Thursday, October 22
Chelsea Clinton has come a long way since her time at the White House (those teen years aren't pretty for anyone — just imagine a whole nation watching your every prepubescent move).
These days, however, the youngest Clinton is a wife, mom, and changemaker. Specifically, she's vice chair of the Bill, Hillary, and Chelsea Clinton Foundation and focuses her time and attention on making the world a better place. Her new book, It's Your World: Get Informed, Get Inspired & Get Going!, is for the younger generation of idealists: a how-to guide for little ones who want to make a big impact. It's nothing if not motivating, with all kinds of stories about kids and teens who've done awesome stuff.
Now, Chelsea is bringing her uplifting attitude to Miami. At Books & Books in Coral Gables, your kids can meet the daughter of the former president, take pics (naturally, a #selfie), and get their tome autographed. Who knows? They might be inspired enough to start a path to the presidency, because we could use another Clinton in office, amirite?
The event kicks off Thursday at 6 p.m. at Books & Books (265 Aragon Ave., Coral Gables). One voucher costs $20.32, includes a copy of the book, and admits up to four family members to the signing. Visit booksandbooks.com.
Since arriving in Miami in 1992, Haitian-American artist Edouard Duval-Carrié has painted his stories into the city's own pool of Caribbean culture. Known for his innovative adaptations of traditional Haitian iconography, which he engages to address contemporary social and political conditions, Duval-Carrié enthralled Pérez Art Museum Miami visitors with his 2014 showing, "Imagined Landscapes." In the series of large-scale paintings and sculptures, Duval-Carrié used glitter glue to illuminate the lush tropical landscapes of his childhood. Now, local museumgoers will get a chance to hear from the artist during the Wolfsonian's Takeover Tour.
In addition to sharing his own work, Duval-Carrié will delve into the Wolfsonian's latest exhibition, "Philodendron: From Pan-Latin Exotic to American Modern," along with Wolfsonian curator Christian Larsen. "Philodendron" is a sprawling exhibition that charts the migration of tropical plants from their native habitats to North American and European gardens and interiors. By following the philodendron from the jungle to the home, the exhibition illustrates the myriad ways the plant shaped Western ideas of the tropics — becoming an evolving symbol for what is exotic, Latin, and modern. The collection includes objects created by indigenous Amazonian peoples; botanical drawings by Heinrich Schott, who first classified hundreds of philodendron species; and works by such artists and designers as Henri Matisse, Roberto Burle-Marx, Paulo Werneck, and Erdem.
The Takeover Tour starts Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Wolfsonian-FIU (1001 Washington Ave., Miami Beach) and costs $10. Call 305-531-1001, or visit wolfsonian.org.
Classic noir films are hard to come by these days. Often, television channels like AMC and TCM would run Bill Wilder or Humphrey Bogart movies on repeat. But now, the demand has dwindled among the masses, and classics like Double Indemnity and Casablanca are nowhere to be found (except in your DVD collection). This reason is exactly why Stephen Bogart, son of Bogie himself, decided it was time to start a film festival dedicated not only to his father's great works but also to the noir. "We just felt it was time to start to introduce my father and noir films to a new generation — and to please the fans, because you really can't get [classic noir films] anymore," says the younger Bogart. Three years ago, he organized the first Humphrey Bogart Film Festival, and this week, the festival returns to Key Largo. Aside from various panels and scheduled activities, like rides aboard the actual African Queen boat, there will be screenings of memorable films such as The African Queen, The Maltese Falcon, and, of course, Key Largo.
Tickets cost $10 for individual film screenings, but guests can also purchase a variety of festival passes that include entrance to multiple screenings and events. The festival runs daily until Sunday at various spots in Key Largo. For a full lineup of festival times, visit bogartfilmfestival.com.
Hailing from New York, the Nation Public Radio (NPR) true storytelling program dates back to 1997 and was created by poet and novelist George Dawes Green. He wanted to re-create the feeling of nights spent on porches on St. Simons Island, Georgia, where he and his friends told stories amid fluttering moths attracted to the light. "I still tell stories all the time, and I get letters from people all over the country talking about nights they hold with their families," says Green. "We do all sorts of venues — we've been on a boat, in a graveyard, all sorts of places at different times."
