Exotic beauties on display
Mike Gorman
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FRI 3/4In a way, orchids are a lot like models: delicate, temperamental, able to live off only water, and startlingly beautiful for five seconds before withering away. While Miami boasts beauties of both the botanical and buxom variety, only the former will be available to take home this weekend. You don't have to wade through the Everglades muck Orchid Thief-style to uncover that perfect bloom, as the 60th annual Miami International Orchid Show takes over the Coconut Grove Convention Center (2700 S. Bayshore Dr., Miami) today through Sunday. In addition to an exhibition of more than 500,000 orchids from over 200 growers, experts from around the world will be on hand to offer advice to lovers and collectors of the exotic flower. Interested in learning more about Mini and Compact Cattleyas or Dendrobiums? Wondering just how the hell you grow those crazy Tolumnias? Ready to go Tony Soprano on pests chowing on your beloved Phalaenopsis? Workshops addressing these topics and more will be conducted throughout the show. Tickets are ten dollars. Call 305-255-3656, or visit www.southfloridaorchidsociety.org. --Jessica Sick
Gamblin' Man
Know when to hold "em
FRI 3/4Yeah, sure, it benefits Here's Help, Inc., but the real juice behind the South Florida Poker Championship is that if you play out, all in, you could wind up with fifteen grand. Oh, and some kind of "coveted title bracelet," too. Texas Hold 'Em -- the popular poker game of the current era -- will be dealt in a series of qualifying events leading to a championship round aboard the Casino Princesa cruise ship on March 25. The winner of each tourney -- beginning with this one at Churchill's (5501 NE Second Ave., Miami) -- qualifies for the big showdown. At the "satellite events" you can buy in for $250 or $500. To participate sign up at www.sf- pokerchampionship.com. For more details, call 305-979-8450. --Greg Baker
Flipping Out
SAT 3/5The amalgamation of Eastern and South American philosophy goes past the Peruvian sushi dish you'll find at Sushi Samba or its contemporaries. It is a mindset permeated into culture, and martial arts is no exception. Brazilian jiu-jitsu relies on leverage and ground technique to subdue opponents, no matter their girth. In tournaments like the Ultimate Fighting Championships, pay-per-view audiences gaped when scrawny Royce Gracie defeated trained martial arts experts thrice his size. Subsequently, the Gracie family dojos have exploded across the globe with ass-kicking centers from Miami to Barcelona. Royce's coach, Professor Royler Gracie, will conduct a grappling workshop today from 2:00 to 4:00 at Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Miami, 3165 NE 163rd St., North Miami Beach. The class costs $75. Call 305-354-2060, or visit www.graciemiami.com. -- Kris Conesa
