TedX Miami Showcases the Best of the Magic City

You want this lanyard, trust me.

TedX Miami outdid itself from last year’s already extraordinary first attempt. Held at the New World Symphony’s new campus, the event brought together nine outstanding speakers from all walks of life who are based in or vested in Miami.

The theme was Between the Lines, which is often where so many dynamic ideas begin.

Every speaker hit a raw chord -- literally, as in the case of the musical presentations – but also figuratively, giving us opportunities to think hard about the potential we all have to come up with positive, life-changing ideas. Every talk moved, inspired and provoked. Sometimes, the audience laughed and I'm fairly certain that in a few cases, there probably wasn't a dry eye in the full house, either.

This is one of the sentences I jotted down last night in my notebook: “The only way I can describe this TedX event is ‘breathtaking’ and it leaves me without words.”

So, I’m just going to give you a brief recap of each talk. But honestly? That can't even begin to do justice to all the profound thoughts that were shared. When you’re done reading, you’ll see why this was so kick-ass awesome and why there's so much more to Miami than meets the eye.

Attendees waiting for doors to open at the Frank Gehry building, the best thing to happen to Miami Beach since Columbus discovered America.

• Bestselling novelist Brad Meltzer begged the question of writing one’s own obituary. You don’t get to write your own obituary, but you do get to have a lasting impact. Your legacy isn’t just about children but about the people you influence in your life. Meltzer brought up the example of Jumbo’s restaurant in Liberty City. Founded in 1955, the restaurant hired black employees during segregation.

• Mathematics, computer and engineering super geek Scott Rickard asked if it was mathematically possible to write music without repetition and patterns. (Repetition is "key" to enjoyment. Think about it: you enjoy music because you know what's coming next.) A short piano piece called the Perfect Ping was performed and though it had no repetition, I dare say I think it’s impossible for the human ear not to seek it out. We are so wired that way.

• The absolutely lovely former fashion designer and now jewelry maker Barbara Devries spoke of Plastic is Forever. One day, she started picking up pieces of plastic debris on Eleuthera’s beaches -- random objects washed out by the hot sun and salty sea. Out of this hobby came not only beautiful jewelry, but also an entrepreneurial program for children in the Bahamas. Ironically, the kids actually sell jewelry to cruise ship guests – the cruise industry being one of the greatest polluters of Caribbean waters. De Vries wants her idea to be copied as there is enough plastic jetsam out there in the world for many more mini-entrepreneurial empires. Something to ponder: how many times a day do you come in contact with plastic?

• Dennis Scholl, Vice President of Arts at the Knight Foundation, spoke of Random Acts of Culture. This is a hell of a fun program. Imagine sitting at a food court in a mall minding your own business when suddenly Joe Schmoe sitting next you gets up and starts belting out opera. Actually, something similar happened last night in the audience as well, catching us by surprise with a rousing performance of Toreador from Bizet's Carmen, full female chorus included.

• My friend and brilliant artist Hugh Macleod exhibited some of his work in the hallway upstairs. The drawings were from the main TED Global conference at Edinburg earlier this year, part of a Dewar's scotch whisky series. (Very smart of Dewar's to sponsor TedxMia by the way. Scotch is sexy and smart.)

• TedX is a forward thinking event and the venue was perfect; the philosophy at New World is aligned. Talk about an idea worth spreading -- it's all about technology and universal access to music and music education. Bill Williams, Dean of Musicians at the New World Symphony, spoke on the subject. I’m just going to quote him: “We are sitting at the intersection of music, architectural beauty, technology and design, connecting musicians from around the world.”

(A personal note here: I used to write art and technology grants for the symphony and I saw this idea grow from seed to its current manifestation. I can’t even begin to tell you how thrilled I was to be in this hall.)

• I fell in love Felecia Hatcher from Feverish Ice Cream. She and her husband make gourmet popsicles from local fruit but it’s her kid’s entrepreneurial program (not unlike the one mentioned above) that really stood out. They have taught 20 kids in South Florida how to create and manage a popsicle truck business –- everything from picking strawberries to marketing in their own communities. That’s something very tasty -- ice cream with a cause.

• Colin Foord of Coral Morphologic discussed two hybrid corals growing, nay, thriving, at the mouth of Government Cut – two true South Beach beauties. An imminent dredging program is threatening the organisms. This is serious science stuff, folks. The corals are exceedingly rare, proving that adaptation is possible is an urban waterway and further study could help revive dead coral colonies in different bodies of water. Find a great article on the subject at Beached Miami.

• Did I say I was in love already? I was absolutely smitten with Shelly Baer, a luminous beauty who grew up with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Her condition is visible in her hands and in her limping walk, but honestly, if you see her real beauty, you can’t tell. My heart sank when she said: “I never looked into a full-length mirror until I was in my early 30s.” Baer was part of a show called Raw Beauty that exhibited in Miami a while back and featured women with disabilities. It was all about breaking stereotypes. “Beauty is in the flaws,” Baer told us with refreshing candor. In a city where plastic surgery is a lifestyle for some, hearing those words was like a breath of fresh air.

• Last but not least, Barrington Irving regaled us on how he broke a world record by flying around the world in an airplane he put together -- not just with mechanical parts -- but with some seriously gutsy grit. He's the youngest person and first black pilot ever to accomplish the amazing feat. Barrington then founded Experience Aviation in Miami, which brings math and science education to kids through a flying simulation classroom, among other programs.

WHAT IS TED?

Well, it's exactly what you just read. An evening of great ideas and inspiration and the best fifty bucks you'll ever spend in this town. But fyi: TED is a non-profit organization devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It all started in California 25 years ago. There are global conferences but the “x” offshoots are local, self-organized events designed to get people thinking about great ideas and how they impact community. TedXMia is a high-caliber grassroots effort, requiring devotion and hard work from many curators and volunteers.

