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Enjoy The Last Week Of Miami Spice At These Hot Events

By MIA bites

This piece was originally published by our partner MIAbites.com and is produced by them.

The Weekly Nibble is presented by MIAbites every week featuring upcoming food and drink events in and around the Miami area. This is the final week of Miami Spice which wraps up on September 30th, so take advantage of the $23 Lunch and $39 Dinner specials offered at over 180 restaurants.

Thursday September 24th- MO Bar+Lounge in the Mandarin Oriental hosts Iphoneography 101 class from 6- 7:30 to help you take better food pics with tips from top Instagrammers @BrianLadder and @OasisJae. $35 includes cocktail and signature sushi roll. MO Bar + LoungeMandarin Oriental 500 Brickell Key Drive. Miami, FL 305 913 8358.

Thursday September 24th- Verde Community Gardens and Market opens its new Verde Kitchen Café in Homestead. Helmed by Chef Adri Garcia, the Verde Kitchen Café will offer a variety of fresh items grown and sourced locally. Verde Café’s menu items feature the likes of umami sliders, made with grass-fed beef from Ocala, to baked goods and leafy choices like the farmhouse salad, made with red dragon fruit, sunflower shoots and microgreens. Verde Kitchen Café is open for lunch Tuesday-Saturday. Verde Community Farm, Market and Café. 12690 SW 280th St., Homestead.

Thursday September 24th- Uvaggio Wine Bar & Restaurant is pleased to announce their second Somm Slam with 50 Eggs/Swine where head “Wine-O,” Heath Porter of Uvaggio will go pour-to-pour against neighboring Wine Director, Daniel Toral. Wine buffs will be able to enjoy three different dishes accompanied by one wine pairing each from Porter and Toral. Attending guests will be able to partake in the event by choosing the winning sommelier. The showdown begins at 7 PM with limited seating. Cost per person is $100; which includes the reception, three courses with a total of six wines and dessert. Uvaggio Wine Bar 70 Miracle Mile. Coral Gables, FL.

Do you like this? Read more awesome restaurant reviews, tips and event listings at MIAbites.com.

Friday September 25th– Circa 39 Boutique Hotel hosts it’s final Vino & Vinyasa with yogi Mike Dannheim. Hour long yoga class in courtyard is followed by wine tastings and light snacks from Jules Kitchen. $25 in advance $30 at door. Circa 393900 Collins Ave. Miami Beach FL 305 538 4900.

Tuesday September 29th- In anticipation of the November opening of TALDE Miami Beach at Thompson Miami Beach, Miamians may savor TALDE sooner than November with a one-night only TALDE Miami Beach pop-up on Tuesday, September 29 at 7:30 p.m., at Thompson Miami Beach’s charming poolside bungalow, 1930s House. Limited to 40 seats, this exclusive dining experience will give guests a chance to sample some of TALDE’s signature dishes by Top Chef alum and restaurateur Dale Talde. Priced at $55 per person (excluding tax, gratuity and bar), includes four courses, one bottle of TALDE staple Brooklyn Sorachi Ace beer from Brooklyn Brewery, as well as one complimentary copy of the cookbook per ticket. Seating is limited and should be reserved in advance by visiting https://taldemb-popup.splashthat.com/. 1930’s House at Thompson Miami Beach 4041 Collins Ave. Miami Beach, FL 786 605 4041.

Tuesday September 29th– Lure Fishbar, is celebrating National Bourbon Month with a one-night-only pairing dinner on Tuesday, September 29 at 7PM. Executive Chef John Iatrellis has created an extravagant six-course menu of seasonal specialties to be perfectly paired with Old Forester bourbons, by Bar Director Rob Ferrara. Bourbon lovers and food enthusiasts alike will enjoy the delicious menu, featuring lobster stuffed squash blossoms with bourbon-lavender honey, bourbon glazed black grouper, bourbon braised short ribs and more priced at $95 per person (excluding tax and gratuity). Lure Fishbar at The Loews Miami Beach 1601 Collins Ave. Miami Beach FL. 305 695 4550.

Tuesday September 29th- The Crafts Spirits Festival and AFROHEAD Rum present the BareKnuckle Bartender™ 2015 Battle Royal Final at 8 pm at Radio Bar in Miami Beach. The top five BareKnuckle Bartenders in Miami will compete to make their best cocktail using AFROHEAD Premium Aged Dark Rum. The winner of the competition will be crowned BareKnuckle Bartender 2015 Champion and bragging rights. Participants include: Leo Holtzman – Wunderbar/Circa 39, Ricardo Rodriguez – Finka Table & Tap, Alex Aportela – Finka Table & Tap, Jack Reynolds – Broken Shaker/27, Tyler Kitzman – Sweet Liberty. This event is free and open to the public. Radio Bar 814 1st St. Miami Beach, FL.

