the house a lot,” he said of his dad. “We didn’t talk too much when I was little, but we traveled together when I was in college to visit his father in South Africa. at trip crossed a lot of bridges for us.” From that point forward, Balfour’s father became a driving inuence that helped to guide him professionally. “He was sterner than I was, but once my kids got older, I found myself behaving more like him in terms of trying to help them make life choices,” said Balfour. He adopted his children from China, which is why he describes his dreams of fatherhood as “very intentional.” Other than that, his reections about parenting are universal. “To me,” he said, “fatherhood involves a lot of patience and letting people nd their own way, nurturing a lot of independence, which I got from my dad.” When asked to share anecdotes about any surprises he experienced along his journey as a father, Balfour let out a hearty laugh before replying. “I went into it expecting to be surprised and I wasn’t disappointed! I knew they would be a pain in all the best ways,” he mused. “One of the things that was fairly surprising is how much of myself and my wife and my family I see in my kids, even though they are adopted. It’s frustrat ing and immensely satisfying at the same time.” Mark Sell, 72, is a regular Biscayne Times contributor. Born in the Mid west, he lived in Miami Shores for 34 years before relocating to North Miami and now lives outside the corridor. He’s a divorced father of two daughters, ages 27 and 29, and the grandfather of a 1-year-old. When Sell was a very young boy, he watched with admiration as his father worked by day and went to school at night. ere was not a lot of “warm and fuzzy,” but he describes his dad as “scrappy and charming.” Once the fam COURTESY OF GRANT BALFOUR; COURTESY OF MARK SELL Grant Balfour and his two children. Mark Sell with his two adult daughters.

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| ily moved to Minnesota, they had more time together sharing meals and going on outings like bike riding, skiing and other such adventures. Expanding one’s intellect was another favorite pastime. “He had a great sense of fairness and justice,” said Sell of his father. “Books were important in our lives and in our house. As time went on, we were able to speak openly and frankly to one another. We would talk and discuss things at the dinner table – I followed the news from age 6 and we discussed it. Facts were important and when we disagreed, we consulted with the ency clopedia to settle things.” As for the elder Sell’s inuence on the next generation, the evidence is ever present. “There are certain pilot lights that were certainly lit by him. A passion ate belief in justice and fairness, standing up for others, a hatred of bullies, a certain intellectual rigor and curiosity values were passed on to be kind, be fair, be tough and resilient or cultivate resiliency, and to seek out the funny and the absurd. And now it’s true of both my daugh ters.” Sell said he intended to be an in volved father from the start, fullling that goal by joining the PTA, coaching and judging his daughter’s debate com petitions, becoming active in church and being “woven into the community.” He describes raising his children as “the happiest times of my life.” ere were certainly surprises along the way, the kind that force you to breathe and step back, especially the teenage years. He oered advice on how to handle them. “Be there for them, give them what they need, but not always what they want. You can’t gure it all out for them. ey are their own people,” he said. “Stay loose, don’t get too rigid – but that’s not about being too permis sive – and hang in there. Each day is a new day.” Now Sell has a 1-year-old grand daughter 900 miles away, a relation ship that is just beginning, and he’s very much looking forward to culti vating it as he delights in near-daily photos and videos. “It’s better than being a parent be cause you don’t have the responsibil ity,” he said. John Ise, 54, is a former Biscayne Times Miami Shores community columnist. The Kansas City native who grew up in Virginia and lived in Ohio has been a Shores resi dent for 14 years, where he lives with his wife and three children, ages 14-18. Ise describes his relationship with his dad as distant, but not by choice. His parents had an acrimo nious divorce when he was 5 and he and his siblings moved with their mother to Virginia. Consequently, he only saw his father once a year in the summer for about two weeks. “My father was very stoic, not very emotional. He served in the mili tary, but he was caring in terms of reaching out and keeping tabs on me,” Ise said. “It was phone conver sations once a month and maybe a letter. You knew he was missing out on seeing us grow up – me, my brother and sister – and I’m sure it had an effect on him.” Ise believes that perhaps, on a subconscious level, that lack of dayto-day involvement from his father motivated him and all his siblings into becoming very engaged par ents. “I think I decided when you have COURTESY OF MARK SELL; COURTESY OF JOHN ISE corridor news Mark Sell with his new granddaughter. John Ise with his wife and children on vacation in Colorado approximately six years ago. COURTESY OF GRANT BALFOUR; COURTESY OF MARK SELL

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| BiscayneTimes . com corridor news COURTESY OF MUCHE UKEGBU ENVATO ELEMENTS “Throw most of your expectations out the window because children are individuals and each one is different. They reach maturity in different times in different ways. Approach fatherhood with your eyes open and expect the unexpected.” – Grant Balfour “Surf with it you don’t know how the waves are going to come. Try to keep your bal ance. Forgive yourself because you are going to make mistakes, but above all, just be there for them and pay attention – they’re watching you.” – Mark Sell “Once you have children, nothing is about you. It’s your new career. Love them. De vote yourself to them. Be available and supportive. Your job is to allow your children to be capable and independent and to encourage it.” – Fred Jonas “Pace is your friend don’t rush through parenting. Allow yourself to enjoy the gift and be responsible. Be present. You can’t father from a distance. You have to be there even in the moments when you think they don’t need you.” – Muche Ukegbu “You don’t know what love is You have no idea This is now what you’re living for and if the answer to the question why is, ‘because I said so’ you’re getting it wrong. Start with, ‘Because I love you.’” – Thom Mozloom “Be patient. Model the behavior you seek to instill in your kids. Walking the walk is more important than talking the talk. The most important title you’ll ever have is father.” – John Ise Advice for the New Dad kids that kind of becomes your cause,” he said. “Whatever mission you had in life goes away. Your kids become your mission. It’s like en coded to be present and engaged and connected as much as I can be. It’s what I think parenting is all about and to see replicants of yourself, in many ways, grow into young adult hood is enjoyable.” Ise has strong opinions about children growing up without fathers, which he firmly believes is the root of much of society’s problems, as controversial as that may be. “Absentee fatherhood takes a toll on society,” he asserted. “If I didn’t have my wife, I would be a worse father, there is no doubt, because the stress and the work is divided by two.” He expressed that kids need struc ture, guidance and limits. If there’s one thing he would do differently, it would be delaying access to smart phones and social media. What he doesn’t regret is teaching his chil dren to be resourceful. “I made my kids learn how to take the bus at age 12 and people looked at me like I was bonkers,” Ise re called. “It’s part of parenting, teach ing children how to navigate life independently. When I was growing up getting on the bus was normal; today people look at you like you are neglecting them.” Muche Ukegbu, 37, was born in Houston and is now a church pas tor in Miami Shores. He lives in Little Haiti with Biscayne Times Family Matters columnist Di amone Ukegbu and their three children, ages 9-12. Ukegbu is of Nigerian heritage. His father fought in the Nigerian Civil War and became a teacher. Their re lationship as father and son evolved over time. “We have a great relationship now,” said Ukegbu. “He’s my father and my friend, but when I was young, he was very rigid and not affectionate; we didn’t connect. My father worked as an immigrant ... he grinded.” Ukegbu admits that his own be havior didn’t help the situation. At one point, his father even went as far as to say, “They are going to find you in an alley someplace and call us to identify the body and we won’t come.” Harsh words from a parent. Soon thereafter, said Ukegbu, “At 16, faith took a hold of me, and life started changing. From that time on it changed our relationship. That was the pivot.” Sacrificing for your family is a trait he models after his father, but there were other attributes he left behind. “He weaponized his words in a way that was unhealthy and I’ve modeled the reverse intentionally,” said Uke gbu. “Using words for inspiration and not to shame words really matter.” Ukegbu said he had ideas about the kind of father he wanted to be before his children were born, but that changed when reality hit. “When I saw her, it was different,” he said, referring to his firstborn child. “They weren’t an idea; they were a person in my arms there was a different type of maturity I had to step into in my early 20s.” When he looked at her he thought, “I have to provide for you, you need me in a different way.” As time went on, the maturing young father realized that helping form his children into “the best ver sion of themselves” requires lots of dialogue. “You have to make room for the why and the back and forth,” he said. “So much of my parenting effort is dia logue. I think it’s a healthy surprise. It’s messy. I love it, but it’s a surprise. It’s hard but it’s enjoyable to hear the way they process things. We’re having a conversation and it’s not just about giving orders.” Muche Ukegbu with his wife and children on a trip to Atlanta, GA earlier this year.

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| corridor news Francisco Alvarado Biscayne Times Contributor T he day after the May 16 Jack sonville city election, Sun shine State Democratic Party honcho Nikki Fried tweeted, “Good morning from the purple, swing state of Florida.” A bold, somewhat exaggerated claim considering Florida has been swathed in red since Republicans trounced virtually every Demo crat on the ballot during the 2022 midterm elections. But Miami native Fried had reason for gloating. Not only did Donna Deegan pull an upset by edging out her Repub lican opponent to become Jackson ville’s second Democratic mayor in three decades, but liberals also picked up four city council seats. And Democrat Joyce Morgan won a squeaker runoff to become the first Black woman to serve as Duval County’s property appraiser. The surprising results in the GOP-heavy county was a primer for what’s com ing from the Florida Democratic Party under her watch, Fried told the Biscayne Times in a recent phone interview. “It was a boost in the arm of the Florida Democratic Party,” she said. “When Democrats have the right candidates, are organized and Can Nikki Fried revive her party’s relevance? COURTESY OF MUCHE UKEGBU ENVATO ELEMENTS talk about issues impacting people, we can win. It certainly helps us in the national conversation that Florida is still in play.” Fried’s optimistic outlook aside, she and Florida Democrats still face a daunting effort to reverse the gains made by the Republican Party since 2018, when Ron DeSantis won a nail-biter for the governor’s office, and when Fried was the only Democrat to lock in a cabinet post as agriculture commissioner. “I think the last couple of chairs had diffi cult circumstanc es to deal with,” Joe Geller, a Demo cratic former state legislator representing north Miami-Dade, told the Times. “Nikki steps in and she is also facing a tough climb.” FRIED TAKES OVER In January, former Miami Mayor Manny Diaz quit as the state party’s chair man, two years after he took on the role and promised to make Demo crats competitive. Yet, since 2021, the GOP has surpassed Democrats in the voter reg istration game, according to data from the Florida Division of Elections. As of April 30, Florida has 5.3 million registered Repub lican voters compared to 4.8 mil lion registered Democrats. Miami-Dade, long considered a Democratic stronghold in major state and national races, went Re publican as DeSantis became the first GOP gubernatorial candidate to win the county in two decades. In 2018, he lost Miami-Dade by 20 points. Diaz’s resignation two years before his term was up came amid criticism from party lead ers and rank-and-file Democrats that he was disengaged from following through on his plan to improve vote-by-mail and voter registration efforts, according to Politico. On his way out the door, Pulling Florida Back From The Brink Democrats

