This piece was originally published by our partner MIAbites.com and is produced by them.
Each week, MIAbites presents the Weekly Nibble, of upcoming food events and happenings in Miami. All events are subject to change so please check ahead to confirm details.
Saturday March 12th– Verde Farm and Kitchen opens its doors on March 12th beginning at 5 pm, welcoming you with a tour around the farm followed up with a candle lit, cozy and intimate dinner at the Verde Kitchen Cafe. Chef Pamela Wasabi will use fresh picked farm ingredients composing a savory five-course plant based Colombian inspired gourmet dinner to be paired with complementary Wynwood Brewery drafts. $65 pp Tickets on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/urban-oasis-project-presents-dinner-at-sunset-featuring-chef-pamela-wasabi-tickets-21645850321?aff=ebrowse Verde Farm and Kitchen
12690 SW 280th St, Homestead, FL 33033 (305) 257-2005
Sunday March 13th – Les Dames d’Escoffier Miami, presents a lavish Tropical brunch from 11:00 am to 3:00pm at the Miami Beach Botanical Gardens featuring a stellar lineup of South Florida chefs, restaurants and gourmet food shops and caterers. Participants to date include Basil Park, Via Verdi, Apeiro, Le Provençal, Thierry Isambert, Chef Adrianne’s, Chef of Distinction Catering, A Fare to Remember, Cookie Pursonality, Ovations and Sugar Factory, among many others. Restaurant participants will offer delicious brunch menu items and to wash it all down, a selection of cocktails, wines and craft beers. Live jazz will enhance the event’s lovely ambiance, extraordinary raffles will be offered, and Telemundo “Un Nueva Dia” celebrity Chef James Tahan will officiate at a culinary demo. Tickets are priced at $65 per person for adults, $20 for children and free for children under 10. Tickets may be purchased via PayPal at [email protected] or via credit card at 877-467-7725 Miami Beach Botanical Garden, 2000 Convention Center Drive, 33139. Metered parking and valet will be available.
Tuesday March 15th– StripSteak by Michael Mina hosts another of their 1954 Cellar Wine dinners featuring pairings from Adobe Road Winery. Owner Kevin Buckler will host the dinner, which features five wines from his Sonoma vineyard’s portfolio. Diners will enjoy a decadent four-course menu, prepared by StripSteak’s chef de cuisine Derrick Roberts, complemented by Adobe Road award-winning wines. Priced at $190 per person, inclusive of tax and gratuity, the luxurious evening will begin at 8:00 p.m. StripSteak at The Fontainebleau 4441 Collins Ave. Miami Beach FL 877.326.7412
Do you like this? Read more awesome restaurant reviews, tips and event listings at MIAbites.com.
Wednesday March 16th– Miami.com Experiences is excited to be headed to Kendall for the first time on Wednesday, March 16 (7:30 p.m.) for an exclusive dinner at Pisco y Nazca, the hot Peruvian powerhouse restaurant. Pisco y Nazca chef Miguel Antonio Gomez Fernández will collaborate with Chef Miguel Rebolledo from Bulla Gastropub in Coral Gables for a 7 course meal that includes a welcome cocktail. Dinner is $70 per person (all inclusive of tax and tip) Tickets: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2511870 Pisco Y Nazca 8405 Mills Dr. Miami FL. (305) 630-3844
Wednesday March 16th– SUGARCANE raw bar grill hosts J.Wakefield Brewing for a spectacular BBQ and Beer happy hour! Join us from 5- 8pm on the patio for Assortment of Wakefield Brews and Wakefield Beer Cocktail and Open-fire grilling of fire roasted goat schwarma pickles & pita, lemongrass and tamarind pork belly sticky rice & coconut, sichuan peppercorn & cumin rubbed veal sweet breads local eggplant & peanuts, chile de arbol rabbit tacos onions, cilantro & lime and an Assortment of bar food, and desserts. Tickets are $60 and include tax and tip and available here: http://sambabrandsmanagement.com/shop/wakefield-bbq-happy-hour/?prod_cat=us Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill 3252 NE 1st. Miami FL (786) 369-0353.