Wednesday September 30th– MO Bar + Lounge hosts High West Whiskey Expert Natalia Cardenas for DIY Old Fashioneds at MO Bar + Lounge from 6-8 pm. Guests will be using a variety of fun ingredients including maple syrup and chocolate bitters with MO Bar’s house Voodoo Whiskey blend. Tickets are $15 per person and advanced RSVP is also strongly suggested. MO Bar + Lounge at The Mandarin Oriental 500 Brickell Key Drive. Miami FL 305 913 8288.

Wednesday September 30th– The Federal Food, Drink & Provisionslaunches Oktoberfest Beer Feast on Wednesday September 30th to celebrate the successful end of Miami Spice, and to kick off Fall 2015. The Oktoberfest Beer Feast dinner menu will feature homemade pretzels, gator schnitzel, pickled herring, cheese soup and beer pairings by some well-loved Florida breweries. The Federal Food & Drink. 5132 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33137 305 758 9559,

New and Ongoing:

The Barcelona inspired newly opened KLIMA Restaurant and Bar debuts its daily Happy Hour just in time for the upcoming season. Resident mixologist at KLIMA, Raffaele Mitrugno, together with Executive Chef David “Rusti” Rustarazo, have created a unique food and beverage happy hour bar menu for locals, visitors and restaurant guests to enjoy during any evening occasion with family, friends or to let off steam with co-workers after a hard day at the office. Between the hours of 6:00pm and 8:00pm, Monday to Saturday, KLIMA now offers a number of drink specials that includes any house liquor, signature cocktail or wines by the glass for $8 each. To accompany the drinks are a series of custom-made Tapas style plates and other Mediterranean inspired dishes available at the bar and lounge area A variety of salads and Raw Bar plates are also available on the bar menu. KLIMA 210 23rd Street, Miami Beach, FL 33139. 786 453 2779.

( Information provided by various sources and subject to change. Please call ahead to confirm dates, pricing and specific 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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Cover Photo Credit: John Spade/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)

The Best Places To Eat In Miami This Upcoming Week

By MIA bites

This piece was originally published by our partner MIAbites.com and is produced by them.

Each week MIAbites will present the Weekly Nibble, a compilation of food events and happenings in and around Miami. Important to note, that we are winding down on the last two weeks of Miami Spice, so if you have yet to enjoy the special menu offerings of $39 Dinner and $23 Lunch this is the Last Call. Read our MIAbites “Spice Advice” here.

Thursday September 17- For the final Robata Rub Thursday at SUSHISAMBA Coral Gables, Executive Chef David Sears welcomes Special Guest Chef: Andres Barrientos The Official Smoke Whisperer of Miami Smokers. To complement SUSHISAMBA’s robata dishes and true to Miami Smokers style, menu highlights include Okeechobee Wild Boar Sausage with spiced aioli, guacamole purée, orange supreme, arugula, pickled peppers and a Pork Skirt Steak with sun ripe tomatoes, frisée, lardon crumble, creamed yucca purée by Chef Barrientos. Priced at $55 pp the meal includes 5 Robata selections and 2 cocktail pairings by Ocucaje Pisco. SUSHISAMBA 180 Aragon Ave. Coral Gables, FL305 448 4990.

Friday September 18th– The Forge Miami Beach welcomes the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America®: “Local Flavor from Coast To Coast” for an evening that begins with a tasting reception featuring an exciting lineup of Miami’s finest chefs, including Timon Balloo, Cindy Hutson, Brad Kilgore, Giorgio Rapicavoli, and Cesar Zapata. Then, enjoy a unique four-course seated dinner designed by James Beard Award Winners Rocco DiSpirito and Christopher Lee, with Pastry Chef Sergio Navarro. Evening emceed by award-winning Miami Herald food editor Evan S. Benn. Tickets are $250. The Forge 432 W 41st St, Miami Beach, FL

Saturday September 19th– Benefiting the United Way of Miami, The Intercontinental plays host to the Second Annual Young Leaders’ B.Y.O.B.‘Build Your Own Brunch’ from 11-2 pm.. An interactive cooking and eating experience led by Chef Bradley Kilgore of Alter and two of his culinary friends: Chef Roel Alcudia of The Cypress Room and Chef William Crandall of the soon-to-open Izzy’s Fish and Oyster. Miami Herald food editor and new Young Leaders member, Evan Benn, will host the cooking extravaganza. Spend a Saturday with friends learning to make the perfect brunch, from start to finish. Tickets are $100 for Young Leaders and $125 GA. The Intercontinental 100 Chopin Plaza. Miami, FL

Do you like this? Read more awesome restaurant reviews, tips and event listings at MIAbites.com.