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| BiscayneTimes . com corridor news he released a memo blasting the Democratic National Committee for abandoning Florida. He noted that the national party spent $2 million in the state for the 2022 midterm elections compared to $60 million in children to attend drag shows. And her most forceful public rebuke of Florida’s GOP agenda oc curred in early April, when Fried, Democratic State Sen. Lauren Book and several activists were arrested outside the Florida State Capitol the 2018 cycle. “It is impossible to ‘rebuild’ an organization without resources,” Diaz wrote. “Huge sums of money continue to be outside the control of the FDP.” Fried, who handily lost the 2022 Democratic gubernato rial primary to Charlie Crist, jumped into the competition for the state party’s chairmanship after initially indicating she was not interested in the job, accord ing to media reports. On Feb. 25, she won a bitterly heated battle against Annette Taddeo, the Colombian American former state senator who briefly ran for the party’s gubernatorial nomination before switching to a congressio nal race that she lost by 15 points. Taddeo declined comment for this story. Unlike her predecessor, Fried has taken a more confronta tional approach against DeSantis and the Republican majority in the state Legislature. On social media, she is constantly firing broadsides at the governor and his allies over hard-right legisla tion targeting diversity, inclusion and equality in public schools and higher education, and laws denying transgender teens from obtaining gender affirming medi cal care and making it a crime for Recent big wins in Jacksonville, Fla., including Democrat Donna Deegan’s mayoral victory over Republican Daniel Davis, is a glimmer of hope for the future of Democrats in Florida that State Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried is hanging her hat on. The national Democratic Party spent just $2 million in Florida for the 2022 midterm elections and $60 million in 2018. during a sit-in protest against a new six-week abortion ban. The state Democratic party’s social media engagement and com munications under Fried has vastly improved, said Thomas Kennedy, a Miami activist and a Democratic National Committee member. “The party has more of a pres State Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried was arrested outside the Florida State Capitol in April along with other activists while demonstrating against the Legislature’s six-week abortion ban. Manny Diaz resigned as state Democratic Party chair in January, midway through his term after disastrous election results. NEWS4JAX; @NIKKIFRIED/TWITTER; FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTY TWITTER

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| corridor news ence,” Kennedy said. “The rapid response is better. They put out press releases in a timely manner. I know that bar is low, but that is where we are at.” It’s too early to judge Fried on more substantial accomplish ments, such as reengaging Florida voters and driving up Democratic registrations, Kennedy said. The wins in Jacksonville were a good start, but it’s going to be tough car rying that momentum into 2024, he added. “It was a tough race, but it was one we should win,” Kennedy said. “Jacksonville and Duval County have been trending blue.” FLORIDA & NATIONAL DEMS RECONNECT Other party faithful see signs of a renewed relationship between the Florida Democratic Party and the Democratic National Committee. Shortly after taking over, Fried toured the state with DNC chair man Jaime Harrison, and played a key role in recent visits to Florida by Vice President Kamala Harris and California Gov. Gavin New som, said Juan Pealosa, a Miamibased political consultant and former executive director of the state Democratic Party. The tours were coupled with fundraising events that boosted the anemic coffers of the Florida Democratic Party, Pealosa added. “They raised a significant amount of money for a party that has been strapped for cash,” he Nikki Fried trolls Gov. Ron Desantis regularly on social media. said. “Nikki was able to get that done.” Shortly after President Joe Biden announced he was running for reelection, his campaign launched its second television ad in Florida, spending seven figures, Pealosa said. “All of that points to a level of attention that Nikki has been able to bring back to the state,” he said. “It shows Florida is a priority for the Democratic Party.” Bringing the national party back to Florida was among her key priorities when she decided to run to lead the state party, Fried told the Times. “Since I was elected as chair, I am in constant communication with the DNC, Jaime and members of his team,” she said. “I make calls and speak to donors every single day. They are waking up to the ne cessity of investing in Florida. We feel very confident that we will get the resources and funds we need to be competitive in our state.” Florida has 5.3 million registered Republican voters compared to 4.8 million registered Democrats. NEWS4JAX; @NIKKIFRIED/TWITTER; FLORIDA DEMOCRATIC PARTY TWITTER

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| BiscayneTimes . com corridor news At the top of her to-do list was helping Deegan cross the finish line in the Jacksonville mayoral runoff against Daniel Davis, the Republican former CEO of the city’s chamber of commerce who had DeSantis’ endorsement. “It was my No. 1 thing to pull all our energy and resources to win in Duval,” Fried said. “To get momen tum in our corner, we had to pick up this win.” publicans such as Hialeah Mayor Esteban Bovo, who lost the runoff against Levine Cava in 2020, and Lt. Gov. Jeannette Nuez. “In Miami-Dade, that is at the top of people’s minds,” Pealosa said. “How do you bring the resources and the talent to get Daniella over the finish line and make sure she stays in her seat? That’s a challenge when the Flor ida GOP has turned into a jugger naut and the Florida Democratic Party has some rebuilding to do.” Fried insists the state Demo cratic party is laser-focused on flipping Miami-Dade in 2024. “We have not been performing well,” she said. “I will do every thing in my power so that the Democratic Party is engaging and finding candidates for all the offices on the ballot, from com mission seats to congressional seats. The party will have a big footprint in Miami-Dade going into the election cycle.” “We are making sure we are going back to the basics of doing the work on the ground. Our goal is to make sure we are competitive in all 67 counties.” – Nikki Fried Florida Democratic Party Chair As the 2024 campaign season ramps up, the state Democratic party is focused on boosting voter registration and engagement, Fried added. “We are making sure we are going back to the basics of doing the work on the ground,” she said. “Our goal is to make sure we are competitive in all 67 counties.” A MIAMIDADE WIN IS CRUCIAL Between now and 2024, the Flori da Democratic Party doesn’t have any high-profile races to take advantage of, Pealosa said, so there will be an intense focus on turning Miami-Dade back to blue for Biden and reelecting MiamiDade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. While the county mayoral race is nonpartisan, Levine Cava has carved a reputation as a progres sive Democrat. Her possible op ponents include heavy-hitting Re Nikki Fried and Democratic National Committee Chair Jaime Harrison talking to union members in Tallahassee. Going into the next election cycle, Nikki Fried will be focused on delivering Florida to Joe Biden and getting Daniella Levine Cava reelected mayor in Miami-Dade. COURTESY OF NIKKI FRIED; FLORIDA POLITICS

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| COURTESY OF NIKKI FRIED; FLORIDA POLITICS

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| BiscayneTimes . com corridor news Morningside Park Gets its Dollars Samantha Morell Biscayne Times Staff Writer T he city of Miami is moving forward to renovate Morningside Park with a plan that many say is long over due, yet others say is bound to fail. City commissioners unanimously ap proved a resolution last month to apply for more than $4 million in grant fund ing from the Florida Inland Navigation District (FIND) Waterways Assistance Program, which the city will then match with its own dollars. e money will fund the rst phase of a four-part revitalization plan initially approved in March 2022. Morningside Park, celebrating its 70th anniversary this year, has long been plagued by ooding caused by sea-level rise, heavy rain and king tides. e rst phase of the project will focus on the con struction of a sea wall bulkhead and an elevated baywalk to mitigate ooding. e park dominated the public com ment period during the May 11 commis sion meeting, where nearly 30 residents showed up to speak in favor of grant fund ing for the plan. Many were parents who say their children have grown up with a park that is rendered unusable by ooding for the better part of each year. “is is really a thoughtful plan that has been developed over ve years that my neighbors and I have been advocating for money to be spent on this park,” said Rachel Furst, a 10-year resident and board member of the Morningside Civic Associa tion. “We have watched as other parks have been improved and Morningside Park languishes.” Morningside Park currently has a living shoreline that would be enhanced in the plan with added coastal vegetation, such as mangroves. e sea wall would be set back from the water’s edge by permeable ground material, improving drainage while providing visitors with continued access to Biscayne Bay. e area between the coast and the sea wall would addition ally include a 5-foot-wide walking path City of Miami moves forward with shoreline protection plan with picnic tables, benches and trees along the way. “Not only will the park be getting long overdue upgrades for resiliency and sealevel rise mitigation, but it is coming in the form of a living shoreline,” Miami Com missioner Sabina Covo told the Biscayne Times. “e more we can incorporate our natural environment into our projects the better.” Resident Elvis Cruz, on the other hand, has led the opposition to the plan since its inception in 2021. He’s critical of the sta in charge after it was the city’s own mistakes of blocking drainage ditches with concrete sidewalks and tennis courts that he believes contributed to the park’s dilapidated state in the rst place. “We’re not buying a timeshare, we’re making a permanent decision on a pre cious waterfront park,” Cruz said. “Why hurry to approve a shoreline protection plan that won’t protect the shoreline? It’s a bad plan that some support fearing we won’t get funding later Getting it done right is more important than getting it done right away.” He believes raising the sea wall at the coastal edge will be much more eective in mitigating sea-level rise and suggests having the wall curve in at certain points to maintain the view of the bay. Cruz’s comments mirror a larger debate over how to protect coastal cities from climate change, especially in Miami where every politician’s catchphrase says “the environment is our economy.” MiamiDade County is currently seeking its own recipe for coastal resilience after residents rejected a 20-foot sea wall proposed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers last year. At the same time, some studies have shown that mangroves are generally ineective at protecting coastal cities unless they extend to at least 328 feet. During the commission meeting, many residents in support of the plan readily admitted that there is no perfect resilience strategy. ey’re not looking for perfection, however; they’re looking for improvement, and they have been for nearly 10 years now. On that note, says Morningside Civic As sociation board member Daniel Maland, Mother Nature waits for no one. “ere’s never going to be a moment where the experts’ opinions aren’t going to be challenged,” he said, “but there is going to be a moment where Morningside Park is going to be washed away, and that time is now.” Up until now, time has been everybody’s worst enemy, it seems, but there’s still more of it to come. Phase one of the project is expected to take three years to complete, after which the three additional phases will take another three to four years each. It’ll be time in the end that tells if the plan worked. CURTIS + ROGERS DESIGN STUDIO; CHANGE.ORG VIA DANIEL MALAND Miami’s proposed plan for Morningside Park includes a sea wall set back from the coast with an area of picnic grounds, a baywalk, trees and benches. Morningside Park is plagued by ooding caused by sea-level rise, king tides and heavy rain.