Want more? TedXYouthCushman takes place on November 20 with kids sharing their own great ideas. The next TEDxMIA event is December 16 at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden. Tickets go on sale next week. I suggest you nab one right away; Between the Lines event sold out a month ahead of time. Videos from last night's event will be available to view on YouTube in the coming weeks. Find details about it all at the TedxMiami website.

Sketchy Miami is Better Than Art Basel

Artists and enthusiasts around the Beached Miami table last Friday.

The Sketchy Miami party last Friday was like romper room for grown ups, with so much fun and creativity buzzing through the maze-like and enormous Bakehouse Art Complex. Sketchy Miami is a brilliant idea, undeterred by its lofty aspiration: "The goal of Sketchy Miami is simple and impossible: to create a portrait of every person in Miami."



I have to wonder what the Beached Miami guys were doing (or drinking) when they came up with this concept, but they put together a website and boom! a movement was born.



On the Sketchy Miami website, you'll find over 200 photographs (and counting) that some artists have turned into portraits. The format gives artists an opportunity to connect with potential fans and buyers, which is exactly what happened at the Sketchy Miami party, but in face-to-face encounters.



Everyone who submits a photo or a Sketchy to the website has the option of adding a bio. You don't even have to be an "artist" to submit a portrait, so it's very democratic. The website could potentially become a larger-than-life Miami yearbook of sorts, an epic who's who, or as Sketchy Miami puts it: "... a definitive and inspiring testament to Miami’s diversity, ethnic, creative, physiognomic, and otherwise."

Non-resident artists were sketching in the hallways.

But back to the party. The Sketchy Miami event was free with an optional $10 Sketchy package that included food, drinks, collectible Sketchy postcards and more goodies. Sitting for a Sketchy was free, with no obligation to buy, but if you wanted to fork over some dough for your portrait, that cost $30. And while it took place in a rather "sketchy" neighborhood, there was ample, free street parking.



More than 20 artists participated in Friday's event, about half of them in residence at the Bakehouse. But many more studio doors were open to the public and just milling about the Bakehouse complex was engaging enough -- the location boasts 3.2 acres and 70 studios in the compound.



At one point I blurted: "This is better than Art Basel."



Of course, I can't really compare it to Art Basel -- the massive mother of all art fairs -- but I have to admire what a little grassroots push does to rally Miamians who probably would never buy expensive artwork. It was art for the the people, by the people, no snobbery involved. (Yes, artists are people too.) And for that reason, it is better. This kind of event will stick in Miami like a cotton shirt on a hot and humid day, long after Art Basel is gone.



And speaking of Miamians, there were quite a few characters at the party. I'm not sure what fascinated me more, the sketches, the people behind them or the organic connection between the two.



More photos and commentary below.





Everyone was a poser here, but in a good way.





Art for a cause. Colleen Kelley, of Haus of Art and resident at the Bakehouse, was supporting a Miami homeless children project. Please take a good look at the background. A sign reads: "There are 4,500 registered homeless youth in Miami-Dade." That's unacceptable.





Ami Lawson of Earth Angel Outreach has worked with homeless youth. Here she stands before one of the painted doors from an art project that supports the cause.





I fell in love with Judith King's botanical, surreal pencil drawings. She is an artist in residence at the Bakehouse.





Spontaneity was the name of the game. No room to mess up and if you do, just go with it and draw. This wasn't "caricature artist at the fair" type of sketching.





These were the only naughty bits exposed during the evening, beautifully done in watercolor by Bakehouse resident Marcelo Daldoce. No, people weren't posing naked, though that would certainly make for a very interesting Sketchy party.





A definite Miami character, this young man was dead serious about his companion animal spirits. He identifies with giraffes and constantly wears them on his shoulders. Rather a cute stuffed animal then a chip, that's for sure.





Bakehouse resident Ileana Tolibia posed in front of her painting, Earth's Fertility.





Photography is Felix Estrada's thing. The artist, also known as Felino, just moved to Miami from New York and was taking pictures of lovers or friends kissing and hugging. See more on his Facebook album.





I was thrilled to finally meet some of the Beached Miami team in person. Pictured here, left to right: Geoff Campbell, Josh Snyder and Brett Campbell. Unfortunately, I didn't get to shake hands with Robby Campbell and Jordan Melnick, the co-creators.



They're all so cute, smart and eloquent, they should really do Miami women a favor and clone themselves.



SIDE BAR



I was also thrilled when my friend Ines from Miamism, who recently interviewed the blogging duo, did a Sketchy of me! (Not at the party, but of my photograph.) More at Miamism F2F with Sketchy Miami Creators.



Miami Beach 411 profiled Campbell and Melnick in June. More at Beached Miami Setting New Standard for Blogs in South Florida.



And speaking of art, don't forget Life is Art, a local organization dedicated to the support and promotion of the art community in south Florida. One of their recurring signature events, "River of Art," is coming up on August 31st at Mai Tardi in the Design District. Expect artist exhibits and happy hour all rolled into one.

Clever Miami Street Bum

A classic "only in Miami" moment if there ever was one! This photo made me laugh so hard yesterday, I almost choked on dinner. Taken by my friend @alexdc around Civic Center.

Miami Mojito March

If you are a mojito virgin, you must have one at Versailles. But don't expect a bar. You'll have to order food in order to enjoy an adult beverage at this iconic Cuban restaurant in the heart of Miami.

I have great friends. On some days, they just wake up and say, "hey, wonder who makes the best mojito? Let's spend the afternoon finding out!"