Saturday September 19th– Sur La Table, the retail destination for those with a passion for cooking and a love for food, will welcome the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America®: “Local Flavor from Coast To Coast” into its kitchens for the third consecutive year. Free in-store activities of the day will include cooking demos by Taste America All-Star and James Beard-Award-winning chef Rocco DiSpirito, along with chef Cindy Hutson, who will showcase a recipe prepared with Lifeway Kefir. For the full schedule of events and more information, please visit www.jbftasteamerica.org/event/miami Sur La Table Mizner Park 438 Plaza Real Boca Raton, FL.

Saturday September 19th– 180 Degrees at The DRB is teaming up with the local organization, Caring about the Strays, for a special evening from 4-8 pm to help the non-profit’s mission. Volunteers for the program nurse abandoned or injured strays providing deserted animals with veterinarian consultations and necessary vaccinations. Chef Ryan Martin, a huge advocate of the rescuing program, wanted to create this event to help raise awareness to the cause in hopes that dogs, cats and other potential companions will find a new home. A minimum donation of $10 will go towards the non-profit which includes one free draft beer as well as happy hour privileges with beer and wine for 50% off a glass. 180 Degrees 501 NE 1st Ave, Miami, Florida 33132.

Saturday September 19th- Dinner Lab, the New Orleans based pop up dinner club concept is hosting Viaje -an Asian culinary voyage with a Mexican chef featuring Chef Santiago De La Fuente of Miami, who has created a menu that exemplifies global influences through the flavors of Asia, the techniques of the French and thru the eyes of the Mexican chef and culinary journey. Priced at $70 pp, Dinner Lab invites MIAbites readers to join for free using this link https://dinnerlab.com/signup/MIAbites

Saturday September 19th – Digest Miami’s RESCHEDULED Beach Feast presented by Afrohead Rum at the Surfcomber Hotel in Miami Beach celebrates Miami Spice with an oceanfront party featuring delicious bites, cocktails and music! From 7- 9 pm $45 General Admission: Includes entry at 8PM, unlimited food samples and one (1) complimentary Afrohead Rum cocktail. $100 VIP Access: Includes early entry at 7PM, unlimited bites, access to the private rooftop cabana deck presented by Afrohead Rum and a private VIP bar experience featuring complimentary Afrohead Rum cocktails. Digest Miami members get discounted admission. Tickets available on Eventbrite. The Surfcomber 1717 Collins Ave. Miami Beach FL.

Sunday September 20th– September is National Bourbon Month, so check out specialty cocktails at Dolce Italian, The Drawing Room and Makoto, but don’t pass up the Boozy Bourbon Brunch on Sunday September 20th 1-3 pm at 27 Restaurant. $75 pp includes 4 courses and 4 cocktails. Reservations required. 27 Restaurant @FreehandMiami 2727 Indian Creek Drive. Miami Beach. FL 305 531 2727.

Wednesday September 23rd- Every fourth Wednesday of the month, The Miami Beach Food Truck and Music Fest brings together some of the city’s finer food trucks, including GastroPod, Ms. Cheezious, Sakaya Kitchen, and Mushaboom. Local restaurants get in on the action too, this time Lou’s Beer Garden, Sazon, El Tumi de Oro, Mixturam, and others. There’s also music, but you can’t eat that. Feed your belly and your ears from 5 till 10 p.m. There’s no charge for admission, but you have to pay for the food. North Shore Park Band Shell 7275 Collins Ave. Miami Beach, FL33141 305-861-3616

Looking Ahead…

Thursday September 24th- Following up on the success of the inaugural “Somm Slam” with The Genuine Hospitality Group, Uvaggio Wine Bar & Restaurant is pleased to announce their second Somm Slam with 50 Eggs/Swine where head “Wine-O,” Heath Porter of Uvaggio will go pour-to-pour against neighboring Wine Director, Daniel Toral. Wine buffs will be able to enjoy three different dishes accompanied by one wine pairing each from Porter and Toral. Attending guests will be able to partake in the event by choosing the winning sommelier. The showdown begins at 7 PM with limited seating. Cost per person is $100; which includes the reception, three courses with a total of six wines and dessert.Uvaggio Wine Bar 70 Miracle Mile. Coral Gables, FL.

( Information provided by numerous sources and subject to change. Please call ahead to confirm pricing, details and availability )

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.

Like this piece? Rise News just launched a few weeks ago and is only getting started. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date with global news.

