Swelter

One of the catered names of the evening in a philosophical mood, speculating about what Spalding Gray would make of celebrity invitee Dave Barry. The South Beach gang clinging together like survivors of a shipwreck, with the usual attitude clinches and talk of looming social possibilities: "Below Zero" at The Cave; the South Beach magazine debut party at the Century; the newest "Sweat Boyz" revue. Much speculation about the new women's support group, which will no doubt address the cruel fact that not one valid single straight male exists in the district.

Another trip to The Spot, an East Coast kick-off party for the Surf & Soul American Journey, sponsored by Life's A Beach Surfgear and organized by professional surfer/former Miamian David Kennedy. High concept, circa-Sixties stuff: a group of surfers touring the country in a psychedelic bus, working that whole surfer awareness thing. The Eighties/Nineties concept crashing in with the Names Project AIDS Memorial Quilt at the Miami Beach Convention Center, formally presented by Gloria Estefan this past Friday. The quilt serving as a prelude to the Community Alliance Against AIDS-sponsored "Heart Strings" show at TOPA June 23, followed by a "Celebration" party at Paragon. Lots of glamour and flash attached, but the quilt itself a very simple, deeply moving work of art. All those names and inscriptions, flowing together into one: sophisticated and crude, celebrated and anonymous, rich and poor. The ultimate equalizer, untimely death.