And so the first Mojito March was born, during which some friends and I boarded Jim Winter's "Special Ed Short Bus" (you may know Jim of Nikon Miami Blog) for an afternoon of cocktail shenanigans at Tarpon Bend, Versailles, Catch of the Day and Ortanique.

We started around 3ish and didn't end until 9ish. A true mojito olympics indeed, requiring savvy pacing and endurance. Our goal: to see which one of the four establishments served the best version of a mojito, which is basically light rum served over muddled mint, lime and sugar (or simple syrup), topped with a spritz of club soda.

TARPON BEND

Drinks were fruitier and rather light at Tarpon Bend. One of our attendees said "I could spend a whole afternoon here, but not at Versailles." The sell: less crowds and noise.

Tarpon Bend was a great place to start. With a daily happy hour (2 for 1) starting at 3 PM, their drinks were rather fruity and light, reminding me of the kind of beverage you might enjoy at a ritzy spa, with mojito combinations featuring fresh muddled watermelon, for example. To be honest, their traditional mojitos paled in comparison to the ones we would have later, so I would call Tarpon Bend the right kind of place to go when you want mickey mouse refreshment -- a lush's retreat for hydration during a hangover -- which would be just right on a Saturday afternoon with no crowds on Miracle Mile.

A rather sweet coconut mojito held the imagination of my socia @lizawalton, who quickly declared it tasted like "ladies lying out in the sun." I asked her: "Should we call it the Coppertone, complete with a tanning butler spreading oil on my ass?" And thus, I think, we have a new favorite drink for Sex and the Beach, though I'm no fan of flavored rums. (I can't believe they even brought out the Dragonberry. Sorry Bacardi, but I'm a rum purist.)

VERSAILLES

The waitresses at Versailles wear awesome polyester retro uniforms.

Versailles, the iconic, world-famous Cuban restaurant on 8th street, passed muster with a stiff cocktail that would put hair in even in the chest of Tony Montana. And you should expect "stiff" around here -- the soft curves of women who have indulged way too much in flan are flanked by hard-line politics and protests just outdoors, all washed down with rum and strong coffee. This is a bustling place, full of locals and tourists, ready to ignite at a moment's notice while digging into your rice and beans like you would at your Cuban abuela's house.

Versailles gets bonus points for garnishing the drink with a chunk of sugar cane, too, which is always fun to suck on. This was better than Tarpon Bend's drinks, which were so pulpy, it was impossible to suck anything through the straw unless you were a porn star equipped with a Dyson vacuum. And besides, every cocktail should come with something phallic other than a plastic straw to put in one's mouth. Remember, drinking isn't just about taste, it's about sensual things like sucking and swallowing, right?

Not to mention that sugar cane itself evokes the raw history of rum, slavery, wealth and blood-sucking greed that was the sugar industry in the evolution of the Caribbean, the United States and the rest of the New World. Yeah, suck on that, baby. You're tasting a little bit of history when you have a mojito at Versailles.

Order mojitos with the "fried combination" platter -- fried tuber roots of every kind, including yuca, as well as meat-filled empanadas and croquetas, served with a garlicky cilantro aioli -- and you have the perfect Cuba Carbs 101 for your friends who fly in from Iowa.

While you're there, don't forget to spread rumors about Castro being dead:

CATCH OF THE DAY

Catch of the Day, a casual sports bar and seafood restaurant near the airport, served mojitos in tall glasses. While tasty and refreshing, the use of sugar actually made some sips rather granular, which made me think I had ordered rum with muddled sheet rock. Simple syrup is always better. Not that it was bad, mind you. I just don't like grainy stuff in my drinks -- you know, kind of like how tapioca reminds you of sperm. If you go to Catch of the Day, try their special mango mojito, which was fruity but not heavy like nectar.

Of course, great company is the most important ingredient of any cocktail! The Mojito March crew toasting at Catch of the Day.

We even attempted to scientifically register our mojito research.

Here we enjoyed some delicious filled tostones with shrimp creole, which are usually not on the menu. This unpretentious place, like a Cubanaso version of Tarpon Bend (see, there's taxidermy art, stuffed fish on the wall, too) is worth its weight in happy hour though, which runs from 3 - 7 PM everyday on the lord's calendar.

ORTANIQUE

Ortanique got it down. And it's not just because it was our last stop of the evening.

Our day ended at Ortanique, probably the fanciest place where we imbibed cane spirits, and not surprisingly, as they served the best and most expensive mojito at about $10 a glass, which is still cheaper than a thimble full of whore spit in South Beach. Ortanique's secret? They skip muddling and rip their mint leaves, letting the natural botanical oils seep into the cocktail without turning the leaves black. (I've never seen mint turn black though ... have you?) They also have the right amount of fizz from club soda, which I found lacking in the other mojitos.

All in all, each location had something great to offer, though if you're going to judge the proverbial cocktail itself, Ortanique takes the cake.

SPECIAL ED SHORT BUS

Our adventure was possible in part thanks to Jim Winters, the creative brain behind Nikon Miami Blog and Bulldog Neon Signs, as well as denizen of one of Miami's most unique art bunkers -- that's the only name I can come up with to describe his studio. Our fearless driver made it safe for us to indulge.

A gentle giant, Jim Winters stands his ground next to the short bus. @lizawalton peeks through the window.

I could not, of course, finish this blog post without paying tribute to Ines, Miami's original mojito expert, whom unfortunately could not grace us with her presence on this day. As a result, I felt obligated to do a Miamism-style review, out of deep reverence to the mojito queen herself!



More pictures from our mojito adventures on Flickr.