Photo Credit: Miguel Vieira/Flickr (CC By 2.0)

It’s Hard Out Here For A White Rapper In Miami

By Vici Nilbrink

By Victoria Nilbrink

Grizzy Gary is an aspiring rapper from Miami. He’s twenty-four years old and currently studying in college for a degree in music technology. He’s also white. And that’s a problem.

Gary has been rapping and ghost writing for 6 years, as well as making art and customizing shoes. He also attended the Art Institute in Miami for his artistic competence and his passion for designing clothes. When he isn’t in school or making music he says that he likes to ‘Netflix and Chill.’

“I don’t rap anything like Eminem or Macklemore at all, but 9 times out of 10 before I spit my verse that’s the first thing people mention.”

As any upcoming artists he’s faced many challenges. But the hip hop scene can sometimes prove especially difficult for white rappers to break into.

Watch: Grizzy Gary’s “After Life”:

“Personally I think with image it’s really hard. Being a white rapper you have certain quota and its hard because there aren’t so many established white rappers, so you always get compared to them,” Grizzy Gary said. “I don’t rap anything like Eminem or Macklemore at all, but 9 times out of 10 before I spit my verse that’s the first thing people mention. It’s not even me but its always a comparison. It’s to a point where I have to show my music first and tell them its me after to get a real honest opinion, which is annoying because I work hard at it. Often I don’t get taken too seriously, people will think I’m joking but music is really all I do.”

Listen: Grizzy Gary’s “Pretty As Fuck”

In the near future he hopes to get a major deal as a recording artist. If not he would like to ghost write and start making beats. He is also working on a few projects with Red Table Studios, and Vice Cult- a company he co-owns with another Miami rapper, OldBoy Cab.

Vice Represents- Versatile Independent Creative Entertainment. In addition to making music, they also sell merchandize.

“My music represents the exaggerated thoughts that are in my head. It takes me and all the crazy things i think about and merges into one thing. Grizzy Gary I would say is my alter ego, my duality,” Grizzy Gary said. “Look out for whats coming out this year. I’m gonna close 2015 really strong. Music is what I’m gonna do no matter what. All I have to say is, Don’t look at the artist, listen to the artist.”

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Cover Photo: Submitted

Start Up Miami: LiveAnswer Leads The Way In South Florida Tech Innovation

By Staff Report

By David Drucker

LiveAnswer, a proprietary sharing economy platform that specializes in providing phone support (customer service, technical support), is setting an example for new businesses not only in Miami, but also around the globe.

After a successful first year, the company is preparing for a national startup competition and the integration of new age components into its call service all while doing what they can to help other Miami startups succeed.

CEO Adam Boalt has seen his company experience rapid success in a short period of time. After launching in 2014, the Miami-based company entered Tech. Co’s Miami Startup of the Year Competition that summer.

Although Boalt’s company did not claim victory in its debut year, they learned from the experience and reevaluated how their business should operate.

Now as the winners of best pitch at Tech Co’s competition in July – of the 13 finalists, they ended up with 40% of the final votes – LiveAnswer is now gearing up for the national competition in early October.

“When we first pitched LiveAnswer last year, we focused a lot on the software standpoint and not as much on its value to the community,” Boalt said. “This year, we did it all differently and spoke about the value of what we were providing to the local community.”

Although they have a flight booked for Tech Co’s national competition in Las Vegas, the Miami startup has not forgotten the city in which it got its start.

LiveAnswer is in an active partnership with Enrique Iglesias’ Atlántico Rum and Pipeline Workspaces, a partnership forged at this summer’s Social Media Day South Florida, where the companies teamed up to work towards making Miami #1 in startup activity on the Kauffman Index of Startup Activity by 2016.

LiveAnswer’s new “multi-channel platform”. The company says that the new product will add email, chat and social media to its voice capabilities in a move to improve client experience. Photo Credit: Live Answer

The partnership will continue its mission through their sponsorship of Social Media Week Miami, a sold out conference running until September 18 at the Miami Ad School in Wynwood.

The multi-day event will host some of the top social media analysts from around the country to help businesses in Miami better understand the increasingly connected world through digital media.

LiveAnswer is also actively working towards improving its own product through the release of their multi-channel platform. The company says that the new product will add email, chat and social media to its voice capabilities to improve client experience.

For Boalt, pushing his business forward has always been about choosing the right team and knowing where to invest his energy.

“100% of succeeding is being hyper-focused,” Boalt said. “Sometimes our minds can wander and think ‘it’d be nice to have this, it’d be nice to have that.’ You have to rope yourself back in and ask yourself what’s the difference between ‘must-have’ and ‘nice-to-have’ and stick to the ‘must-have’s’.”