Now, there's a weekly podcast called Moth StorySlams, programs with high schoolers, and perhaps the most anticipated of all, the Moth Mainstage, which features "stories by luminaries in the arts and sciences, newsmakers and news breakers, and everyday heroes (and even a few reformed villains)." The live podcast taping will take place Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at the Olympia Theater. All net proceeds from the event go to support WLRN Public Media. Tickets cost $35 to $150. Call 305-374-2444, or visit olympiatheater.org.
Friday, October 23
It's October, which means one thing (no, not Halloween — duh): Breast Cancer Awareness Month. To help combat this terrible disease, everything from footballers' gear to Mike's Hard Lemonade (seriously) adopts a rosy hue. And at Miami Dade College, that includes improv.
PinkProv is an evening of improv entertainment with all proceeds benefiting breast cancer research — the American Cancer Society, in particular. The ridiculously funny Society Circus Players will take the stage to showcase their comic genius in a never-before-seen — and never-to-be-seen-again — show. In addition to the laugh riot, there will be drawings, prizes, and quite possibly some special guests. Besides, laughter is the best medicine, so show that cancer who's boss.
The doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7 Friday at Miami Dade College West Campus (3800 NW 115th Ave., Room 1102, Doral). Tickets cost $10. Visit mkt.com/symmagry.
Hipsters and good ol' boys alike will sing the praises of country legend Johnny Cash, but Cash would tell his fans to check out the Carter Family catalog. "The Man in Black" took a lot of cues from the Appalachian outfit. Hell, he married one of the band members' daughters.
A.P. Carter; his wife, Sara; and her cousin Maybelle are American icons who recorded between 1927 and 1956. The trio sits at the cornerstone of bluegrass, Southern gospel, pop, rock, and folk. Their straightforward approach to songwriting tackled many of humanity's most basic truths. Love, pain, family, loss, religion, and death were popular topics, leading to the long-lasting universality of the Carter Family's music.
In celebration of that music and in an attempt to bravely face the hardships of our own modern lives, Gramps, located at 176 NW 24th St., Miami, invites music lovers of all tastes and ages (21 and up, of course) to Carter Family Death Fest. Five local bands will tackle the Carter Family catalog with a follow-up set of old bluegrass recordings from DJ Spam. The party starts at 9 p.m. Friday, on the anniversary of "Mother" Maybelle's passing. Tickets cost $5. Call 305-699-2669, or visit gramps.com.
The popularity of anime in America has never been higher than it is today. The nerds behind South Florida's biggest comic-book convention, Florida Supercon, know this and return this fall with an old friend, Animate! Miami. Existing under different monikers on and off since 2007, Animate! Miami is the celebration of our favorite heroes and villains, princes and princesses, rock 'n' roll vampires, milkshake-shaped pathological liars, and the art forms that birthed them. The guest list includes cast members of Attack on Titan, Kill La Kill, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, Sailor Moon, and various Disney voice actors. And because no comic con would be complete without cosplay and costume contests (especially not one this close to Halloween), Animate! Miami features dozens of events, many involving cash prizes, for attendees to dress up in their best store-bought outfits (n00bs) or homemade artwork (better.)
Animate! Miami will be held at the Miami Airport Convention Center, 711 NW 72nd Ave., Miami, beginning Friday and running through Sunday. Doors open at noon on Friday and at 10:30 a.m. Saturday and Sunday. Three-day passes begin at $70, with options for two-day ($60) and single-day ($35) tickets also available. Call 954-399-1330, or visit animatemiami.com.
Although the Little Haiti Cultural Complex provides year-round events to shine the spotlight on Caribbean creativity — its monthly bash Big Night in Little Haiti is always a crowd pleaser — the Caribe Arts Fest is just the kind of big heritage celebration the city needs.