And speaking of mojitos, don't forget the Rum Renaissance Festival coming up this April.

Croqueta Crawl Miami

Croquetas de bacalao (codfish croquettes) at Versailles on 8th street in Miami.

It all started with a simple question: who makes the best croqueta in Miami?

And so the Croqueta Crawl was born. Organized by @lizawalton, the Croqueta Crawl wrangled a hungry crew of friends and social media acquaintances at iconic Cuban restaurant Versailles yesterday morning to embark upon a culinary adventure: five restaurants in five hours sampling all the fried goodness our tummies could take. GM sponsored the croqueta caravan: about 30 of us schlepped around in a fleet of nine cars.

Croquetas, aka croquettes, originated in France but can be found in many cuisines around the world, usually eaten as a fast food snack or appetizer. A basic croquette is simply this: a cylinder-shaped fritter filled with a paste made of mashed potato combined with some kind of meat or vegetables, deep fried, and sometimes encased in breadcrumbs or cracker meal. The French verb croquer means "to crunch" so some kind of crispy exterior normally surrounds the filling.

Being in Miami, naturally, what obsessed us yesterday were the Cuban variations of the croquette, handed down from Spain to the former island colony. In Spain, the classic version of the fritter consists of serrano ham combined with béchamel sauce and fried without breading. In Miami, the traditional Cuban croqueta is made with ham, heavily breaded and served often with saltine crackers, ketchup or lime. The croqueta is ubiquitous and served anywhere Cubans go a noshin' -- including bakeries and ventanitas (the window at a Cuban restaurant were coffee and finger food is served).

We must've scarfed down over a dozen croquetas each yesterday as nearly fifty of us convoyed the streets of Miami, checking out recipes at tried and true Miami establishments: Versailles, Islas Canarias, El Brazo Fuerte Bakery, Ricky Bakery and Gilbert's Bakery.

By show of hands, Ricky Bakery won the best croqueta award based on the following criteria:

• taste and texture of the traditional croqueta (ham only)
• taste and texture of a non-traditional croqueta (everything that wasn't ham -- chicken, cod, cheese, spinach, etc;)
• overall hospitality
  

Texture was key. The perfect croqueta expresses a delicate balance: it can't be too mushy on the inside, but it shouldn't be overly crunchy on the outside, either. Imagine a firm mattress that's still soft to lie upon without caving in -- that's what your mouth should experience when you bite into a croqueta.

We listened to PALO!'s music while riding around in our GM cars. Steve Roitstein, band founder, seen here assessing size and firmness. "Size does matter," he said, while biting into the codfish croqueta to make it the same size as the chicken. "I'll take whatever I can get," I replied.

For me, it was tough to choose. Versailles had a really tasty codfish croqueta (but please, spare us the tartar sauce). I also enjoyed the croqueta at Islas Canarias, made with flavorful sweet ham and delicious with a squeeze of lime. Unfortunately, El Brazo Fuerte didn't really do anything for me. A cheese croqueta is too much like a mozzarella stick and the sweet pastry cheese didn't go well with salty breading.

Islas Canarias has been family-owned for over 30 years. Many croqueta recipes are hand-me-downs from previous generations. The owner's daughter told us sweet ham was one of the ingredients, but she wouldn't reveal more.

Ricky Bakery's ham croqueta was just right, but the flamboyant and friendly host, who also boasts the most gorgeous pair of biceps and pecs this side of the Palmetto, fried up a delicious spinach variation that made me fantasize about a spicy curry dipping sauce. Such a thing may sound anathema in Miami, but hey, a croqueta can be anything you want it to be, provided it follows the basic recipe. Crazier things have been concocted in Miami kitchens. The cross-cultural, multi-ethnic, religion-defying Jewban Sandwich comes to mind.

The womenfolk and gay men in our crew really weren't influenced by Ricky's biceps and pecs at all. Really! We let our taste buds be the impartial judges.

Finally, full and about to pop a few seams, Gilbert's Bakery won my belly with a delicious variations on the traditional Cuban croqueta, including piquillo pimento (Spanish red pepper) and a vegetarian Romesco style served with almond aioli. After an overdose of ham croquetas, the flavors of Spain woke my palate up from its stupor. Gilbert's also gets props because Gilbert Jr., the original owner's son, spent time with us explaining the history of Spanish and Cuban influenced food.

Gilbert's Bakery offered delicious variations on the croqueta, influenced by traditional Spanish seasonings.

But back to the winner. At the end of the event, I won a prize for best croqueta tweet: "take a bite out of this meat, baby."

The croqueta king in all his sinewy glory. The ham wasn't bad, either.

Ricky should really be on the Food Network. What a personality!

The crawl crew. Photo by @miamishines.

Kudos to @lizawalton and GM in the Southeast for putting together a great event. It wasn't just about the food, of course, but about the joys of camaraderie. We shared heaps of it yesterday!

Trail of the Pirates: Biscayne Bay

Trail of the Pirates is a travel series exploring maritime history, culture and lore between Key West and St. Augustine on the east coast of Florida.

Back in October, I attended a lecture at the History Miami museum about Black Caesar, one of South Florida's legendary pirates. Nathan Samuels, a graduate student in Science Education and an Educator at the museum, told us all about this pirate who was renown for his fierceness, size and strength. Here's a summary of what I've learned from Samuels and others on my journey.

Yes, right here in our own Miami backyard, we have pirate lore that's worth a bundle. If you've ever gone boating in Biscayne National Park and navigated through Caesar's Creek, you know its namesake. The creek is a channel that provides access to the ocean and separates Elliott Key from Old Rhodes Key. The entire upper keys system of barrier islands forms a boundary around Biscayne Bay.