Do you know of a cool start up? Own your own small business that is doing something revolutionary? We are interested in writing about it! Send us a tip to [email protected]

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Student at University of Miami Wore a Tiara Every Day For 8 Years

By Vici Nilbrink

You may know her as “Tiara Girl” on campus. Annie Rudd, a senior at the University of Miami, has worn a tiara on her head every day for the past 8 years.

August 25, 2007, was the first day she ever wore a tiara at her 13th birthday, and the last day she left the house without it.

“The tiara was just too good of a look to let go,” Rudd said. “I don’t even realize its been 8 years of my life. It sort of just became my thing, and it worked.”

Before even realizing it, wearing a tiara became a daily routine.

Now 21-years-old, Rudd will graduate soon from UM with a major in psychology and a minor in art. She hopes to purse a master’s degree in family and marriage counseling.

Annie Rudd

Annie Rudd

In 2012 , Rudd was featured on lifetime’s reality show “Prom Queen,” crowned prom queen at Miami Beach Senior High School. At University of Miami, Rudd has become a sort of local celebrity to students at the campus.

“At UM, I’m known as Tiara Girl,” Rudd said. “We have this Facebook page called UMiami Secrets and they would post about me a lot. There was one that said, ‘OMG I just saw tiara girl for the first time. Now I know how Hogwarts felt when they first saw Harry Potter.’”

Annie Rudd

She never leaves the house without her tiara, she may forget but it never takes more than a few steps out of the door to remember.

“It’s basically second nature.” Rudd said. “I don’t even realize its on when I go out, but people will give me ugly looks sometimes. Some people don’t get the tiara and assume the worst, but once they meet me they understand I’m not stuck up.”

For Rudd, the tiara exemplifies that she enjoys everything life has to offer and lives with no regrets. Her story is a reminder that it’s okay to be who you are without living in fear of what others think of you.

Annie Rudd

“The tiara is a great conversation starter,” Rudd said. “Meeting and making friends is super important at our age. It’s all about the connections we have later on in life.”

Rudd said that although she enjoys the tiara as a fundamental part of her life, some people don’t take her seriously as a result.

“People definitely think it’s a little immature, but I don’t care. I only have one life,” Rudd said.

The tiara isn’t coming off anytime soon.

“I definitely can’t see myself not wearing it, it’s just a part of my identity now,” Rudd said. “It’s all a learning experience. I like it and that’s all that matters. There’s nothing to regret about it.”

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In Miami’s Wynwood Art District, A 25 Year Old Artist Is Ready To Take The City By Storm

By Bea Sampaio

MIAMI- Nestled along Wynwood’s 5^th Avenue there’s a mural of a figure painted entirely in black and white. Pictured on its monochromatic surface is a woman, naked except for the long ringlets of hair wrapped constrictively around her body. She sits contemplatively before the viewer, back bowed while pedestrians pass her by.

Surreal-looking spectacles like these can be found scattered throughout the city, all of them authored by Rolando Adrian Avila. At only 25 years old and with less than six of months of residence in Wynwood he’s poised to become one of the more prolific and better-known painters within Miami’s art district.

The Cuban-born muralist and former Angeleno (native of Los Angeles) has roots to South Florida dating all the way back to his days at New World Schools of Arts, a small and selective magnet school known both locally and nationally for its excellent arts and theatre programs.

“Unfortunately not everybody has a chance to do it. I come from a pretty poor family, and the only way I was able to travel and to go outside the city was because of art,” Avila said during a sit-down interview, “I got money to go to California from school, that was the only way. I feel like that’s important for an artist, to be educated. Education is everything.”

To date Avila has created at least 12 murals in Miami, most of them concentrated within Wynwood and the surrounding art district. As a self-described “wall vampire” he often seeks out unadorned spaces within the area to renovate and embellish with his work, masking concrete in a monotint display of long-limbed bodies and lotus flowers.

Avila first emigrated from Cuba to the U.S. at the age of 13, eventually gaining a scholarship to attend Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. The most notable thing about his work at first glance is just how stripped-down his pieces tend to be, both literally and figuratively.

“Women in general are a lot more powerful than men to me, especially around [Miami].” -Avila said

The subjects he portrays are predominantly female and nude, implied to be the objects of a male gaze. But there’s also simplicity to the color composition of Avila’s work. He often picks a single shade to dominate the canvas, focusing attention and detail on the subjects of his murals by keeping the palette relatively monochromatic.

As for the nakedness, Avila doesn’t believe his primary subjects are likely to scandalize here as easily as they might somewhere else. Miami’s extensive beach culture brings with it an inordinate preoccupation with body image and physical beauty, making the city a quintessential place for nudity in art to be accepted and, in some cases, even lauded.