Wednesday March 16th- Miami Beach’s New England-inspired restaurant, Izzy’s Fish & Oyster, is going to bring the New England tradition of clambakes beginning next Wednesday and ongoing each Wednesday from 6- 11 pm for just four weeks until April 6th. The traditional clambake includes the freshest regional seafood available (clams, lobster, mussels, shrimp, etc.) combined with potatoes, corn and chorizo and steamed in a broth using seaweed, fresh herbs and more. $35 pp served family style. Izzy’s 423 Washington Ave. Miami Beach FL 305 -397-8843
( Information provided by various sources and subject to change. Please confirm ahead of time availability and details. )
The above was produced by MIAbites, one of the leading sources for food news in South Florida. Be sure to visit their website for more great information.
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Florida State Students Vote Overwhelmingly To Become A Sanctuary Campus
Florida State University students voted overwhelmingly to make their campus a “sanctuary” for undocumented immigrants.
The vote, which is not binding is a strong indication of student opinion on the issue of whether to allow campus officials to aid in the potential deportation of students who are undocumented.
According to FSU News, it is unclear whether the FSU SGA will lobby the university to make the decision binding.
According to the student newspaper, if FSU became a sanctuary campus then the Immigration Customs Enforcement would not be allowed to conduct operations on FSU grounds.
66.9% of students who voted in the referendum, voted to make FSU a sanctuary campus.
Here was the language put to the student body:
“We the students of Florida State University believe in maintaining equality of access to higher education for all students. We therefore support the classification of Florida State University as a sanctuary campus for undocumented students. In particular, we want the FSU administration to guarantee that no FSU agencies will release the immigration status of students to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) or allow ICE to come on campus. We also want the FSU administration to guarantee that undocumented students residing in Florida will continue to receive instate tuition waivers. We also want the FSU administration to guarantee that any tuition assistance for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) or undocumented student that has already been awarded will not be withheld or revoked on the basis of their legal status.”
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in the world. You can write for us.
Cover Photo Credit: librarianfinsen/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
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Here’s The Best Places To Eat If You’re Going To Art Basel
This piece was originally published by our partner MIAbites.com and is produced by them.
As we approach the beginning of the 2015 busy season, heralded by the 70,000 attendees expected for Art Basel/ Miami Art Week, December 2- 6, we pulled together our MIAbites Best Bites.
Miami continues to grow as a food destination to be reckoned with. No longer just an “expense account” city offering only 42 oz steaks and stone crabs, Miami, Miami Beach and its emerging neighborhoods: The Design District, Wynwood, Midtown, Brickell, MiMo, Edgewater and beyond, are offering creative dining options, innovative chefs and carving out a food scene that is international in flavor, yet very Miami.
New restaurants in new hotels seem to be leading the pack on Miami Beach. Ian Schrager’s Edition and The Thompson, opened their respective restaurants, Matador by Jean Georges, Market and Seagrape, The Crown Room and 1930’s House by James Beard Award winner, Michelle Bernstein and celebrity chefs, Dale Talde and Tom Colicchio have recently joined the Miami Beach dining scene with respectively, TALDE in The Thompson and Beachcraft in the 1 Hotel. With the Faena opening on the horizon with Frances Mallman’s Los Fuegos and Paul Qui’s PAO, these new restaurants have quickly made Mid-Beach the hot dining destination in town.
Pop-up restaurants are also another option for Art Basel and include Chef Michelle Bernstein’s Garden Cafe and Michy’s Pop-up at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden, and Dominique Ansel’s soft serve ice cream pop-up at The Setai.
Do you like this? Read more awesome restaurant reviews, tips and event listings at MIAbites.com.
