Tara Solomon Feature

More and more people seem to recognize you. You've become a celebrity. Has this been a goal of yours? Is this a form of success?

Not at all. It's not bad being recognized and certainly not unpleasant being popular, but if this were all taken away tommorrow for whatever reason, I would simply move on and do something else. I am an editor. I am a working person.

So what does local celebrity status really mean?
It means I don't have to wait in line, never pay a cover, rarely pay for my drinks. Bottom line, it makes it easier to go out. Truthfully, I never think of myself in those terms, in celebrity-type terms. I find it really superfluous and actually kind of silly. The whole notion of being "famous" is a little bit unsettling to me. I just love being part of the scene, and of course it's fun to be popular. But beyond the logistics of going out being easier, it also gives me an opportunity to meet people, to help promote people that live here. I'm a huge supporter of the arts on Miami Beach. We've got a gold mine of talent here and there are a lot of really talented artists that have international caliber, and it gives me a chance to write about them and get to know them and their talents, and help them achieve their goals.

Is being a celebrity more important than Florida's budget crisis or the Mideast peace talks?

Of course it isn't. But life is to be enjoyed, is to be celebrated despite what is happening in the political arena. World peace, a cure for AIDS, a cure for homelessness - these are paramount concerns that should be at the top of everyone's list. They are at the top of my list. However, everyday life can either be mundane or it can be jubilant. I prefer for my life to be jubilant.

How would you respond to people who say this is all a waste of time?
You mean people that are home in their living room in Gables Estates saying, "Oh, this misdirected young girl"? To each her own. One person may be utterly comfortable having a "normal," societally condoned job in corporate America, going out to dinner twice a week, and in bed by 10:00 p.m. That's simply not exciting enough for me.