Caesar's Rock, a small island between the two keys, was supposedly one of Black Caesar's local lairs. Legend has it that he'd anchor on exposed stiff limestone, partially capsize the ship with water pumps, lower the mast and use camouflage -- all to avoid detection. Black Caesar and his crew would then lie in wait to ambush ships seeking refuge in the bay's calm waters. This could explain accounts of pirate ships "appearing out of nowhere" and why it was practical for pirates to have smaller and faster ships.

An aerial view of the area.

Legend also has it that he buried treasure on Elliott Key, but none has ever been found (or at least none has ever been officially reported). The idea of burying treasure is more of a pop culture notion than a practical reality. Seafaring life was dangerous, disease was rife and life expectancy was low. Saving your loot was pointless when each day could literally be your last.

Why do I keep saying "legend has it" and "supposedly"? Because Black Caesar may be more myth than fact. He could've been an African prince or tribal chieftain who escaped from Spanish slavers; other accounts speak of a mulatto slave who escaped from a Haitian plantation circa late 1700s. It's also possible that there were two -- if an earlier one inspired fear, a later one could adopt the same name. PR spin was important for pirates and just like celebrities today, they took advantage of reputation.

In a world where black skin meant a life of slavery, piracy was a real option of freedom. Pirate societies adopted principles of equality and democracy, which were even appealing to sailors under contract with a country's armed forces. A sailor's life was often difficult at best and hardly rewarding in terms of pay. Some sailors even deserted their commissions after they'd compare notes with pirates. Naval captains could be sadistic and draconian, whereas pirate captains were accountable to their crews.

So think about it: if you were black, which would you choose: a life of brutal slavery or the free life and camaraderie of piracy? I think the answer is obvious. And there were, in fact, many black pirates, according to Samuels. Ditto for sailors. Why put up with a jerk boss and crappy low-paying job when you could be a pirate?

Pirates had certain advantages over regular sailing operations. Because they would take navigational risks and lurk in uncharted waters, pirates could draw maps that were often more accurate than those drawn by official cartographers. Although sailors used celestial navigation techniques, it is a wonder anyone got around on water in a world without satellite imaging, depth finders and GPS.

The boardwalk at Biscayne National Park in Homestead. Most of the park is actually water and some of it may have been the site of Black Caesar's pirate domain. You don't need a boat to enjoy the boardwalk or the visitor's center at the park; it's well worth a visit.

Caesar's Creek with modern-day channel markers. Photo courtesy of Park Vision. Visit the link for some additional great photos of the area.

What ever happened to Black Caesar? No one is really sure. Depending on which Black Caesar you're talking about, he might've joined infamous Blackbeard's crew only to be caught, tried and hung to death in Williamsburg, Virginia. He may have also joined Jose Gaspar, another legendary pirate from the west coast of Florida, whose existence is also doubtful.

But the idea that pirates may have navigated Biscayne Bay is most likely true and hardly far-fetched. Florida's east coast was like the I-95 the Spanish Main. Every cargo vessel on its way back from the New World had to pass through the Florida Straits in order to take advantage of the Gulf Stream, the strong current that flows up the east coast on its way to Europe. It was practically a traffic jam out there and there are hundreds of shipwrecks along the coast to prove it.

So the next time you're on the water, or simply looking at it from any vantage point between Miami and the Keys, think about Black Caesar and all that might've happened out on Biscayne Bay. Even if he didn't exist, he's one of Miami's best legends.

INTERVIEWS

On my way up from Key West to Fort Lauderdale, I stopped at Biscayne Bay National Park and since I wasn't able to squeeze in an interview with Nathan on the same day, I cheated a little and met up with him at History Miami a few days prior to my trip. The two-part interview is about ten minutes long in total; if you're interested in pirate history, take time to check it out. The affable Nathan has much information to share!

If you haven't already done so, visit the permanent exhibit upstairs at History Miami. You'll find not only a section devoted to pirates, but also a whole range of information about South Florida from prehistory to the present day.

Interview with Nathan Samuels at Miami History Museum, Part 1





Interview with Nathan Samuels at Miami History Museum, Part 2



RANDOM FUN STUFF

Coming soon to Miami: an underwater Maritime Heritage Trail at Biscayne National Park, where you'll be able to explore six wrecks -- spanning nearly a century -- by snorkel or scuba.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Special thanks to Annie's Costumes, Visit Florida, The Pirate Republic Seafood Grill & Bar and Hyatt Pier 66 for supporting the Key West to Fort Lauderdale leg of the trip.

Miami - See It Like A Native, Enjoy It Like A Tourist

Of course, I had to live tweet the tour. This was my favorite observation.

As many of you know, I've been freelancing with Miami Beach 411 since 2006. Last year, several 411 contributors and I helped write and research a tour script for the company's latest endeavor -- Miami Tour Company. All of us who contributed were locals who had been living here for a long time. It was Miami as we saw it, peppered with historical facts and quirky trivia.

But in spite of this and the company's growing success -- they've recently added an additional bus -- I had never taken the tour I helped put together until last week!

You'd think that a jaded old Miamian like myself would be bored with a local tour, but actually I was pleasantly surprised. What separates this tour from others is that it's high-tech: a recording turns on according to specific GPS coordinates. In English, it's the pleasant voice of "Marjorie," who "reads" the script as the driver goes along the route. Also, this is not a kitschy, gimmicky script -- it's well-researched and while entertaining, gives a broad historical overview of the areas covered.

Jim, our affable and funny tour guide.

It's not just a recorded voice; our driver Jim supplemented the recording with his own humorous banter and nuggets of local knowledge. There's also music, which changes depending on the location of the bus and captures the flavor of each neighborhood.