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| CURTIS + ROGERS DESIGN STUDIO; CHANGE.ORG VIA DANIEL MALAND

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| BiscayneTimes . com corridor news Buena Vista Battles Design District Encroachment Samantha Morell Biscayne Times Staff Writer T hree small properties at the edge of Buena Vista Heights re cently considered for upzoning represent a larger battle of what it is to live right next to Miami’s ever-growing Design District. During a May 11 meeting, the Miami City Commission approved a zoning change for three properties – located at 39 NW 39th St., 40 NW 39th St. and 48 NW 39th St. – from single-family residential to duplex residential. e move was a success for many who op posed the applicant’s initial request to convert the properties to commercial zoning instead. e properties in question are each 5,000 square feet and located right next to North Miami Avenue. Two are occupied by single-family homes, while the other is an empty lot. Right across the street begins the bustling slew of restaurants and shops that make up the famous Design District, developed by business mogul Craig Robins, but if you look in the other direction, all you see are homes. Lorena Ramos, chairperson of Buena Vista Stakeholders, says that the resi dential pushback against a potential commercial designation right at the edge of their neighborhood sends a clear message to both developers and commissioners handling zoning re quests. at message: that their neigh borhood should remain residential. Ramos continues to witness singlefamily homes sold o to developers and zoned to commercial with covenants that are meant to provide buers for residents but are easily forgotten in the future. e successful eort to ward o the commercial zoning on NW 39th Street and instead allow duplex residential was in the spirit of compro mise. Plus, she says, it acts as a cushion between the two strikingly contrasting ends of North Miami Avenue. “We don’t want any more encroach Compromise over duplexes not a happy ending for all ment into our residential neighbor hood, so this would be a good transi tion before the part that’s completely commercial,” Ramos told the Biscayne Times. But others aren’t as satisfied with the change. Alvin Smith, whose family has lived in the property adjacent to those being upzoned for more than 50 years, says he and his mother don’t want to live next to duplexes. Among his fears are increased congestion, higher taxes, lower property values or a domino effect that would cause duplexes to sprout up throughout other areas of his neighborhood. The simple fact of the matter, however, is that Buena Vista Heights is where he was raised, where his mother has lived for decades and where his father died, and he just doesn’t want to see it change. “My mom is just used to it the way that it is,” he said. “If it’s not broken, why try to fix it?” That logic is exactly what leads at torney David Winker to believe that the change is also illegal. Winker, who represented Smith in opposing the zoning change, points to the city’s Miami 21 code, which states that any application must state “why the zon ing change is appropriate and why the existing zoning is inappropriate.” In his view, the latter of the two burdens was not fulfilled. Winker says that Miami 21 was created to preserve neighborhoods and protect residents from “spot-zoning.” While members of the city’s Planning, Zon ing and Appeals Board note that this scenario doesn’t exactly constitute spot-zoning, which occurs when a completely inconsistent zoning des ignation is planted arbitrarily within an otherwise consistent set of proper ties, Winker insists that its downfalls are the same. Perhaps a more just way to have made the change, Winker suggests, would have been to upzone the sur rounding lived-in properties as well. That way, their property values go up before they choose or don’t choose to sell, and not after. “This upzoning – all this boring talk and all this technical stuff – this is money. These are millions of dollars. All of that talk is making money out of thin air. ” – David Winker Attorney The Design District is a collection of luxury commercial shops and restaurants built right next to a neighborhood of single-family homes. HOTELS.COM; FLORIDA BAR

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| corridor news “This upzoning – all this boring talk and all this technical stuff – this is money,” he said. “These are mil lions of dollars. All of that talk is making money out of thin air.” Yet the consequence of solving upzoning with even more upzoning is that more and more people would be inclined to sell to developers, ulti mately destroying the character of the neighborhood and putting those who wish to stay in even more danger of being pushed out. e intentions of the zoning change are unclear, but Winker suspects it could just be an investment opportuni ty. e owner of the properties is Invest Capital Group LLC, he says, which describes itself as “a real estate invest ment management and development rm focused on multifamily assets” on its website. The attorney applying for the change on the company’s behalf, Andres Rivero, a partner of law firm Rivero Mestre, did not respond to the Times for comment. Whatever the plans for those prop erties are, Winker believes there’s a racial component involved. He says it’s only low-income, Black communities that are ever at risk of spot-zoning, or anything like it, which dwindles their single-family residential stock. “I’m not worried about my neighbor being upzoned to duplexes,” Winker said. “This only happens in Black neighborhoods.” Indeed, Buena Vista has a popula tion that’s roughly 40-50% Black. It also has a heavy Hispanic population of about 37%. Those in favor of the upzoning, on the other hand, believe the lowincome character of the neighbor hood is all the more reason to allow developers to come in, as long as their plans conform to its residential character. “How long will we be the communi ties that are always, ‘Not in my back yard, we don’t want any progress, we want to leave everything that’s exactly what it is’?” asked resident Carmen Ramos Watson, whose par ents live right in front of one of the newly zoned properties. “Then we end up looking like the eyesore.” The Buena Vista Stakeholders organization represents those residents in favor of duplexes as a compromise and transition between single-family homes and commercial designations. HOTELS.COM; FLORIDA BAR SAMANTHA MORELL FOR BISCAYNE TIMES ; BUENA VISTA STAKEHOLDERS This empty lot at the eastern edge of Buena Vista Heights was recently upzoned from single-family residential to duplex residential. This single-family home, now owned by an investment rm, was recently upzoned to allow for a duplex to be built in its place.

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| BiscayneTimes . com corridor news Father Dedicated to Brain Cancer Awareness George Willis Biscayne Times Contributor T here’s been a growing concern for years about the disparities in cancer care and treatment between majority-white and more di verse communities with large foreignborn populations, like South Florida. At least one local resident from the Biscayne Corridor is committed to addressing that problem through a foundation he established more than 20 years ago following the death of his son from brain cancer. Mario Lichtenstein started the nonprot Voices Against Brain Cancer in 2005 to honor his son, Gary Lichten stein, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor in March 2003 and died Oct. 1, 2003, at the age of 24. He spent his nal four months in a coma. “My son said, ‘Dad you have to nd a cure.’ at stayed on my mind,” Lichtenstein told the Biscayne Times. “I decided to dedicate my life to brain cancer.” According to the American Cancer Society, about 24,810 people will be diagnosed with malignant tumors of the brain or spinal cord in 2023. An estimated 14,280 will be men and 10,530 will be women. About 18,990 people – 11,020 men and 7,970 women – will die. Statistics provided on the ACS website also show Florida as the second-leading state for brain cancer cases, with an estimated 1,860 cases in 2023 leading to 1,450 deaths. Florida ranks second only to California, where 2,590 cases and 2,180 deaths are projected in 2023. People live on average 9-18 months after diagnosis, Lichtenstein says. Yet brain cancer does not receive the kind of national support and atten tion other cancers – like breast cancer or lung cancer – receive, because the chance of a person developing a ma lignant brain or spinal cord tumor in Foundation seeks to help families their lifetime is less than 1%, accord ing to the ACS. It’s a devastating disease that crushes families with the unknown. And its rarity has made generating the funding needed to ght it a constant challenge for researchers. VABC has partnered with Head for the Cure in Kansas City to raise awareness and fund research. With donations gener ated through run-walks and other events held throughout the country, VABC/HFTC raises nearly $3 million a year to support research, treatment and quality-of-life issues connected to the disease. “Money is always needed for re search,” Lichtenstein said, “because researchers are responsible for raising their own money.” VABC/HFTC has funded programs at many of the top cancer treatment hospitals in the country, including the University of Miami, Memorial Sloan Kettering in New York and Miami Chil dren’s Health Systems. e foundation also supports educational, nutrition and alternative medicine programs. Beyond the funding, VABC serves as a resource center ready to oer sup port to patients, families and caregiv ers. For many, a diagnosis of brain cancer is catastrophic. It’s a life-threat ening illness that includes emotional, physical and nancial burdens on loved ones. After diagnosis, what to do and who to turn to are immediate questions. “We’ve become a vehicle for families who deal with the disease,” Lichten stein said. “Patients, caregivers and families, we help them all navigate the system.” Dr. Ricardo Komotar, associate pro fessor and program director of Neu Florida is the secondleading state for brain cancer cases. rological Surgery at the University of Miami School of Medicine, has known Lichtenstein for more than 10 years. “He’s been a real advocate for pa tients and support groups,” Komotar said. “You can imagine it’s a terrifying diagnosis to be told you have a brain tumor. For 99% of patients, it’s com pletely overwhelming and they have no idea what questions to ask, who to ask those questions to and where to go. Mario has been great about di recting patients and answering their questions and educating them.” Javier Bustamante of Miami is typi cal of those who connect with VABC/ HFTC. His mother, Ada Margarita Torroella, was diagnosed with brain cancer in February 2022. She passed away in September. “When my mom was diagnosed, they helped me get with the right surgeon and treatment program,” he said. “Mario was great at following up and helping us with appointments and everything. He did everything he could so my mom could survive as long as she could. After my mom COURTESY OF VOICES AGAINST BRAIN CANCER COURTESY OF VOICES AGAINST BRAIN CANCER

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| COURTESY OF VOICES AGAINST BRAIN CANCER Mario Lichtenstein speaking at run-walk in 2017. Supporters of Dr. Ricardo Komotar participate in a run-walk fundraiser for cancer. passed away, he has become like family to us.” Lichtenstein’s focus right now is to make minority communities in South Florida and across the nation aware of the foundation and its re sources. Studies have shown Blacks and Hispanics have slightly higher rates of diagnosis and lower rates of survival compared to white com munities, and they often struggle with health care access for financial reasons or due to language barriers. “I think it’s been shown, not just with brain cancer but with any form of cancer, that there’s a huge disparity in terms of socioeconomic status and outcomes,” Komotar said. “Brain cancer is just another example where people with no insurance can’t get the proper stud ies, screening tests, treatments and follow-up MRIs.” VABC/HFTC is there to help, but Lichtenstein is frustrated by the rel atively few minorities who contact this foundation. His plan for VABC/ HFTC is to have a bigger presence in community hospitals and “get the word out,” he said. Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez has supported VABC events in the past and Lich tenstein is looking for support from other celebrities whose families or friends may have been touched by brain cancer. “I’m looking for people to make some noise,” he said, because lives “We’ve become a vehicle for families who deal with the disease.” – Mario Lichtenstein Voices Against Brain Cancer Founder COURTESY OF VOICES AGAINST BRAIN CANCER corridor news are at stake. “I’m about getting people to the right place at the right time to have the best chance of getting the right treatment, because there’s no time to waste. This disease is very aggressive.” There are barriers to overcome: a general lack of doctors of color; an unwillingness by patients to address symptoms; a lack of trust in the health care system; cultural and language issues; and a pro pensity for misdiagnosis. “I’m willing to talk to anybody about creating a quality of life and getting treatment,” Lichtenstein said. For help and information, contact VABC/HFTC at info@VoicesAgainst BrainCancer.org.

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boulevard LIVING ummies have hit Miami and we’re not talking about a horror film or a freak show. “Mummies of the World: The Exhibition” is a 7,000-sqare-foot traveling show now on display in downtown Miami at the Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science. It claims to be the largest col lection of mummified remains and related artifacts ever as sembled, with 40 mummified humans and animals, such as a lizard, a cat and a falcon. Review ers have described it as haunting, engrossing and somewhat creepy, among other choice adjectives. According to The New York Times, many of the exhibition’s artifacts originate from a collec tion of 20 mummified remains at the Reiss-Engelhorn Museum M Mummies take Miami by Storm Emily Cardenas Biscayne Times Executive Editor History unwrapped at Frost Museum of Science | BiscayneTimes.com MUMMIES OF THE WORLD MUMMIES OF THE WORLD A classic Egyptian burial chamber or con known as a sarcophagus is part of “Mummies of the World: The Exhibition,” now at Frost Science.