“I feel like people [here] really respond to figurative work. I do these girls, and in Miami the body is something that is celebrated.” Avila said.

It’s true that there’s a definite sense of eroticism to Avila’s work, but more often than not it’s purposely coupled with mythological imagery and significance. The women depicted in his paintings and murals often show up in triplicate, a reference to the religious archetype of “triple deity” so often seen in classical literature and art.

They’re goddesses the way you imagine goddesses would look like in the 21^st century; slender and statuesque, hair coifed and lips pouted perfectly as if posing for an editorial.

“Women in general are a lot more powerful than men to me, especially around [Miami].” Avila said, “It’s kind of like the whole idea of goddesses, this whole idea of the Greeks and the Romans. To them women were everything.”

These women often appear to be reveling too, frozen mid-pose on the canvas while onlookers are free to gawk at the display of their bodies. Avila’s work is, if anything, voyeuristic in nature. He plays with perception as often as some other artists play with the colors on their mixing palettes and it’s never made clear exactly how we should feel looking in on these private scenes.

The women within his murals almost always have their eyes covered or bound by their own hair, blinded to the audience’s gaze and unable to take in their own surroundings. They appear naked and vulnerable before the viewer, and yet the artist himself describes their sightlessness as transcendent, a reference to a harrowing experience his sister once underwent in Guantánamo after one attempt to emigrate to the U.S.

“At the time my sister was trying to get out of Cuba. She tried to get out through the water because her boyfriend was trying to bring her over here and she got sent back to Guantánamo two times,” Avila said. “She almost died, and they cut off her hair just to be assholes with her. I was doing an illustration at the time just about depression and so I did this woman with her hair wrapped around her face.”

Avila explains most of the story from inside of his studio, a modestly sized, brightly painted room located in the heart of Wynwood. Walking in you can see the artist’s half-finished paintings dotting the main wall that runs along the interior. A pile of surreal-looking prints rest in the corner. The apartment building it’s housed in is also home to the studios of his colleagues, many of whom he spoke about as having an influence over his body of work.

“I think [it’s] one of the most important things as an artist. Especially when I was at Art Center what I learned was [being influenced by] other artists.” Avila said.

Like him, some of these individuals feel conflicted over the commodification of Wynwood’s art scene and the ensuing gentrification of the area. The popularity that events like Art Basel bring to the neighborhood creates more substantial opportunities for urban artists to work and promote themselves, especially when corporate sponsorship becomes a viable reality.

But all that promotion comes at a cost, mainly that the rise in property values now mean that a significant portion of Wynwood’s local artists can no longer afford to live in the same neighborhoods that their murals have helped to commercialize in the first place.

“I think artists should be paid a good amount of money to do what they do because it takes time and it’s hard, you know? If people appreciate it then [they] should appreciate it by helping.” Avila said. “That’s why I feel like I have a responsibility to make sure that happens, especially now that I’m getting lucky enough to get some projects and [have] some people like my work.”

A recent exhibition of Avila’s entitled Paradox Lost ran almost a month ago as part of an Art Walk experience originally hosted by Minimax Events. The display was held at the Mana Production Village, a raw space popular in the area for accommodating everything from art openings to film crews.

Aside from the show, one of Avila’s upcoming public projects includes plans to beautify a local apartment complex sometime in October. His intent is to turn the space into a hybridized showcase for both fine art and street art, one style juxtaposing the other in a strange marriage of aesthetic to functionality.

Collaborating with him on the project will be Reinier Gamboa, another Wynwood artist well known for his figurative painting style and use of religious and tropical iconography.

A contemporary of Avila’s, the Cuban-born Gamboa also spent his youth at New World. His body of work has been exhibited everywhere from the non-profit Locusts Project in Miami to the Nucleus Gallery in California.

“I want to be a fine artist that does walls,” Avila said at one point, explaining the changing nature of his field’s accessibility to the general public, “If you think about it that’s what artists do in their careers. They start by canvas and then later on in their life they do a mural somewhere. I want it to be the other way around.”

Photos: Bea Sampaio/ Rise News

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Tailgate In Style: Here Are The Best Miami Food Events For This Upcoming Week

By MIA bites

This piece was originally published by our partner MIAbites.com and is produced by them.

Each week MIAbites will feature The Weekly Nibble, highlighting “foodie” events and special promotions for the upcoming week. Please note that specific details, dates and prices are subject to change, so please call ahead to confirm event details.