So by request, the MIAbites contributors put our heads together to flesh out the restaurant scene and to compile our suggestions for dining while in Miami. Many of the below suggestions have been featured on MIAbites so please SEARCH for more details.
1. Best of the City– Popular for consistent and well-prepared dining options and excellent service. These are the “sure-things” in town and priced accordingly.
2. New and Emerging– Opened in the last couple of years or so and are new hot spots to check out. Innovative and creative chefs abound.
3. Casual or Quick Bites– Lunch or more casual for dinner but fun places with good food
4. Coffee and Cocktails– Refueling before, during or after hitting up the art shows, or after beach or shopping. Or late night cocktails. Step out and try some new cocktails like Peruvian Pisco, Mezcal and Negronis.
Reservations are probably mandatory and may require multiple calls to secure, so be prepared to be flexible with times and days. Both Open Table and Table8 are good resources for reservations but you may need to leave credit card information or pay up front. HINT: When in doubt, call directly as many restaurants will block out peak times and days to avoid paying Open Table a fee.
Best of Miami:
Design District/Midtown/Wynwood/MiMo:
Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink– 130 NE 40th St, Miami, FL 33137
305 573-5550MC Kitchen– 4141 Ne 2nd Ave., Suite 101a Miami, FL 33137 305 456-9948
Mandolin-4312 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137
305 576-6066Salumeria 104– 3451 NE 1st Ave #104, Miami, FL 33137
(305) 424-9588BlackBrick aka Midtown Chinese– 3451 NE 1st Avenue #103
Miami, FL — 33137
305 573-8886Blue Collar -Biscayne Inn, 6730 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33138 305 756-0366
SUGARCANE Raw Bar & Grill – 3252 NE 1st Ave, Miami, FL33137 786 369 -0353
Miami Beach:
The Dutch – W Hotel 2201 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 938-3111
Scarpetta – The Fontainebleau 4441 Collins Ave. Miami Beach, FL 33140 305 674- 4660
Hakkasan– The Fontainebleau 4441 Collins Ave. Miami Beach, FL 33140 786 276-1410
Casa Tua– 1700 James Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 673-1010Prime 112– 112 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 532-8112Red SteakHouse– 119 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 534-3688Joe’s Stone Crab– 11 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 (305) 673-0365
Pubbelly– 1418 20th St, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 532-7555BLT Steak Miami– The Betsy South Beach 1440 Ocean Drive Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 673-0044
Juvia– 1111 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 763-8272Lure– The Loews 1601 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 695-4550Macchialina– 820 Alton Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 534-2124Milos– 730 1st St. Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 604-6800
New and Emerging- Open less than two years and worth checking out!
Design District/Midtown/Wynwood/MiMo:
Alter– 223 NW 23rd Street, Miami, FL 33127 305 573 5996
Bocce Bar – 3250 NE 1st Avenue, Miami, FL 33137 786 245- 6211
Cena by Michy– 6927 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33138 305 759 2001
Cypress Tavern– 3620 NE 2nd Ave. Miami, FL 33137 305 520-5197
Coyo Taco– 2300 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33127 305 573-8228
Fooqs– 1035 North Miami Avenue, Miami Fl, 33136 (786) 536-2749
Mignonette– 210 NE 18th St, Miami, FL 33132 (305) 374-4635
The Vagabond Restaurant and Bar– 7301 Biscayne Boulevard
Miami, Florida 33138 305 400-8420Miami Beach:
27 Restaurant in The Freehand Miami– 2727 Indian Creek Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33140
Bazi– 1200 Collins Ave, Miami Beach , FL 33139 (305) 695-0101
Continental– 2360 Collins Ave Miami Beach (305) 604-2000
Izzy’s Fish & Oyster – 423 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 (305) 397-8843
Seagrape at The Thompson The Thompson Miami 4041 Collins Ave. Miami Beach FL 33140 877 793 8519.