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| arts culture MUMMIES OF THE WORLD MUMMIES OF THE WORLD in Mannheim, Germany. They were presumed destroyed or lost during World War II but were rediscovered in 2004 in the museum vaults, in spiring a German exhibition in 2007 from which this one developed. Two mummified remains reported to be the most striking are that of a crouching, tattooed woman, and an ancient infant of unknown origin in South America. Those come from a museum in Detmold, Germany. Other specimens come from U.S. collections belonging to the Kansas City Museum, Buffalo Museum of History and Buffalo Museum of Sci ence, among others. Although you’ll see numerous remains of people and animals from ancient Egypt and South America who were intentionally mummified through ritualistic practices typical ly limited to the affluent, there are those who were mummified quite by accident. Very dry or cold conditions can create an environment for mum mification without even trying. Two such examples on display are that of Baron von Holz, a German nobleman found tucked away in the family crypt of a 14th century castle wearing his best leather boots, and the Orlovits family, whose mum mified remains were discovered in a long-forgotten crypt of a small church in Vc, Hungary, in 1994. e newest specimen being exhibited was mummied in 1994 at the Univer sity of Maryland for scientic research purposes and nicknamed MUMAB. e school studied ancient Egyptian mum mication processes and replicated Visitors can see Baron von Holz, a German nobleman who died during the Thirty Years’ War.

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| BiscayneTimes . com arts culture GREGORY REED MUMMIES OF THE WORLD them on a donated body. This exhibition is bound to attract curiosity seekers and those drawn to the macabre, but Frost Science is taking it so seriously that Cassie Freund, Ph.D., director of science communication at the museum, told the Biscayne Times that she and one exhibit developer worked with bio ethics experts from the University of Miami in preparation for the launch “to make sure we’re treating the in dividuals on exhibit with the dignity they deserve.” “We want to keep a respectful and dignified aspect to this,” she con tinued. “We encourage people not to take photos out of respect for those mummified individuals and want people to respect them as they would their own ancestors.” There is messaging on Frost’s website and displayed on-site that explicitly states the gallery contains human remains, so parents beware. An educator guide is also available online in downloadable PDF form. The remains were carefully trans ported to the museum in crates and moved into glass cases. “Installation is a highly choreo graphed process it happens very quickly,” said Freund. The need for speed is to ensure that the remains have little exposure to the outside elements and stay within temperature and humidity parameters. But there is much more to see besides human and animal remains. You’ll get to experience 80 rare arti facts, state-of-the-art multimedia, hands-on interactive stations and cutting-edge 3-D animation that take visitors on a 4,500-year jour ney through past cultures, history and science. Some interactive highlights include scientific methods used to study mummified remains, includ ing Computed Tomography (CT), DNA analysis and radiocarbon dat ing. On the other end of the spec trum is a compilation of the spells, hymns and instructions in the Egyptian Book of the Dead, which help lead the deceased through obstacles of the afterlife – including gods, monsters and confusing path ways on the way to eternal life. The blockbuster exhibition will be on display through Sept. 4 and admission is included with the regular museum ticket price at no extra cost. Queues and lines will be used to control crowds as needed because “we want to be respectful of the nature of the exhibition,” said Elizabeth Ricardo, marketing and PR director at Frost Science. Visitors will be able to reflect on the experience and leave their own impressions of the exhibition behind in an activation developed by Frost Science exclusively for this show. “Mummies of the World: The Exhi bition” is presented by NEON and World Heritage Exhibitions, LLC. IF YOU GO “Mummies of the World: The Exhibition” Phillip and Patricia Frost Museum of Science 1101 Biscayne Blvd. Miami, FL 33132 Tickets: $22.95-$32.95 depending on guest age and day of the week On-site parking: $15 Open daily 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. FrostScience.org Some of the mummied animals on display are thought to have been prepared to travel with their owners into the afterlife. Visitors can see MUMAB, a mummy created in 1994 using ancient Egyptian mummication processes, at “Mummies of the World.”

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| arts culture GREGORY REED MUMMIES OF THE WORLD Summer Shorts Highlights Homegrown Talent Katina Caraganis Biscayne Times Contributor C ity eatre Miami and the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts have become known for bringing some of the best up-and-coming playwrights together from across the country to present Summer Shorts, but in its 26th year, organizers decided to take a slightly dierent approach. is time around, City eatre’s “Homegrown Edition” will feature plays from some of Miami’s best emerging writers, presented June 8-25. is production is the culmination of City eatre’s inaugural playwright development program, Homegrown, which aims to nurture, elevate and promote Miami’s BIPOC (Black, Indig enous, People of Color) writers by pro viding the time, tools and training they need to create their own body of work. e program was launched through the support of e Jorge M. Prez Family Foundation at e Miami Foundation, among other funders. e eight writers in this inaugural cohort have been receiving creative instruction and professional develop ment from the program’s master play wright, Vanessa Garcia, to help them create new works. Garcia, a Cuban American mul tidisciplinary writer, has written and worked for “Sesame Street” and “Caillou.” Her journalism, essays and thought pieces have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, e Guardian, e Washington Post, National Review, ESPN, e Hill, Catapult, Narrativel.ly and numerous other publications. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of California Irvine in creative nonction, and her dissertation focused on Cuba. is group of writers, she says, is especially meaningful to her. City Theatre Miami’s seasonal production dials in playwrights from the 305 “ey are fantastic. I’ve belonged to and been a part of a lot of cohorts. In this one, they have just put their whole hearts into this,” she said, while noting that South Florida has a strong emerg ing theater community. “Not only is there a super vibrant community, but I think it’s a place where it has voices that haven’t been heard before,” she said. “When it came time for Homegrown, it really excited me. I said yes immediately.” Native Miamian Garcia is home grown herself. She went to school in New York and then lived in Los Angeles for a number of years, but is often com pelled to return to South Florida. “ere’s something about the vibran cy and the life of Miami that always draws me back,” she said. “I do want to credit City eatre for being one of the organizations that is bringing up these playwrights and not letting them dis appear. Sometimes you grow up some where and you can’t stay there because the support system is not there.” She also talked about her support for the theme buoying this year’s program. “is is super exciting. It goes to show the guts and the initiative of City e atre and the strength of this particular cohort. I feel like their shorts will be their calling card for something bigger,” she said. She says theaters elsewhere are doing similar things involving local play wrights, something Garcia feels is long overdue. The eight playwrights of this year’s Summer Shorts cohort are of dierent backgrounds and ages, but they are all from South Florida. “This is super exciting. It goes to show the guts and the initiative of City Theatre and the strength of this particular cohort. I feel like their shorts will be their calling card for something bigger.” – Vanessa Garcia Master Playwright

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| BiscayneTimes . com arts culture “ere’s a real push because we see the talent is here. I think it’s also our re sponsibility, someone like me, who has gone out and done a bunch of things and come back, we keep doing that for each other. Right now they are nding this community building up around them. ey are helping each other and bringing each other up,” Garcia said. FAKE FLOWERS & FEIGNING FRIENDS Playwright Luis Roberto Herrera, a South Florida-based Colombian American with a BFA in acting from the University of Florida and an MFA in playwriting from e New School, will have his play “Plas tic Flowers” showcased. He said he knew Garcia previously and had reached out to her about work ing together on a collaboration. When Garcia was named master playwright, she reached out to Herrera and invited him to apply. “I think what’s great about this pro gram is that it seeks people from mul tiple skill levels. ere’s eight of us, and there’s some of us who have done many things and some of us maybe haven’t done anything, but the potential is there,” he said. “ey may be fresh out of college or just got into playwrit ing and their voice is so distinct and powerful.” For a long time, he says, he was doing anything to get out of South Florida and pursue his career elsewhere because he didn’t feel like there was a place here for new or young play wrights. “is program, I believe, is the rst step for the community to see there are playwrights here people can use,” he said. He calls his play an unexpected com edy but not in a catchy way. It’s what he describes as a comedy in a more grounded, realistic way, with people trying to communicate with each other when they don’t know how to commu nicate anymore. “at in itself can be funny. It goes from people who have been strained in a friendship to people verbally attacking each other, which can be funny, and then they just accept where they are,” he said. “It came to my mind out of nowhere. I like the image of literally plastic owers, and I thought what it would look like if someone brought plastic owers to some one else and how that can start and spiral into some kind of tense argument.” Fellow playwright Ariel Cipolla is a Mexican Argentine playwright and dra maturgist living in Miami. He recently graduated from Florida International University with degrees in broadcast media and creative writing. His play, “e Vultures,” is about three teenage girls who get together on social media the summer before starting high school to ensure their success and popu larity for the next four years and beyond. He said it’s all about creating a certain image online and constantly feeling like you have to live up to that expectation and the toll it can take on you. “I’ve always been fascinated that I grew up in the social media era and just the ef fect it had on me and my friends,” he said. “You have to be somebody online and you have to present yourself in a certain way, and (the work explores) just what that says about you.” He says the expectations for teenage girls are much higher than for teenage boys, and there’s a two-faced nature that comes with them being active on social media. “Expectations are so much higher for teenage girls. Even when I was growing up, I would see how girls would uphold their friends to these high standards,” he said. “ere’s this element that there are social dynamics that happen because of social media, and they’re heightened.” is is the rst time one of his plays is being professionally produced for the stage. “People from the outside never look to Miami as this hub of artistic talent. (But) when you’re here it all connects and it just makes sense. Miami is a melting pot of so many dierent nationalities and ethnici ties and races. It’s a unique place where you have that immediate access,” he said. Cipolla was born in Mexico City and moved to Miami with his family when he was 7. “You should always be willing to search for the art that is out there and search ing for those voices. Because I have this twofold experience, every time I would go visit these dierent places, there was an aspect of me there. I felt this weird sense of belonging,” he said. “It took me a long time to say that Miami is my home. I’m so proud to be from the 305.” He says he has no plans to leave. “For me, for at least the foreseeable future, I have a responsibility to stay here and share my story and uplift others in my community,” he said. “Balloo(n)” by Joel Castillo Directed by Melissa Almaguer Love is complicated, especially when he’s white and she’s Cuban – nothing a balloo(n) can’t fix. “The Vultures” by Ariel Cipolla Directed by Melissa Almaguer Three teenage girls plan their “rebrand” before venturing into the wilderness of high school. “2201: Xibalba” by Chris Anthony Ferrer Directed by Joshua-Jean Baptiste On his first day, Cadet Cicero Lipschitz must safeguard the wormhole at Space Station Xibalba, or else. “Banana Bread” by Sefanja Richard Galon Directed by Joshua-Jean Baptiste A short dramatic comedy about two best friends who work in the corporate Banana Bread coffee shop franchise. Summer Shorts Features “Plastic Flowers” by Luis Roberto Herrera Directed by Maha McCain Two estranged friends come together in a hospital room for someone they care about as the tension between them collides. “I Found This on The Web” by Ivan R. Lopez Directed by Alex Alvarez A comedy about dating in the age of infinite intelligence. “And Other Dreams We Had” by Phansia Pharel Directed by Maha McCain In the attic of a coastal American city a couple discusses an imminent dream. “7” by Lolita Stewart-White Directed by Alex Alvarez Minutes before her wedding, a bride decides whether to remarry her loving husband or reunite with her unfaithful ex. IF YOU GO City Theatre Miami & the Arsht Center Present Summer Shorts: Homegrown Edition June 8-25, various times Carnival Studio Theater 1300 Biscayne Blvd. Miami, FL 33132 Tickets: $50-$75 ArshtCenter.org or 305.949.6722 “I think what’s great about this program is that it seeks people from multiple skill levels. There’s eight of us, and there’s some of us who have done many things and some of us maybe haven’t done anything, but the potential is there.” – Luis Roberto Herrera Playwright GREGORY REED