The comfortable bus picked me up in front of Joe's Stone Crab. There were about thirty people and I could overhear voices in Portuguese, German, Japanese and Spanish. The couple sitting next to me had traveled all the way from Australia and I enjoyed conversing with them. One fella who chatted with me was a Londoner here for a geek conference.

We spent about an hour in South Beach, going up Washington Avenue, making a brief stop at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden and then traveling down Ocean Drive before heading out to Coconut Grove on the Macarthur Causeway. We then took I-95 to Bayshore Drive, checked out Vizcaya from the entrance and stopped by Mayfair for a 30 minute lunch break.

After lunch, in front of Miami City Hall, Jim regaled us with some very interesting stories about aviation history involving the former Pan Am Seaplane Terminal. We even caught a shoot of the TV show Burn Notice right in front of the Convention Center, which really thrilled some of the foreign tourists on the bus.

Don't forget to look up when you're at The Biltmore Hotel. It's one of the most beautiful ceilings in South Florida.

From there, we went down Ingraham Highway, passed The Kampong and headed to Old Cutler Road. We drove by the historic Pinewood Cemetery on Erwin Road, followed by additional Coral Gables exploration with some leg-stretching at The Biltmore Hotel. A brief stop at Venetian Pool segued into a Calle Ocho stop at Domino Park, where some of the tourists enjoyed a complimentary cortadito. From here, we concluded the Miami tour at Bayside, although some of the tourists continued on to the Everglades on the same bus.

After three and a half hours, we had covered quite a bit of territory and loads of information.

For me, it was interesting to travel down the same roads I see everyday while imagining what the experience must be like for someone who has never seen Miami. I usually avoid I-95 not because of traffic but because I absolutely love driving down Old Cutler from South Miami to get to Brickell or downtown. I never get tired of the lush, tropical canopy of trees. I hope the tourists on the bus could appreciate it for the first time just as much as I appreciate it every day.

I even learned something new: the location of the "secret" CIA boathouse in Coral Gables. Jim told us about it after giving us a brief history of Castro's takeover in Cuba. I can't tell you how many times I've driven over this bridge, clueless about the boathouse in plain view.

Little Havana is a little rough around the edges, but historically, it's a very important part of Miami.

The Miami City Tour is a fantastic way to familiarize yourself with many key areas of Miami west of Red Road (SW 57th Avenue) and of course, South Beach. It'll give you the lay of the land, which is practical for tourists and new residents. If you're a tourist, you'll glimpse points of interest that you might want to come back and visit, if you have time; and if you don't have time, at least you'll be able to say you saw some of Miami-Dade's most historic and beautiful areas. If you've recently moved into town, especially if you're beach-centric, the tour affords you a fresh look at the mainland and what's beyond the causeway.

For more information about the tour, pricing and schedule visit Miami Tour Company.

Ford Fiesta Third Mission - Miami Graffiti

July's Fiesta mission was one of our best local adventures yet! The theme was "style and design" and Brad and I were sort of scratching our heads figuring out what to explore, since Art Basel doesn't take place until December. But one day, while driving northbound on I-95 and passing the impressive graffiti wall on NW 23rd street, we realized there was some great Miami style and design right under noses!

I knew squat about graffiti before I started this mission, so I had to do a little digging. It just so happens that earlier this year, James and Karla Murray, part-time Miami residents, published a book called Miami Graffiti. The photographers, a husband and wife team, authored a comprehensive tome on the local graffiti scene, which has been active for about 25 years.

The back cover states: " . . . there's so much more to Miami than South Beach and Spring Break. . . . graffiti in Miami is wilder, more creative and vibrant than in most other cities throughout the world."

James and Karla have been following graffiti culture since 1990 and had already published two books about New York's scene when they discovered one of Miami's most famous graffiti spots, the Hialeah penit. This abandoned building, which has since been destroyed, was named so because it looked like a would-be penitentiary. The name stuck though -- now the term penit refers to any similar structure.

James and Karla continued to explore those areas of Miami off the beaten track and amassed a collection of graffiti photos over ten years; many of the original images are in film.

"The colors in Miami really grabbed us," Karla explained. "It's different than in New York. Colors there tend to reflect the dirty nature of the city. Artists use darker colors, like dark blues and purples. No one paints in hot pink or neon orange in New York. When we asked Miami graffiti writers why they used tropical colors, they told us that they didn't even realize they were doing something different. They had simply grown up with those colors."

In our early conversations, Karla was kind enough to hook me up with local grafitti writer Atomik, who met Brad and I one hot July afternoon at Culture Kings in the Design District. We spent the day checking out some of Miami's hottest graffiti spots (see below for specific locations) and learning everything we didn't know about the art form. Later that night, we headed to Transit Lounge's outdoor space, where Atomik spray painted a canvas that sold at auction.

I told Atomik his painting didn't have to be about the car or girly (like the flower graphics I had picked for the car), but in fact, his abstract work really captured the idea of movement and direction, as well as the curvy lines of the vehicle. The very act of painting itself was dynamic. It was a pleasure to watch Atomik go at it, deftly wielding the spray paint can.

The final painting by Atomik. You can really feel the energy that went into this painting.

I would've kept the painting myself, if I could! But instead a lucky guy picked it up for $100 (surely it was worth more than that). Part of the proceeds went to Transit Lounge's favorite charity and the rest to Atomik's pocket. The guy who brought the painting was hanging out with a lady friend. "It's going to look great in his Brickell bachelor pad," she said.