Saturday September 12th – The Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts is hosting their #ArtsLaunch2015 with all day events. Farmers Market, Free food Tastings at Café at Books & Books, Brunch at Brava!, Interactive workshops with New World Symphony and Miami City Ballets and lots more. Visit website for complete schedule of events. Arsht Center 1300 Biscayne Blvd Miami, FL.

Saturday September 12th– Ortanique on the Mile. 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Chef Cindy Hutson will host an interactive cooking class at her restaurant, Ortanique on the Mile. This hands-on cooking experience with Hutson will teach guests to create recipes like Baby Gulf Shrimp Salad, New Zealand Lamb Korma and Puttin’ On The Ritz Pie. Price: $108 pp (includes tax and gratuity). Ortanique on the Mile 278 Miracle Mile. Coral Gables, FL. 305 446 7710

Sunday September 13th– BLT Prime is hosting a Tailgating for a Cause event., Dolfans can celebrate the beginning of football season in style with a fun and charitable Tailgate Season Kickoff Cooking Class & Lunch at BLT Prime. Chef de Cuisine Dustin Ward will lead the interactive culinary experience which will begin at 11AM with handcrafted cocktail making followed by a step-by-step demo of the menu including Grilled NY Strip with Onion Marmalade, Summer Squash Skewers and Honey Cake with Grilled Figs, all the while guests will indulge in complimentary beverages. The three-hour class includes a cooking demonstration on the Champion’s patio outdoor grills, followed by lunch and Dolphins vs. Redskins season opener watch party. The class is priced at $75 per person and all proceeds will benefit St. Jude’s Research Hospital. BLT Prime at the Trump National Doral Miami, 4400 NW 87th. Doral, FL.

Do you like this? Read more awesome restaurant reviews, tips and event listings at MIAbites.com.

Monday September 14th- Marion, the new neighborhood meeting place one block south of Mary Brickell Village opens Monday, September 14, 2015 for dinner only, Starting Monday, October 5th the restaurant will be opening for lunch and dinner, from 11am to 11pm. Serving up fare and products of the highest quality, handpicked by Executive Chef Jean Paul Lourdes, patrons have the option to sit down and dine on exquisite Mediterranean fare or grab-and-go one of the restaurant’s savory rotisserie chickens or its variety of pastries and other gourmet food items. Lourdes brings with him an impressive culinary pedigree, having worked at three-star Michelin restaurants in Paris, Tokyo, London and Hong Kong. Marion 1111 SW 1st Avenue Miami, FL 786 717 7512.

Thursday September 17th– Yelp Miami hosts “Big Bite in Little Haiti”. From 8-10 pm, Big Bite event brings together the city’s top toques, bakers, and chocolate makers to fight for your vote in the “Best Bite” competition. Join us at the Little Haiti Cultural Center for flowing wine and local brews, live artist demos and surprise performances, all in the heart of the emerging Little Haiti neighborhood. For the full lineup of over 30 participating vendors and to RSVP, check out Yelp Events! Free entrance. Little Haiti Cultural Center 212 NE 59th Terrace. Miami, FL.

Looking ahead…

Friday September 18th– The Forge welcomes the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America®: “Local Flavor from Coast To Coast” for an evening that begins with a tasting reception featuring an exciting lineup of Miami’s finest chefs, including Timon Balloo, Cindy Hutson, Brad Kilgore, Giorgio Rapicavoli, and Cesar Zapata. Then, enjoy a unique four-course seated dinner designed by James Beard Award Winners Rocco DiSpirito and Christopher Lee, with Pastry Chef Sergio Navarro. Evening emceed by award-winning Miami Herald food editor Evan S. Benn. Tickets are $250. The Forge 432 W 41st St, Miami Beach, FL

Saturday September 19th– Benefitting the United Way of Miami, The Intercontinental plays host to the Second Annual Young Leaders’B.Y.O.B.‘Build Your Own Brunch’ from 11-2 pm.. An interactive cooking and eating experience led by Chef Bradley Kilgore of Alter and two of his culinary friends: Chef Roel Alcudiaof The Cypress Room and Chef William Crandall of the soon-to-open Izzy’s Fish and Oyster. Miami Herald food editor and new Young Leaders member, Evan Benn, will host the cooking extravaganza. Spend a Saturday with friends learning to make the perfect brunch, from start to finish. At your table, you and your friends will follow along with our chefs and team up to cook each course, and then enjoy your culinary creations. Helping you along the way are culinary arts students from Johnson & Wales University who will teach you a few tricks of the trade, as well. Tickets are $100 for Young Leaders and $125 GA, with deadline to purchase Tuesday September 15th. The Intercontinental 100 Chopin Plaza. Miami, FL

Saturday September 19th– Sur La Table, the retail destination for those with a passion for cooking and a love for food, will welcome the James Beard Foundation’s Taste America®: “Local Flavor from Coast To Coast” into its kitchens for the third consecutive year. Free in-store activities of the day will include cooking demos by Taste America All-Star and James Beard-Award-winning chef Rocco DiSpirito, along with chef Cindy Hutson, who will showcase a recipe prepared with Lifeway Kefir. Stores will also offer book signings, tastings from local producers and artisans, and productdemos and tastings from national Taste America sponsors. For the full schedule of events and more information, please visit www.jbftasteamerica.org/event/miamiSur La Table Mizner Park 438 Plaza Real Boca Raton, FL.