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| GREGORY REED GREGORY REED arts culture Oolite Arts’ Leader Dennis Scholl Stepping Down Biscayne Times Staff Report O olite Arts has announced a search for a new president and CEO, following the news that its president and CEO, Dennis Scholl, is stepping down after six years at the helm. During his time with the organi zation, Scholl has led its transfor mation into one of Florida’s largest artist support organizations and was the driving force behind Oolite’s planned expansion that will move it from Miami Beach to a state-of-the art campus in Little River designed by renowned Spanish firm Barozzi Veiga. Originally scheduled to open in 2024, the delayed project is now scheduled to break ground this fall and open in 2025. “It’s been a joy to spend six years helping the artists I revere in the 305 and to be a part of elevating their practices in so many ways,” Scholl said in a written statement. “The greatest thing about Oolite Arts is that it continues to look for ways, in the words of the organiza tion’s founder Ellie Schneiderman, ‘to help artists help themselves.’ I’m thankful to the board for their leadership and for this enormous opportunity.” Before joining Oolite Arts, Scholl served as a vice president at the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, where he oversaw the foundation’s national arts program, with grants to cultural organizations totaling close to $200 million. Personally, Scholl has created a se ries of initiatives dedicated to build ing the contemporary art collections of major museums and has served on the boards and executive com mittees of the Aspen Art Museum, Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami and the Prez Art Museum Miami, among others. An art collector and award-win ning filmmaker and visual artist in his own right, Scholl will now dedicate his time to creating, with upcoming solos exhibitions planned in France and the United Kingdom. Exec departs to pursue his own art Dennis Scholl, president and CEO of Oolite Arts, in April 2022 behind a 3D model of the organization’s new headquarters.

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| BiscayneTimes . com arts culture Art to Touch the Soul Jazmine Santillana Biscayne Times Staff Writer T wo exhibitions with a focus on diverse artists from the Ameri can South have opened at the Museum of Contemporary Art in North Miami (MOCA), where they’ll run until Oct. 1. One of them is “Lonnie Holley: If You Really Knew.” Originally from Birming ham, Ala., Holley dove into the world of art and music after having a chaotic upbringing marked by instability and sorrow. His art consists of sculptures made from everyday materials found in his surroundings that honor the people and places he’s known. e show features artwork from Hol ley’s decadeslong career, such as “With out Skin/e Water is Time,” which includes a rehose to represent the suppression methods used during the Civil Rights Movement. e work com memorates the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing that took the lives of four young Black girls. According to Holley, the cross in the piece references the church’s role as a gathering place for Black Americans and the Ku Klux Klan’s intimidation tactics. “Our grandmothers and grandfathers had to run while the dogs and rehose were turned loose on them. During the bombing, people were in their Sunday best, and my grandmother even helped Powerful messages in MOCA exhibitions to dig the graves for the children (killed at) the bombing,” said Holley. “ere’s a lot of ways the memories aect and stay with you. All the memories have been torn to pieces – of the bombed children’s bodies, the concrete and whatever else can t into that box.” e South Florida Cultural Consor tium (SFCC) is the second exhibition that features artists sharing their activism and personal messages. e show includes 12 artists representing the ve counties in the South Florida Cultural Consortium Fellowship Program. Since its inception in 1988, the initiative has oered the largest re gional, government-sponsored artists’ grants in the United States. THE LGBTQ+ EXPERIENCE Sculptors such as Addison Wol and Ema Ri incorporated aspects of the LG BTQ+ community in their art despite state laws targeting queer individuals and history, like the recently passed bill restricting gender arming medical care in Florida and the much-criticized “Don’t Say Gay” bill prohibiting lessons on gender identity and sexual orienta tion in schools. Wol’s “Pull Up to the Bumper,” referencing Grace Jones’ 1981 disco hit, pulls inspiration from Bernard Perlin’s 1957 painting, “e Bar,” to reect on queer bar culture and its signicance in building community. Wol’s art explores the LGBTQ+ community’s history with handkerchiefs embedded into the bold sculpture to reference gay men’s discreet code to signal their interest in one another in the 1970s. “We weren’t allowed to be out and open in the past, so bars were our community centers where we orga nized, gained visibility and strength ened our community,” said Wol. “Part of art is that you want to see a “Lonnie Holley: If You Really Knew,” is the American artist’s rst major exhibition in the South. JAZMINE SANTILLANA FOR BISCAYNE TIMES JAZMINE SANTILLANA FOR BISCAYNE TIMES

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| arts culture Addison Wol with their featured sculpture “Pull Up to the Bumper” in the Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami. representation of who you are in it.” e sculpture is loosely based on the human form, with ailing arms, large orices and wide curves, much like Miami native Ema Ri’s series. After graduating from the New World School of the Arts, Ri explored dierent materials for their work and stumbled upon using walls to articulate concepts about the body. Ri’s “Borderland” and “Memory Bank” highlight how walls mimic skin, such as patching up a hole in the wall or removing a hung frame, akin to the scars and bruises left on people. eir work was inspired by their experience as a queer-identifying, second-genera tion Cuban American and the challeng es that came with those identities. “My work has a lot to do with escap ing, such as not tting in a body that I was assigned to, or not tting in my community, whether it’s my Latino or gay community,” they said. “I’m strad dling these borderlines between worlds but navigating them to survive.” THE HOMELAND Nereida Ferraz, a Cuban-born Miamibased artist, focuses on identity, cul ture and gender in her featured works, “Spring,” “Summer” and “Fall.” During a visit to Cuba, Ferraz was inuenced by the tension shepherded in by spring and summer with destructive hurri canes and severe thunderstorms. She created the series to reconnect with her homeland and, much like Wol and Ri, rebuild a eeting sense of community. “I was beginning to feel that Cuba is where everybody’s always leaving. You have friends to visit, but you go back, and they’re all gone,” said Ferraz. “I kept feeling this abandonment, so my work focuses on creating conversations about displacements, identity and des tiny, but also the need for community, warmth and life.” According to Ferraz, “Fall” addresses displacement, a familiar sentiment within immigrant communities, and symbolizes a yearning for others who left the country. “In a sense, we are all immigrants. My grandparents came from Spain, and we have all been displaced by generations. It’s something you must experience in your lifetime – to leave everything you have behind and start completely brand-new,” said Ferraz. THE ENVIRONMENT Art by Carin Wagner and Beatriz Mon teavaro highlight the growing concerns about the loss of biodiversity in forests and the increasing contamination of Florida’s shores. Wagner’s haunting work, “Vulnerable and Vanishing Trees,” calls attention to the hundreds of endangered and vulnerable species of trees through photography. e images’ negatives of the trees symbolize their removal from the environment, and she projects them on silk to allow transparency. “All these species are at risk of vanish JAZMINE SANTILLANA FOR BISCAYNE TIMES JAZMINE SANTILLANA FOR BISCAYNE TIMES Nereida Ferraz’s “Spring,” “Summer” and “Fall.”

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| BiscayneTimes . com arts culture YELP JAZMINE SANTILLANA FOR BISCAYNE TIMES ing completely, and I wanted it to repre sent a ghost forest, which all these trees are now part of,” said Wagner. Wagner’s work began in environmental protection and focused on trees in the United States after becoming aware of their vulnerability and signicance, not only to humans but as providers of the shelter, food and support they oer to hundreds of dierent species of animals. “People know about endangered animals but don’t know how trees carry all life on Earth,” said Wagner. “I want people to be aware of each species we stand to lose, what happened to them, why it happened and what we can do to save them.” Monteavaro, a Cuban refugee who grew up in Hialeah, was motivated to create “I Dream of a Day When ey May Rise Above the Billows to Drag Down in their Reeking Talons the Remnants of Puny, War-Exhausted Mankind” from her various interests. It included series such as “e Masters of the Universe” and HP Lovecraft’s ideas of aliens living underwater, using bold colors, castles and sea animals depict ed in exaggerated sizes. e painting incorporates sea life for the rst time in Monteavaro’s work based on the walks she takes alongside the beach on Biscayne Bay. e art blends science ction elements with sea life to portray the ocean as a new frontier and emphasize the menacing nature of alien gures and crustaceans. “My work has to do with science c tion and monster movies, but I wanted to make people try to be more consci entious about plastic and waste when you’re around the water,” said Montea varo. “I like humans, but these animals aren’t guilty of being jerks. ey’re just doing their thing. We’re the ones that are overtly being jerks.” e distinct artist group has brought challenging and engaging work to the community, and many of the artists who spoke with the Bis cayne Times shared pride in the col lective outcome. “is is a beautiful exhibition. We made work that moves people and con nects people,” said Ferraz. “I’m proud of Ema and all the artists here. It makes me feel like this is truly Miami. It’s home, and this is what we have.” Carin Wagner with “Vulnerable and Vanishing Trees.” Beatriz Monteavaro blends her love for science ction and South Florida’s sea life into her art. Carrington Ware’s “Reimagined Memories” – now on display at MOCA – dives into stories and memories of growing up in the South.

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| arts culture Father’s Day Reads From a Vintage Books Seller Emily Cardenas Biscayne Times Executive Editor T hose of us with a love for independent bookstores tend to peruse the stacks at Books & Books in Aventura or Coral Gables, but drive a few miles north and you’ll find William Chrisant & Sons’ Old Florida Book Shop at 3426 Griffin Rd. in Dania Beach. There you’ll discover more than 50,000 antiquarian and used books accumulated over the last 40 years at a shop that specializes in rare books, antique maps and vintage fashion magazines. Established in 1978, this Florida location opened in 2009 after being in Akron, Ohio, and Philadelphia. A recent TikTok about Chrisant and Sons’ garnered 45,000 likes and drew in people from as far away as Tampa, causing lines to form outside the door to get in. After things calmed down a bit, the shop’s namesake owner pro vided us with his top three book picks for Father’s Day that you’re likely to find on his shelves. Take a drive for old and secret nds Old Florida Book Shop owner William Chrisant showing off a rare tome. YELP JAZMINE SANTILLANA FOR BISCAYNE TIMES “HAMLET” Chrisant chose William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” “not so much for the star, but for Polonius’ advice to his son, Laertes.” In Act 1, Scene 3, Polonius gives Laertes tons of advice ranging from how to treat his friends, how much to speak, how to act and how to dress. He even counsels his son to avoid wasting time and money on entertainments, becom ing overly familiar with others, judging others (even when they judge him), or lending or borrowing money. It begins with “Give thy thoughts to tongue” and ends with the famous and oft-repeated line, “Above all, to thine own self be true.” Ironically, Polonius doesn’t always follow his own advice. “Hamlet” is a tragedy set in Den mark written by “the Bard” sometime between 1599 and 1601, in which Prince Hamlet seeks revenge against his uncle, Claudius, who has mur dered Hamlet’s father to seize his throne and marry Hamlet’s mother. It is considered among the most power ful and inuential works of world literature 1 An interior peak at William Chrisant and Sons’ Old Florida Book Shop in Dania Beach.