Atomik wasn't the only person who got creative that night. The outdoor space at Transit Lounge became one massive graffiti fiesta. We thought it would be fun to paint on the car, so Brad purchased an enormous semi-transparent plastic cover, but that really wasn't going to work out as well as we thought, because the cover wasn't actually as big as the car and even if it had been, it would've defeated the purpose of showing off the car.

The guys at Transit Lounge had an even better idea though -- they taped the cover on a wall and then everybody had a chance to try their hand at graffiti.

Ford Fiesta Agent Brad Schenck writing over other graffiti.

Well into the evening, the crowd buzzed with creative energy. Some of Atomik's graffiti writer friends showed up, but others who had never written participated too. I really loved this event because it was so interactive. People kept walking up to the wall, covering other drawings with their own. By the end of the night, every inch of that plastic sheet was covered with amazing blasts of color!

GRAFFITI 101

Most of us associate graffiti with vandalism and gangs, but it seems to me to be an art form that doesn't get enough respect. I learned a lot from the few hours spent tooling around Miami with Atomik. For example, graffiti artists are called writers instead of painters; a tag is your signature, which basically says "I was here."

Mind you, not all graffiti is illegal. Some business owners approve of designs (within the regulations of their municipalities), which has helped beautify some rather run-down parts of Miami-Dade. But even these so-called permission walls don't always last.

Miami graffiti writer Atomik stands proudly in front of his work. He's old enough to mourn the loss of Miami's beloved Orange Bowl icon, glorified here at a Wynwood wall.

Atomik is a soft-spoken, relaxed kind of guy who takes his work very seriously. I really enjoyed hanging out with him and respected how devoted he is to the art. He has been painting for fifteen years, since he was in his teens. "I've just always loved art," he told me. And indeed, it seems to come naturally to him, as he also does commercial and graphic design work. At the time of our graffiti tour, he was a member of the MSG crew (Miami Style Graffiti).

OUR TOUR
Next time you drive around Miami-Dade and see some graffiti, take a moment to really appreciate it!

Here are the locations that we visited. Click through to see pictures.

Little Haiti
Corner of NW 47th Terrace & NW 2nd Street at Little Haiti Hardware and Lumber store, side street wall by Siner, Zame and Cure.

Allapatah
NW 7th Avenue & NW 46th street, side wall of a convenience store, alien character theme by Freak and Theme.

Wynwood
NW 24th street in between NW 1st and 2nd avenue, mural by Retina from Los Angeles and The Mac from Arizona.

NW 24th street in between NW 2nd and NW 3rd avenue, empty lot, location of Miami Graffiti Book Jam in May 2009 (the paintings are on the interior side of the lot walls, so if the gate is closed, you might need to sneak in like we did -- it was closed, but not locked).

Wynwood/Overtown
NW 6th Avenue & NW 23rd street, The Wall of Fame done for Art Basel 2008, visible from I-95, featuring artists from all over the world.

Overtown
NW 2nd Avenue & NW 22nd street, abandoned warehouse (be careful at this location, it's a sketchy zone, right next to the projects).

WEBSITES
For a great collection of Miami graffiti photos indexed by writers or crews, visit www.miamigraffiti.com. The site also features a brief history and handy glossary.

EVENTS
James and Karla Murray are curating an impressive satellite event during Art Basel 2009, December 4-6. Graffiti Gone Global will feature urban street art from around the world at 3252 NE 1st Avenue, Suite 101, Midtown Miami. Sponsored by Sushi Samba.

THANKS
Don't forget to check out those who helped us on this mission: Atomik, James and Karla Murray and Transit Lounge. A special shout-out goes out to Transit staff for not only helping us on a busy night, but doing so with great enthusiasm! Transit regularly supports artists -- you can see paintings on the lounge's walls.

THE MISSION IN PICTURES

Ford Fiesta Second Mission - Geocaching

Spoiler alert: See the video BEFORE you read!



Earlier this month, Brad and I went on a geocaching mission that really helped us get to know some parts of town up close and personal. Geocaching is a modern-day sport, a hide-and-seek treasure hunt that utilizes GPS technology.

It's easy: get yourself a GPS device (Ford sent us a Garmin Nuvi), visit the geocache website, find some geocaches in the location of your choice, download the coordinates and go! There are literally hundreds of geocaches all over Miami-Dade County and if you ever got bored, you could start leaving your own.

A geocache is basically a plastic, waterproof container with stuff inside it like a log book and small trinkets, toys or other easily moveable objects. A travel bug is a toy or object that geocachers move around from one cache to another. You're encouraged (though not obligated) to leave something behind. The fun part is searching for the cache. Of course, finding it is even better!

In this sleuthing process, you're supposed to be subtle and discreet, avoiding the attention of muggles -- people who don't know about geocaching and might think you're nuts poking about in bushes and what not.

For our mission, I wanted to focus on geocaches in my neighborhood (South Miami/Coral Gables) but also take a little excursion down to Miami-Dade's agricultural zone, the Redlands.

We started at Riviera Park, a patch of green and Royal Poinciana trees across Publix, right near the border of South Miami by Red Road. We totally sucked at this one! The GPS put us right on the high-traffic corner of this urban area and it was impossible to be subtle. We did find that the City of Coral Gables left the phone switchboard WIDE OPEN for anyone to tamper with ... hello?

Next stop, historic Pinewood Cemetery on beautiful Erwin Road. An important pioneer family, the Wagners, lived nearby in the 19th century. The original home still stands, but I've yet to confirm with historian Dr. Paul George about its exact location.