Matador Room by Jeans George – The EDITION 2901 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33140
786 257- 4600Casual and Quick Bites- Lunch or casual dinner or snacks
Design District/Midtown/Wynwood/MiMo
Harry’s Pizzeria– 3918 N Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33127(786) 275-4963
Crumb on Parchment– 3930 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137(305) 572-9444
ella cafe– 140 NE 39th Street #136, Miami, FL 33137 (786) 534-8177
Mercato– 4141 NE 2nd Ave #101a, Miami, FL 33137 (305) 456-9948
Buena Vista Deli – 4590 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137(305) 576-3945
La Latina– 3509 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33137(305) 571-9655
Zak The Baker– 405 NW 26th St, Miami, FL 33127
Proof Pizza and Pasta -3328 N Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33127
(786) 536-9562Miami Beach:
My Ceviche South Beach– 235 Washington Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139(305) 397-8710
La Sandwicherie– 229 14th St, Miami Beach, FL 33139 (305) 532-8934
Taquiza-1506 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 748-6099
Puerto Sagua– 700 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 673-1115
Hua Huas Taqueria– 1211 Lincoln Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33139(305) 534-8226
True Loaf Bakery– 1894 Bay Rd, Miami Beach, FL 33139(786) 216-7207
Market– The EDITION 2901 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, FL 33140
786 257- 4600Coffee and Cocktails- Hot coffee…even hotter cocktail bars!
Design District/Midtown/Wynwood/MiMo:
Panther Coffee– 2390 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33127 (305) 677-3952
Miam Cafe & Boutique– 2750 NW 3rd Ave Suite 21, Miami, FL 33127 (786) 703-1451
Jugo Fresh– 1935 West Ave #102, Miami Beach, FL 33139(786) 472-2552
Miami Beach:
Panther Coffee in Sunset Harbour– 1875 Purdy AvenueMiami Beach, FL 33139
Lee & Maries Cakery– 40 S Pointe Dr #108, Miami Beach, FL 33139 (305) 672-5167
Broken Shaker at The Freehand– 2727 Indian Creek Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33140(305) 531-2727
Repour Bar – Albion Hotel -1650 James Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 305 913-1000
The Regent Cocktail Club at The Gale – 1690 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139 (305) 673-0199
We could go on and on… and each one of us has favorites that did not even make this list.
There is also many top spots in downtown Miami like Edge Steak House in the Four Seasons, La Mar and Azul at The Mandarin Oriental and Zuma, in the Epic Hotel, recent openings like Tamarina ,and Momi Ramen in Brickell.
So eat, drink and savor the NEW Miami!
The above was produced by MIAbites, one of the leading sources for food news in South Florida. Be sure to visit their website for more great information.
Cover Photo Credit: See-ming Lee/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
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What The Election Of Florida’s Racist, Conspiracy Believing Governor In 1916 Should Teach Us About 2016
By Patricia Ray
A successful businessman with no political experience decides to run for office and finds success while taping into populist sentiment.
Sound like a modern political tale, huh?
As the old saying goes, nothing is ever truly new under the sun.
The 1916 Florida gubernatorial election was not an ordinary election and Sidney Johnston Catts was not an ordinary candidate.
He was a political outsider to say the least – an ordained Baptist minister in Alabama who later moved to Florida and became an insurance salesman.
Only a few years after moving to Florida, he decided to run for governor as a Democrat, despite having no prior political experience.
In addition to his lack of experience, Catts also was known for having outlandish beliefs.
He was staunchly anti-Catholic and anti-African American, and he believed that monks from St. Leo’s Abbey and the African American population of Florida would take over the state for Kaiser Wilhelm II, and if Germany won the war, Pope Benedict XV would move the Holy See to San Antonio, Florida.
Yep. He seriously believed that.
He even carried a gun in fear that the Pope has sent an assassin to kill him.
Catts giving his inaugural address. Photo Credit: Florida Memory.
Catts advocated for radical ideas such as women’s suffrage, taxation of church property, and a state income tax, much to the chagrin of the conservative, Democratic-controlled Florida legislature.