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| BiscayneTimes . com ENVATO ELEMENTS; FELIPE CUEVAS arts culture 2 3 “FATHERS AND SONS” Published in 1861, “Fathers and Sons” was written by Ivan Sergeyevich Turgenev, the rst Russian writer to become widely known in Europe and accepted in Parisian literary circles. In this masterpiece set in Russia, Arkady Petrovich returns home from university a dierent man. His father nds his eager, nave son almost unrecognizable after having fallen under the inuence of a friend who shocks the elder Petrovich with criticisms of the land-owning way of life – and a determi nation to overthrow the traditional values of contemporary society. “It’s interesting in that the father is aghast at the school-inspired nihilism (this is mid 19th century Russia) which in some respects reects our present older generation’s par ents’ angst about their childrens’ philosophy,” said Chrisant. “LORD CHESTERFIELD’S LETTERS” Not originally intended for publication, “Lord Chestereld’s Letters” is a collection of 400 letters between Philip Stanhope, the 4th Earl of Chestereld, and his son, Philip, beginning in 1737 and ending in 1768. e letters were rst published in 1774. e celebrated and controversial correspondences were praised in their day as a witty and complete manual of education spanning everything from history and literature to meditations on philosophy, life and love. However, they were loathed by 18th century English poet and playwright Samuel Johnson for teaching “the morals of a whore and the manners of a dancing-master.” My favorite Father’s Day read is “Wisdom of our Fathers: Lessons and Letters from Daughters and Sons,” but you won’t nd that at the Old Florida Book Shop.

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his month in the Biscayne Corridor we’re focusing on East-meets-West cui sine – the former informed by Chinese, Korean, Japanese and Filipino fare, the latter contributing Western ingredients and techniques – for dishes that are totally unique, which is exactly what we’re after. Petite Comit (305.909.8544), located at 2929 Bis cayne Blvd. , is a noteworthy Japandi-inspired bistro that recently joined the corridor’s fast food and takeout joints. Located between Miami’s popular Midtown and growing Edgewater neighborhood , it’s bound to attract foodies from the two areas and beyond. T We’ve even picked the perfect spot for Dad on his day Irene Moore Biscayne Times Contributor dish & DRINK e restaurant comes from the team behind Re union Ktchn Bar, Blind Tiger and Korner 67. Japandi, as the name suggests, is inuenced by the ancient Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi, a way of life empha sizing slow living, contentment and simplicity, and Scandinavian hygge, which embraces comfort, cozi ness and well-being. at vibe is evident as you step inside and away from the trac zipping by on Biscayne Boulevard. Immediately, you’re struck by the tranquility and sim plicity of the chic, Zen-like interior, counterpointed by Scandinavian-style chandeliers. e eclectic menu features a mlange of Scandi navian, French and Asian cuisine, oering a combo of choices unlike any at other restaurants around town. Order the smoked burrata appetizer just for the great showmanship – your server lifts the bell jar covering the dish and the delicious aroma of the smoke wafts out. Main options include Surf & Turf Sushi, prime let mignon with tempura shrimp, Japanese mayo and pico de gallo, and the fresh, crispy fnkl salad with shaved fennel, goat cheese, pine nuts and honey. Mus sels in creamy sake sauce with shishito peppers, shiso leaf, ginger and sesame is also a winner, as is the pear occhi with ricotta, true cream and parmesan. Steak on the grill at Cote Korean steakhouse. BiscayneTimes . com | ENVATO ELEMENTS; FELIPE CUEVAS

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| BiscayneTimes . com COURTESY OF 1LUCKY YIP; COURTESY OF STARR RESTAURANTS EMPRODUCTO; IRENE MOORE FOR BISCAYNE TIMES When you walk into Tanuki Miami (305.676.9969) in the heart of South Beach at 1080 Alton Rd. , you’re greeted by a wall bearing circular arrangements of red-handled Samurai swords. You’ll also see a statue of a Japanese Tanuki dog, a symbol of good fortune – the word “tanuki” means lucky. Tanuki was brought to the U.S. by the world-renowned dining and entertain ment company the Bulldozer Group, which specializes in luxury restaurant brands that dot the foodie scene in such locations as Kiev, London and Dubai. A second Tanuki recently opened in Miami at 1420 NW North River Dr. (305.433.2436) in Riverview Landing. Tanuki has been hailed by regulars and critics as one of the best places to try Asian fusion dishes and drinks inspired by Japanese, Chinese and other cuisines from all over Asia, with added twists. One example: the sushi rolls with guaca mole and true vinaigrette. e menu features an array of sashimi, dim sum and signature dishes such as duck ramen, salmon pizza, pork belly fuku bun and chicken true shumai. e culinary team updates the menu seasonally, focusing on preparation and presentation. To this end, it recently presented a live wahoo cutting show. Other special evenings include Monday maki night, oering aburi salmon maki made with eel, cream cheese and salmon, and trued yellowtail with chili daikon, avocado and spiced tenkasu (crunchy bits of deep-fried our batter used in Japanese cuisine). ursday omakase night features fresh market sh nigiri. e Asian fusion cocktails are sublime and include the Maracuy, a spicy fruit martini made with Tinkerman’s Gin, passion fruit pure, tarragon and e London Essence tonic, and the Wasabi Cooler, made with 360 Vodka, fresh cucumber, mint, wasabi, Junmai sake, fresh lime juice, homemade ginger syrup, ginger beer and shiso leaf. ere’s also a good selection of Asian beers and Japa nese whiskeys. e Michelin-starred, James Beard restaurant reviews Tanuki Miami oers Asian fusion dishes and signature cocktails like the Maracuy and the Wasabi Cooler. Fnkal salad at Petite Comite. The presentation of Petite Comit’s smoked burrata is just as delicious as the dish.

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| OPENINGS New York’s legendary Parisian-style bras serie, Pastis (305.686.3050), recently opened at 380 NW 26th St. in Wynwood . e iconic restaurant played a role in New York’s dining scene throughout the 2000s, as it was frequented by Hollywood A-listers and mentioned on shows like “Sex and the City.” Created by James Beard Award-winning restaurateurs Keith McNally and Stephen Starr of Starr Restaurants, the Wynwood restaurant’s dcor replicates the unique ambience that Pastis New York is noted for, with its signature subway tiles and red banquettes. It also features a lush outdoor escape with an expansive garden and an enclosed pergola, oering al fresco dining year-round. e menu features favorite signature dish es such as French onion soup, escargots, a selection of steak frites, moules frites and the perfectly made Cheeseburger l’Amricain, and an extensive French wine list highlights more than 300 oerings that represent all the major French wine regions. Irene Moore is a Miami-based writer and certied sommelier whose vivid descriptions take readers through culinary cultures around the world. Her feature articles have appeared in print publications, travel guidebooks and websites in the U.S. and Europe. COURTESY OF 1LUCKY YIP; COURTESY OF STARR RESTAURANTS Award-nominated Cote Miami (305.434.4668), located at 3900 NE Sec ond Ave. in Miami’s Design District , is the place to spoil dads with a particularly carnivorous bent on Father’s Day. e Korean steakhouse follows in the steps of its New York agship, both the vision of proprietor Simon Kim. e Butcher’s Feast ($68 per person) is a signature Cote tasting experience and a well-priced Father’s Day oering that provides a tour of the restaurant’s nest plates. ere are four selections of USDA prime and American wagyu with an array of Korean accompaniments, including pickled seasonal vegetables and salads; fresh red leaf lettuce with dsaamjang (fermented soybeans and red chili paste); savory egg sou; and Two Stews with Rice. For dessert, there’s soft-serve ice cream topped with soy sauce cara mel. A la carte menu options will also be available. All dining dads will receive a compli mentary take home gift of Cote’s Gastro nome’s Salt, a proprietary blend carefully composed of British Maldon, Himalayan pink and Korean thousand-day sea salts. 1-800-Lucky (305.768.9826) in Wyn wood at 143 NW 23rd St. is Miami’s only Asian food hall and an incubator for panAsian cuisine from globally recognized chefs, as well as up-and-coming and established musical talent. Developed by partners and industry veterans Sven Vogtland, Alan Drummond and Gaby Chiriboga, the hall quickly became a Wynwood hot spot after opening in 2017. e large indoor dining space oers two bars, a karaoke lounge, Lucky Record Shop – which features a selection of vinyl records and Japanese snacks – a spa cious outdoor patio and an outdoor event space. Catch music from world-class DJs and producers like Jarobi White from A Tribe Called Quest. Dining options range from ai to Japanese and include B-Side by Itamae, a sushi bar by James Beard seminalist Valerie Chang, Jeepney, Yip, Gold Marquess and Usagi Tokyo. Signature dishes include Japanese sh dip at B-Side by Itamae, Chinese lettuce wraps and beef chow fun noodles at Gold Marquess, a Chinese dim sum sampler and soup dumplings at Yip, and Filipino pancit guisado noodles and ube pan de sal at Jeepney. EMPRODUCTO; IRENE MOORE FOR BISCAYNE TIMES restaurant reviews Asian food hall 1-800-Lucky oers a wide array of menu options, including dumplings at Yip. The interior of Pastis Miami mirrors that of its original New York City iteration.

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| BiscayneTimes . com chefs share COURTESY OF BILL HANSEN CATERING COURTESY OF THE DECK AT ISLAND GARDENS Irene Moore Biscayne Times Contributor W elcome to another tasty edition of Chefs Share! Each month, we share a home chef-friendly recipe from one of Miami’s culinary stars. If you’ve never worked in a professional kitchen before, don’t worry; these recipes don’t require any formal experience, and the ingredients can be found at your local specialty store or supermarket. is month’s dish comes to us from chef Dewey Losasso, corporate ex ecutive chef at Bill Hansen Catering (305.463.1479), located at 2167 S Bay A devoted father creates family memories with cooking Secrets From Chef Dewey Losasso’s Kitchen shore Dr. in Coconut Grove . Dewey, a devoted father of two daughters, says that cooking on Father’s Day has created a bond in his family over the years. “Prior to being a father, Father’s Day was always about my dad, who was my mentor,” said Losasso. “He cooked on Father’s Day and had fun. I passed that down to my daughters.” With the passage of time, the focus changed, but the tradition lives on. “Now Father’s Day is about my daugh ters, Siena and Zoe,” said Losasso. “As the girls grew, they would sit by my side while I cooked dinner. As they got older, if they wanted to prepare a meal for me, they cooked chicken Milanese, which is my favorite dish. When Sienna was 4 years old, we made snapper, and she talked to the sh while she was eating. It’s a memory I’ll never forget. Food has been a wonderful way for me and my family to bond and create lasting memories.” Losasso is sharing his Florida honey and chili roasted rhubarb salad with Biscayne Times readers; be sure to read the entire recipe ahead of time to avoid any surprises along the way. Enjoy! Irene Moore is a Miami-based writer and certied sommelier whose vivid descrip tions take readers through culinary cultures around the world. Her feature articles have appeared in print publications, travel guide books and websites in the U.S. and Europe. Chef Dewey Losasso Florida Honey & Chili Roasted Rhubarb Salad Mx FLORIDA HONEY & CHILI ROASTED RHUBARB SALAD Servings: 2 INGREDIENTS • 1 tablespoon Florida honey • 2 serrano chiles, diced • 1 small bunch rhubarb, diced • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar • 1 cup mixed greens • 1 squeeze fresh Key lime juice • 1 tablespoon chopped cashews • 1 teaspoon sunower seeds • 1/2 block goat cheese, crumbled • Sea salt to taste • Fresh black pepper to taste PREPARATION • Preheat oven to 400 F. • In small bowl, combine honey and chiles; add rhubarb to bowl and toss with spoon. • Place rhubarb mixture on nonstick pan and roast in oven about 6 minutes. • In small bowl, whisk together olive oil and vinegar and set aside; place greens on serving plate. • Remove roasted mixture from oven, plate atop greens and squeeze lime juice on top. • Sprinkle nuts, seeds and cheese over salad, top with olive oil-vinegar mixture, and season with salt and pepper to taste.