( Information provided by various sources and subject to change. Please call ahead to confirm )

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: tdlucas5000/Flickr (CC By 2.0)

New Professional Club, Miami FC Announces Plan to Enhance South Florida Soccer

By Contributor

By Abel Iraola

While Miamians continue to be kept in the dark about David Beckham’s upcoming Major League Soccer club, a local team in the second-tier is hitting the ground running.

The Miami Football Club Miami FC was announced in May, already making strides to begin playing next April. The ownership group, led by legendary Italian defender Paolo Maldini and sports media rights mogul Riccardo Silva, have made major moves to ensure success for the new club.

Last week, Miami FC announced the hiring of Alessandro Nesta as the club’s first head coach. Nesta, a renowned Italian defender like Maldini, made his name as a key player for Serie A giants Lazio and Milan before heading to Montreal for MLS. They also hired Cesar Velasco to manage the team. Velasco comes with extensive experience in sports management, serving as director of communications, marketing and community relations for Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, Toronto FC and most recently, FC Dallas.

On Wednesday afternoon, Velasco held a Q&A on the club’s Facebook page to address supporters directly for the first time.

Although no major announcements came from the event, the general manager hinted that the new organization is aiming to make an impact in the often sports-averse Miami scene. The club hopes to avoid some of the pitfalls of running a second-tier club in a country not yet used to following teams below the major leagues.

Issues that have troubled other teams, including broadcast rights, stadium deals and player quality and development, were addressed during the hour-long question session.

Velasco said that that the club is currently in talks with broadcasters. The “goal is to have all Miami FC matches available for our fans,” Velasco said. It is still unknown where the club will play, but they are in negotiations and expect to make an announcement in four to six weeks. FIU Stadium has been rumored to be the preferred site, and it was confirmed on Wednesday that it is among the locations currently under consideration.

Looking ahead to on-the-pitch decisions, Velasco deferred to Nesta when questioned about the expected style of play, paraphrasing the coach’s recent response to a similar question, which indicated that he prefers an attacking style, however: “As an ex defender he will make sure he will have a strong defense,” Velasco said.

The club is looking at players both at home and abroad, and plans to make its first announcements within the next few weeks. They will also hold tryouts for local footballers in November.

Maldini, Silva and Velasco are intent on not only creating a successful club, but promoting the sport of soccer in South Florida.

Velasco said that a player development system is “a key objective.” However, he did not indicate whether that means they would follow an academy model.

Asked about Beckham’s MLS side, Velasco reiterated Miami FC’s support for Maldini’s former teammate.

“We support the project of the Beckham United Group to bring a team to Miami,” Velasco said. “This is great for soccer and all fans in South Florida.”

The front office remain confident that the club will succeed, drawing fans in Miami and across South Florida by building a championship-winning team. They plan to go full-strength into the NASL season as well as the U.S. Open Cup, the country’s domestic cup competition that spans all levels of American soccer.

“We believe in Miami and we believe in Miami soccer fans. We are building a club for Miami fans to call their own and be an active part of, hence ‘one club one voice’. We are working hard to build a championship caliber team for our city.”

The NASL’s spring season begins in April 2016.

Cover Photo Credit: miamifc.com

Miami Can’t Spell Signs Too Good

By Rich Robinson

Via Rise Miami News:

File this one in the “not that much of a shock” category.

An eagle-eyed South Florida resident happened upon this misspelled street sign in south Miami-Dade County and it is pretty funny.

Rose Reeder said that she has driven past the intersection and noticed the incorrectly spelled Eurkea Drive sign for the past few weeks. The name of the road is really Eureka Drive. (As in “we found it”).

The misspelling finally bugged Reeder enough yesterday for her to stop her car and snap a few pics of the sign. She then posted it on Facebook.

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“Someone did not check like they should have,” Reeder said of the oversight.

Reeder also said that a county employee saw her Facebook post and forwarded it the Public Works department.

We’ll let you know when (if) the county does anything about it.

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H/T To BloggingBlackMiami.com

Photo Credit: Rose Reeder