Anyway, this lush area is home to one of Miami's first cemeteries. Old timer Miami folks, some of them even civil war veterans, rest here. The site has been beautifully preserved with native vegetation and features the live oaks festooned with clingy Spanish moss that are common around here. It's a lovely, peaceful place for a pleasant stroll in the shade. In case you get all creeped-out by the thought of walking over dead bodies, don't worry -- the tombstones are not particularly prominent and if you didn't know it was a cemetery, you might think it was a park. Here, tucked by the roots of a tree, we scored our first geocache -- but I won't tell you EXACTLY where it is!

(Note: At this point in the adventure, we figured out that when you get out of the car, you're supposed to change the settings on your GPS from automobile to pedestrian. This way, you'll get a far more accurate reading.)

Afterward, we headed to Pinecrest Gardens, the former grounds of Parrot Jungle. This FREE park is one of my favorite places in the world and one of Miami-Dade County's best kept secrets. The grounds are lavish -- all manner of tropical specimens, including a unique Talipot palm, as well as the biggest banyan tree you'll probably ever see (and walk through!) -- are just two of the main botanical attractions. We found our second geocache here, but again, I won't spoil the surprise. (It's bad enough we caught it all on video and camera.)

At this point, we had worked up an appetite and headed down to the Redlands for a key lime shake at Robert is Here. Brad also indulged in his favorite food -- boiled peanuts. We tried to find a geocache at the Everglades Outpost wildlife refuge, but didn't have any luck, so we went straight to El Nachito, a great, little inexpensive Mexican restaurant near Homestead Air Force Base. Tucked away in some nondescript mall, seemingly in the middle of nowhere (the area remains desolate after Hurricane Andrew), El Nachito is worth the trip for authentic, fresh dishes. (Read more about El Nachito over at Miami Beach 411.)

Geocaching or not, do yourself a favor and follow the same itinerary for a great day tooling around urban Miami's most densely forested region at little cost except for gas and food. Pinewood Cemetery and Pinecrest Gardens are two very special and FREE Miami locations for enjoying a beautiful, subtropical natural environment, in spite of the fact that both are located within residential neighborhoods. Trust me, after you see these locations you'll think South Beach is a barren concrete jungle! Also, skip the Turnpike and take Old Cutler Road down to the Redlands, too. Finish it off with some delicious Mexican food at an affordable mom-and-pop restaurant. If you go, tell the owner, an army veteran, that those crazy Ford Fiesta people sent you!

As for geocaching, I gotta tell ya, I'm hooked! And I'm definitely going to continue geocaching, even beyond the scope of this Ford project.



NOTES

June's Ford Fiesta mission theme was technology and as far as GPS is concerned, I'm sold. Even though I'm one of those persons with internal GPS (I have a great sense of direction), I use the device all the time now.

Other places to stop and enjoy greenery, but not free: Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden and Deering Estate. FREE: Matheson Hammock, including the nature trail on the west side of Old Cutler Road. Also, Pinecrest is not designated as an official Tree City USA for nothin' ... the title was awarded by the National Arbor Day Foundation.

Want to travel virtually? See a Qik video of Pinewood Cemetery I shot in March, unrelated to this mission.

By the way, my leg is doing much better! I'm off the cast and I've actually driven the car a few times, but I'll save that for another blog post.

Miami: Stop Complaining and Get Off Your Ass

The woman who made this also had a boot cast; she had broken her toe. We instantly bonded! She is an artist who works in mosaics and jewelry.

I typically don't like getting into politics, but when my friend Brad told me about the 100 Days of Obama event at Kafa Café in midtown Miami, I was more than happy to attend.

The event was free and a delicious Ethiopian food buffet, as well as drinks, were available at modest prices. Elastic Bond, a great local band, entertained us and Progressive Rags sold Obama merchandise.

Several non-profits were present to create awareness. They weren't after money; they were seeking a commitment of time. About 100 people attended the event and 265 hours of community service were pledged.

Ani Mercedes, an elementary school teacher who volunteered during the Obama election campaign, organized the event.

When I asked her if there was something special about getting politically involved in Miami, her answer was a resounding yes. "There is something special. We had a lot of field organizers creating connections in areas that were small, but extremely well organized," Ani explained. "That wasn't the case in other regions of Florida."

"After the campaign there were a lot of people looking for direction," Ani said. "There was so much energy left over."

All that energy, Ani believes, could be directed to continued efforts in volunteerism: "The organizations at the event have a sustainable, long-term impact on the community."

Here's a list of the organizations and causes that were present (the list and descriptions compiled from Ani's follow-up email):

Environment
ECOMB: Working towards the sustainability of our community’s natural environment.

Urban Development
Miami Workers Center: Working towards welfare reform, affordable housing, tenants and voter rights, racial justice, gentrification and economic development, and fair trade.

Political Activism
North Beach for Progress: Working toward the fair districting of Florida.

Homeless Youth
StandUp for Kids: Working to get homeless and runaway teens off the streets and into safe homes.

Global Poverty
One.org: Working to end extreme poverty and preventable diseases, particularly in Africa.

I'm very happy to see people like Ani, Brad and all the others representing their non-profits, working hard to make a difference. In my work as a forum editor at Miami Beach 411, I come across people who criticize Miami as a place without culture, full of a bunch of hedonistic, uneducated slobs who only care about fancy cars and who don't speak proper English.

Honestly, such criticism says more about the people doling it out than the city itself. It makes me wonder what circle they're hanging out in ... because it's certainly not mine and that of so many talented and smart people I know in Miami who are devoted to making this community a better place.

Volunteering is a great way to have a direct impact on your city, even if you aren't into politics. And besides, single ladies (and guys!) it's a GREAT way to make new friends.

Are you interested in getting involved? Check out the organizations above or visit Hands on Miami and Imagine Miami.

We've also been discussing volunteerism over at Miami Beach 411.