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| COURTESY OF BILL HANSEN CATERING COURTESY OF THE DECK AT ISLAND GARDENS Cool Cocktails From Miami’s Best Bars Grant Balfour Biscayne Times Contributor A n ecology teacher once told me that South Florida only has two seasons: wet and dry. (ree, if you count hurricane season separately.) ose divisions line up remarkably well with the season that makes Florida’s economy go: tourist season. As the days get hotter and afternoon rains fall hard er, snowbirds seeking less humid places to visit skedaddle and the more genteel locals take their white shoes out of the back of the closet, slip into something lightweight and breathable, and unwind on the sunnier afternoons with a glass of something tall and ice cold. It is the sipping season. Like the rep tiles indigenous to our subtropical envi ronment, the slow but steady Biscayne Tippler can nd all sorts of creature comforts without venturing too far or too fast. Even in the oseason, the world’s avors nd their way to Miami’s watering holes. e bartenders at Bakan in Wynwood are serving a seasonal cocktail called a Mango Petacon, which brings together mangoes (the avor of a Florida June if ever there was one) with a Mexican m lange of mezcal, mint and lime. But for a real taste of multicultural magic, slip south to Brickell, where Osa ka Cocina Nikkei boasts a food menu with a “Peruvian Izakaya” section and the bar serves a transcontinental take on the French 75, made with gin, yuzu and sparkling ros called the Nikkei 75. e Rusty Pelican is one of the most Miami of Miami restaurants, yet its bar serves a drink that gets a quirky kick (and a cute name) from shiso, a Japanese herb that’s something like mint crossed with cilantro and basil: the Shiso Vain. For international air with homegrown herbal ingredients, head to Watson Island among all the cruise ships prepping to sail north for the Alaska season and take a seat on e Deck at Island Gardens . Order yourself a Biscayne Breeze. It gets that remarkable purple hue from buttery pea, a ower you might have twining its vines in your garden. e rest of the avors come from Mexico, France and Asia. Perhaps the most international of ex periences in Miami can be had at Cote Miami , a Korean steakhouse with a Michelin star from France and a James Beard Award nomination from here in the states. Principal bartender Sondre Kasin shares recipes for two unique drinks served up to those fortunate enough to dine there. A Fros is a slightly elevated version of that classic summer refresher, the wine spritz, but Kasin’s Esteban cocktail is something else entirely. “Esteban is a strong, smokey and crisp cocktail with a lot of layers,” he said. “On the nose you will smell citrus notes from the grapefruit oils and a touch of smoke as well from the mezcal. On the rst sip you will nd a delicate, balanced, smokey note that moves over to sweetness from the umeshu – a plum sake that is sweet, tart and has apricot/plum notes.” Kasin noted that the Cocchi Rosa in this drink – an Italian, bitter, fortied wine – helps to balance the cocktail while a pinch of salt elevates its avors. Once across the Rickenbacker Cause way, you might be in Key Biscayne, but you can enjoy a Miami Beach. It’s a fruity drink that’s part of the Miami Menu at Lightkeepers , in the RitzCarlton Key Biscayne. It would be great to be able to say that on the other side of Fisher Island there was an upscale lounge that returned the favor, but this cocktail investigator was unable to nd any drinks called the Key Biscayne served on the beach. Instead, Joliet , near the foot of the Venetian Causeway, pours an Herbed Cucumber, general manager and beverage director Derek Tormes’ clever take on a gin and tonic that turns the British Empire’s trademark tipple elegantly on its ear. And as the tourists (most of them) depart to more temperate climes, look ing out over Coral Gables from the La Terrazza da Fiola rooftop happy hour is a ne way to enjoy a very Miami sun set. You could sip a locally made craft beer or enjoy a distinctly Mediterranean avor haunted by a suggestion of Earl Grey tea: the Venetian Spritz. Take flight with refreshing flavors libations The Biscayne Breeze gets avor from around the world and its color from something you might be growing at home.

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| BiscayneTimes . com libations NIKKEI 75 Courtesy of Osaka Cocina Nikkei INGREDIENTS • 1 1/2 ounces Nikka Coey gin • 3/4 ounce yuzu juice • 3/4 ounce honey • Splash sparkling ros • Yuzu foam • Edible owers METHOD • Combine gin, yuzu juice and honey in shaker; pour into ute and top with splash of ros. • Finish with yuzu foam and garnish with owers. SHISO VAIN Courtesy of the Rusty Pelican INGREDIENTS • 2 ounces Don Julio Blanco tequila infused with shiso • 1/2 ounce Cointreau • 3/4 ounce lemon juice • 1/4 ounce agave nectar • Grand Marnier foam • Hawaiian red salt • Dehydrated lime • Fresh rosemary METHOD • Pour tequila, Cointreau, lemon juice and agave into shaker with ice; shake about 10-15 seconds, then strain into coupe glass. • Top with Grand Marnier foam and garnish with Hawaiian red salt, dehydrated lime and rosemary. BISCAYNE BREEZE Courtesy of e Deck at Island Gardens INGREDIENTS • 2 ounces El Cristiano Blanco tequila • 1 ounce buttery pea ower syrup • 1/2 ounce lychee pure • 1/2 ounce Yellow Chartreuse • 1 ounce lime juice • Edible owers • Black cherry METHOD • Stir all ingredients well with ice and serve in tall glass. • Garnish with colorful owers and black cherry. FROS Courtesy of Cote Miami INGREDIENTS • 4 ounces ros wine • 1/2 ounce Aperol • 1/2 ounce Campari • 1 ounce lemon juice • 3/4 ounce simple syrup • 1 scoop lemon sorbet METHOD • Mix all ingredients in blender with a couple of ice cubes until well combined. • Pour into a glass and garnish with a amingo straw if you have one! The Shiso Vain is where Japan meets Mexico in a glass at the Rusty Pelican. Cote Miami’s Esteban is easy to assemble yet delivers “a lot of layers” to the palate, according to its creator, Sondre Kasin. COURTESY OF THE RUSTY PELICAN; GARY HE FOR COTE MIAMI COURTESY OF THE RITZCARLTON KEY BISCAYNE; COURTESY OF LA TERRAZZA; PATRICK MICHAEL CHIN FOR JOLIET

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| libations ESTEBAN Courtesy of Cote INGREDIENTS • 1 ounce Mezcal Verde Momento • 1 ounce Cocchi Rosa • 1 ounce umeshu • Grapefruit twist • Pinch salt METHOD • In shaker lled with ice blend liquid ingredients for 10 seconds; strain liquid into rocks glass with one large ice cube in it. • Top with the tiniest pinches of salt; gently twist grapefruit twist over cocktail to release some citrus oils before adding twist to glass. MIAMI BEACH Courtesy of Lightkeepers at the Ritz-Carlton Key Biscayne INGREDIENTS • 1 1/2 ounces Stoli vanilla • 1/2 ounce raspberry liqueur • 1/2 ounce Cointreau • 1 ounce pineapple juice • 1/2 ounce raspberry pure • ree raspberries MERHOD • Shake ingredients with ice and strain into chilled martini glass. • Garnish with raspberries. VENETIAN SPRITZ Courtesy of La Terrazza da Fiola INGREDIENTS • 1 ounce Italicus Rosolio di Bergamotto • 1/2 ounce St. Germain li queur • Splash Peninsola Zero pro secco • Splash club soda • Orange slice • Fresh rosemary METHOD • Build rst two ingredients in large, burgundy-style glass; ll to the top with ice, top with prosecco and soda. • Garnish with orange slice and fresh rosemary. HERBED CUCUMBER Courtesy of Joliet INGREDIENTS • 1 1/2 ounces Widges gin • 1/2 ounce Bordiga extra dry vermouth • 1/2 ounce lime juice • 3 ounces Q elderflower tonic • Fresh mint leaves • Cucumber slices METHOD • Combine first three ingredients in glass; add crushed ice and tonic and agitate using bar spoon. • Garnish with mint and cucumber slices. Joliet’s Herbed Cucumber is a frankly Floridian twist on an English gin and tonic. You have to go to Key Biscayne’s Lightkeepers to get a Miami Beach. At La Terrazza da Fiola, the Venetian Spritz is almost as cool as the restaurant’s rooftop view. COURTESY OF THE RUSTY PELICAN; GARY HE FOR COTE MIAMI COURTESY OF THE RITZCARLTON KEY BISCAYNE; COURTESY OF LA TERRAZZA; PATRICK MICHAEL CHIN FOR JOLIET

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| BiscayneTimes . com dish SID HOELTZELL MIAMI 2023 SID HOELTZELL MIAMI 2023; JUDY LITT Sid Hoeltzell Biscayne Times Contributor I ’ve been writing this column for a few years now, and my editor knows I have entertaining sto ries, a flare for whipping up a good time in the kitchen and some history with food – my influences go back to my childhood so this is certainly therapeutic work. And because comedy is just as important to me as the content – both come with a tasty delivery – this month’s culinary of fering is a doozy. Now that I’m personally of a vin tage year that would make a great Bordeaux priceless, my recipe selec tions are frequently retro, although some of my faves aren’t necessar ily on everyone’s Top 10 list. Take Japanese natto (that’s sticky bean to you), Chinese steamed chicken feet and fresh sea urchin, aka uni, which I’ve been sucking down for more than 40 years. No, most of what’s on my list isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but uni has become so popular nowadays that it’s getting too expensive and it’s used in way too many dishes. To wit my PSA: To the culinary morons out there, please keep the creamy nectar of the urchin off the fracking But don’t confuse aspic with ambrosia, oh no! pasta! Chicken feet have been on my radar even longer – 50 years – but I don’t advise taking leftovers on a crowded flight as it could scare your seatmate. And then there’s aspic, which seems to have had its day long ago in American cuisine, yet Food & Wine magazine recently wrote about the revival of this forsaken menu item. My beloved aspic is back, baby! And on a sidenote, my thanks to all the gods for ambrosia – a nasty mixture of canned fruit salad, Jell-O and cottage cheese or whipped cream – going the way of the dodo bird. My mother kept traditional Lat vian aspic on our family menu for as long as I can remember. “Galert,” a time-consuming treat that ev eryone in our family loved to eat, is what I grew up with. My dad would often spoon down the last wedge straight from the icebox late at night leaving us non-nocturnal foragers in a world of disappoint ment and despair the next day. But that never stopped the love we all shared for each other and the galert. Mom made ours the oldfashioned way, by slow cooking veal shanks with sliced carrots, celery, onions and patience. Prep ping the meal was always fun to watch. Letting that proteinaceous pudding settle overnight was well worth the wait. Chicken Aspic a la Chef Sid The Revival of a Gelatin-Based Jewel