Read More: The Incredible Story Of How A College Student Singlehandedly Changed The Constitution
At the same time, his racism went so far as to claim African Americans were “an inferior race” in response to lynchings in Florida.
Catts supported prohibition and did not attend his own inaugural ball because he opposed dancing.
Catts’ slogan was “Florida Crackers have only three friends in this world: God Almighty, Sears Roebuck, and Sidney Johnston Catts,” and he became known as the “Cracker Messiah.”
A political cartoon depicting the isolationist mood felt by many in 1916. Photo Credit: Jena Fuller/Flickr (CC by-SA 1.0)
“People did not take him seriously [as a candidate], and when they finally did, it was too late,” Dr. Gary Mormino, a Florida historian and the Professor Emeritus at the University of South Florida St. Petersburg said in an interview with RISE NEWS.
As eccentric as Catts’ beliefs were, many of them resonated with the public.
Due to the anxiety of World War I, anti-German sentiments were high, and Catts’ fear mongering heightened anxieties.
Florida was a primarily Protestant state, with Catholics comprising less than 5% of the population at the time.
In the years before 1916, millions of Irish, Slavic, and Italian Catholics immigrated to the United States, and many people felt uneasy about these immigrants. The Protestant population largely was also in favor of prohibition, and Florida was already in the midst of becoming a dry state.
Catts played into the zeitgeist of the prohibition movement.
These views went hand in hand, and Catts claimed, “There is no question and rum and Romanism go together.”
Dr. Mormino describes Catts as a “larger than life figure” and attributes some of Catts’ success to his charisma and strength as a speaker.
People liked his message and viewed him as “one of them”.
In past elections, whoever won the Democratic nomination for Florida governor typically won, as the Republicans were a minority party in much of the American South.
Read More: The Infamous Borgia Family Is Still Around And More Important Than You May Think
But in 1916, the Democrats were spilt in Florida.
Catts originally won the Democratic nomination by a margin of 544 votes but then lost it to William Knott by a mere 23 votes after a recount.
The underhanded dealings surrounding the nomination and the recount garnered support for Catts and painted him as a martyr the party establishment had robbed of the nomination.
Catts (bottom left) with members of his family. Photo Credit: Florida Memory.
In wake of this support, he ran for the Prohibitionist party nomination and won, going on to win the election with 43% of the vote and becoming the first Florida governor to win as a third-party candidate.
During his term as Governor, Catts reformed the convict lease system. He also made labor and tax reforms, furthered his prohibitionist agenda, improved transportation systems, and passed legislation relating to the care of the mentally ill.
He supported women’s rights and even appointed a woman to his staff. Despite opposition from the legislature, Catts was able to pass several legislative measures.
As you’ve probably guessed, there are many parallels between the 1916 Florida gubernatorial election and the 2016 presidential election.
Sidney Johnston Catts was a political outsider like Donald Trump whereas Hillary Clinton is seen as more of an establishment candidate, much like William Knott.
Many people also did not take Trump’s campaign very seriously until he won the Republican nomination.
In 1916, the fear of war fueled anti-immigrant sentiments towards Italians, Poles, and Slovaks, and Catts was able to play into the public’s fears, making his crazy ideas seem more palatable.
Today, fears stemming from 9/11 and other recent events has allowed anti-Muslim ideas and policies to gain alarming traction.
Read More: Why The White Working Class Really Supports Trump
For example, Trump has called for a blanket ban of Muslims from entering the country.
In 1916, the conditions were just right for Sidney Johnston Catts to win the seat of governor of Florida.
After leaving office, he ran for governor twice more and once for the U.S. Senate but was unsuccessful each time.
As strange as Catts’ gubernatorial election seems, some aspects of it are paralleled today, and perhaps this oddity of the past should be considered as we look to the future.
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in the world. You can write for us.
Cover Photo Credit: Public Domain/ Library Of Congress
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