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| SID HOELTZELL MIAMI 2023 SID HOELTZELL MIAMI 2023; JUDY LITT dish C O M E T R Y O U R F U L L L I Q U O R B A R F E A T U R I N G D A I L Y C O C K T A I L S P E C I A L S ! Chef Sid – that’s me – post-plucking out the sliced carrots. Oh, glorious sunshine-y day, my aspic is on its way! It’s definitely an acquired taste: Some can’t even think about eating aspic where others will gulp it down like caviar. The long-recognized Jew ish specialty of gefilte fish has aspic jelly as a popular component, but I know many a mensch who would never touch the stuff. In Japan, half the folks will eat natto while the other half will pass on it like the plague. All that sticky, stringy gooey stuff is just too much for them, and they’ll never know how flavorful fermented soy bean really is. Just because a food item is strangely constructed or presented does mean it’s not delicious. I’m bet ting an open mind implies an open mouth. You’ve no doubt unknowingly eaten this naturally occurring gelatinous treat already. Ever lift that turkey carcass when cutting leftovers off the bone? Look on the bottom of the plate – aspic. Lift that chilled steak remnant, elevate that chicken, spatula up that slab of fish aspic! After cooking and refrigera tion, under most meats you’ll find a hidden layer of wobbly sticky good ness. Aspic holds all the spices and flavors of the cooking process locked in that gele; any chef worth their salt will spoon that glorious goo into their mouths before you can hear the fridge door slam shut. Aspic is quite simply savory meat Jell-O. The traditional way to prepare aspic is to slow-simmer bones and shanks of the four-legged variety. Beef, pork, lamb, they all contribute to a great aspic stock; fish and chick en work as well. For this column, I’m zeroing in on a colorful balanced recipe for Ukrainian “kholodets” made with chicken thighs and Knox gelatin (make no bones about it). You can use unflavored gelatin to create a meat-based or a vegan aspic because you choose the appropri ate liquid to impart a flavor profile. Imagine a veggie aspic with cherry tomatoes, peas, carrots and aspara gus. For my eclectic tastes, the recipe I’m presenting here yields a very light and savory summer dish, great for any afternoon meal. Skim off any fat that floats to the top of the broth and strain out the onions. Then fill your aspic with fresh veggies of your choosing, such as peas and carrots. I strain out the final broth to remove the simmered onion and always pare the final, chilled dish with a capful of white vinegar and a creamed horseradish sauce – the way the dish is traditionally enjoyed – and I often double the recipe to make plenty of leftovers because there’s never enough aspic in my house. I hope I’ve convinced you to try this treat and that you’ll soon be jellin’ what I’m tellin’. Because I promise you – this dish is really delish!

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| BiscayneTimes . com dish INGREDIENTS: • 1 pound chicken thighs with skin mostly removed • 32 ounces chicken stock • 2 large carrots, peeled and thinly sliced • 1 medium-size yellow onion, peeled and cubed • 1/2 cup lightly chopped cilan tro or other preferred fresh herbs • 1 cube chicken bouillon (I like Knorr) • 1/2 cup fresh green peas • 2 .25-ounce packages of Knox unflavored gelatin • 3 hard boiled eggs, halved PREPARATION • In medium pot, add chicken, stock, carrots, onion, cilantro and bouillon; cover, bring to a low simmer and keep it there for 90 minutes, adding water to make up for evaporation as it cooks down. • Remove from heat and care fully strain soup to separate broth from the meat and veg gies, making sure not to break or damage the carrots. • Return strained broth back to pot, add peas and cook about 10 minutes –no longer than that! • Strain peas from broth and set them aside for layering; return broth to pot but not the heat. • Add gelatin to the hot broth and mix well; as broth cools, use a whisk to blend gelatin in well and eliminate clumping. • Allow broth to slowly cool to a tepid, manageable state for add ing to a 5 " x 9 " deep glass mold when layering ingredients. • Go back to your chicken-veg gie mixture; separate chicken and remove all extra skin, bones, veins and gristle, then break apart meat into small, bite-size pieces and set aside. Fish out the carrot slices and set aside. • To layer ingredients, place halved boiled eggs into a neat pattern on bottom of mold; add carrots slices and a layer of tepid broth. • Cool a few minutes more, then add cooked peas and another layer of broth. • Add the final layer of chunked chicken and slowly – slowly! – add remaining broth. • Chill overnight or at least 6-8 hours before serving. Sid Hoeltzell is an award-win ning Miami-based commercial food and beverage photogra pher and former “MasterChef ” contestant. He has completed more than 450 commissioned works for Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, teaches food photography seminars and is a preferred fine art photographer for Christie’s, Sotheby’s and private collections. PEXELS CHEF SID’S CHICKEN KHOLODETS Servings: 4 Separating the meat and veggies from the broth. Bliss out over the Zen of it all as you carefully layer in all your ingredients. SID HOELTZELL MIAMI 2023

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| vino Jacqueline Coleman Biscayne Times Contributor L et’s get one thing out of the way: There’s absolutely no right or wrong season to drink the wine you like. However, as tem peratures go up, it’s likely you’ll want to reach for something with a little less heat to help cool you down. is is the natural progression of wine drinking throughout the year – red wine during cooler weather to white and ros over the summer. But what if you could have your red wine and drink it chilled, too? Cool sips from Austria to Oregon In South Florida, we already con sume our wines way too hot yearround. Most of us don’t have under ground cellars to prepare perfect room-temperature bottles before serving. Especially here in Miami, it’s always a nice idea to give any bottle a bit of a chill before enjoying it. Lighter red wines benefit from this cool down immensely! So, if y ou’re not quite ready to give up your reds, try a chilled, lighter version to get you started on summertime sip ping. LIGHTER REDS When we talk about lighter reds, we’re mostly referring to style and body feel in the mouth. Certain Summer Reds Are for Chillin ’ Lighter red wines are great chilled in summertime. PEXELS SID HOELTZELL MIAMI 2023

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| BiscayneTimes . com M. CHAPOUTIER; MARLYSE CHANGEAS ; COURTESY OF BERGER WINERY vino grapes tend to be associated with lighter-bodied wines, but this is not always the case. Pinot noir, for ex ample, can be light and nuanced, or heavier and juicier, depending on the region or winemaking style. Pinot noir from regions such as the Santa Lucia Highlands in California may feel like a heavier wine than pinot noir from Burgundy in France. Nevertheless, it’s a great place to start when thinking about lighter red wines. There are other red grapes to look for when you’re craving something fresh and fruity. Frappato from Sic ily, gamay from the Beaujolais region of France, schiava from Alto Adige in Italy and menca from Bierzo, Spain, are all good options. Even cabernet franc from the Loire Valley in France can fit this category. Grenache from the South of France is a great lighter red, but the grape can also be made into a heavier style when blended with other grapes, like in Chteauneuf-du-Pape or in Priorat, Spain, where it is known as garnacha. C‘TES DU RH‘NES Start in the Rhne valley with that beforementioned grenache. You’ll find that regional red Ctes du Rhne wines come in a variety of blends and styles and range from lighter bodied to heavier. Though, if you’re a fan of the general GSM blends (grenache, syrah, mourvdre), Ctes du Rhne wines could very well be your summertime go-to reds. Look for the M. Chapoutier Bel leruche Ctes du Rhne rouge 2020 at Total Wine for $15.99 . This wine is mostly grenache with some cinsault and syrah. It’s fresh and easy to drink with ripe cherry notes, a touch of pepper and some of that herbal “garrigue” earthiness that is so indicative of Rhne Valley wines. Pair it with pork chops with a sweet BBQ rub, asparagus with garlic, and pasta lightly seasoned with black pepper. AUSTRIAN REDS Wines from Austria may not usu ally be top of your shopping list, but Belleruche rouge is a great value red for the summer. Berger Winery is located in the eastern part of Austria’s Kremstal wine-growing region. M. Chapoutier is a revered producer in France’s Rhne Valley and beyond. Pair a chilled Belleruche rouge produced by M. Chapoutier with sweet BBQ-rubbed pork chops.

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| M. CHAPOUTIER; MARLYSE CHANGEAS ; COURTESY OF BERGER WINERY COURTESY OF RSONANCE WINERY ; MAGGY HAWK vino all the more reason to search for a juicy zweigelt to start your summer sipping. Zweigelt is a cross between Blaufrnkisch and St. Laurent grapes, and it is Austria’s mostplanted red variety. It’s interesting to note that many Austrian wines come in 1-liter bot tles, as the Berger Zweigelt 2021 does, giving you more wine for your enjoyment. This zweigelt is best served chilled so it can express that ripe cherry, raspberry and strawber ry on the nose, and its bright, fresh, juicy fruit finish. The acidity is crisp and mouthwatering, and tan nins are smooth. With all this juicy freshness in a 1-liter bottle for less than $18 at Mr. D Wine Merchant , it’s time to make zweigelt your next go-to summer red. PINOT NOIRS And of course, pinot noir is a crowd-pleasing light red wine that is produced worldwide. For a lighter, elegant style of pinot, think cooler climate regions. In the U.S., places like Oregon and Anderson Valley, Calif., are known for cool climate-style pinot noir produc tion. Rsonance Winery sits in the Yamhill-Carlton AVA in Oregon’s Willamette Valley. The winery was founded in 2013 by Maison Louis Jadot to establish its first winery outside of Burgundy. Rsonance produces a Willamette Valley pinot that incorporates grapes from across vineyard sites in the valley and leans Burgundian in style. The wine delivers with cherry and floral aromas, a touch of forest mushroom, and a clean, mineral-driven red fruit finish. Perfect for summer nights on the patio. And you can enjoy a bottle of this quaffable wine for less than $35 at Total Wine. From Anderson Valley in Cali fornia, the Jolie 2020 from Mag gy Hawk Winery is worth the splurge if you can get your hands on a bottle. This wine offers bright red fruit and silky tannins, along with refreshing acidity and a touch of baking spice. The fin ish is long, just like our summer nights. For $70, serious winos should consider inviting Jolie to their next summer soire. But plan ahead, as Anderson Valley wines aren’t always easy to find and you might have to order this bottle from the winery. Rsonance Willamette Valley pinot noir can be found at Call Me Gaby on Miami Beach. Rsonance Winery makes pinot noir with Burgundian inuence in Willamette Valley, Ore. Maggy Hawk winery is located in California’s Anderson Valley and makes cool-climate pinot noir like Jolie.

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Jim Mullin
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mods:copyrightDate 2008
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June
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2023
Month
June
6
mods:subject
mods:hierarchicalGeographic
mods:country United States
mods:state Florida
mods:county Dade
mods:city Biscayne Boulevard Corridor
mods:titleInfo
mods:title Biscayne times
mods:typeOfResource text
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sobekcm:serial
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