Marking its third year, the Caribe Arts Fest is a multigenre art festival celebrating the arts of the Caribbean and the Americas. Held this Friday to Sunday, the festival will showcase multimedia creations honoring the culture, essence, and creativity of the Caribbean, in addition to hailing the artistic diversity of Miami. Artworks from the Bahamas, Trinidad, Jamaica, and Panama to Haiti, Cuba, and Puerto Rico will be the stars of the festivities, coming together in a display of contemporary painting, photography, sculpture, performance arts, multimedia, and more. Visitors can also look forward to Caribbean food, workshops, music, literature, kids' activities, and live bands. Jamaican band and dub poetry group No-Maddz will perform on one of two stages, along with R&B/reggae band Alexander Star & the Golden People, reggae vocalist Kristine Alicia, and many more.
The Caribe Arts Fest starts Friday at noon at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex, 212 NE 59th Ter., Miami. Admission costs $10, $5 for students with ID, and is free for children 12 and under. Call 754-273-7166, or visit caribeartsfest.com.
One of Miami's greatest attributes is its cultural diversity, so why don't we celebrate it? Festival Miami sets out to do just that with a soundtrack as varied and colorful as the people in attendance, featuring performances from world-class orchestras, Latin musicians, children's musicians, jazz artists, and traditional American bands.
It's not a festival in the all-day, sweaty, porta-potty sense. Instead, Festival Miami spreads the engagement across October and November, so you can pick and choose the dates and shows that work for your busy schedule. Of course, Friday nights are reserved for real showstoppers, and this week puts three-time Latin Grammy winner and two-time nominee Natalia Lafourcade under the bright lights. She's hailed as "one of the most important songwriters of her generation," celebrated for songs including "Mujer Divina," "En el 2000," and her most recent release, "Hasta la Raiz." The album, also titled Hasta la Raiz, was inspired by her recent travels to South America and is already nominated for six Latin Grammy Awards, including Album of the Year.
The show starts at 8 p.m. at the UM Gusman Concert Hall, 1314 Miller Dr., Coral Gables, and tickets cost $30 to $40. Call 305-284-2438, or visit Miami.edu.
Saturday, October 24
The historic Deering Estate at Cutler is a hotbed of activity in October. Allegedly built in 1915 on tribal burial grounds and having seen the death of four workers in a dynamite blast during construction, Deering has long inspired locals' fascinated shivers. The estate has fully embraced its eerie mystique, holding annual "Spookovers" and ghost-story tours in which curious visitors explore the grounds and trace the supposedly paranormal activities of the place. While all this Halloween-inspired entertainment is a gold mine for fear-seekers, some Miamians prefer their autumn fun old-fashioned, with a touch of class. For a sophisticated yet festive night on the property, Deering welcomes locals to its signature annual fundraising event, Wine On Harvest Moon.
Under the glow of the harvest moon, visitors will celebrate America's fine wines and feast on cuisine specially prepared by top local chefs. Presented alongside Deering's latest exhibition, "Spells, Spirits, & American Lore," the event will treat guests to the macabre and mysterious with musical performances, haunting vignettes from American literary classics, a contemporary group art exhibit, and an auction. Exhibiting artists include Tom Virgin, Kari Snyder, Kathleen Hudspeth, Brian Reedy, and Barbara Rivera.
Wine On Harvest Moon begins Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Deering Estate (16701 SW 72nd Ave., Palmetto Bay). General admission costs $175, with proceeds from the event dedicated to the environmental conservation and historic preservation of the estate. Call 305-235-1668, or visit deeringestate.com.
Wednesday, October 28
With the Syrian refugee crisis, global warming on track to sink our city, and rising rent prices, we could all use a few belly laughs in our life. Enter Last Call Comedy Show at Wynwood Brewing Co. (the 2015 incarnation of the Moustache Ride Comedy Show at Lester's).
These Wednesday night laugh riots feature a hilarious host, plus five of the city's best comics. This installment is the last hosting turn for comedian darling Jessica Gross (one of New Times' 100 Creatives), so it's the session to see. The standup sensation will lead a lineup including Chris Zee, Regina Cecilia Castañeda, Kat Toledo, Dom Gelin, and Alex Morizio. Grab a cold, locally brewed beer, eat some mac 'n' cheese from Chef Teach House of Mac, and prepare to laugh your ass off.
The event kicks off at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Wynwood Brewing, 565 NW 24th St., Miami. Admission is free. Visit Facebook.com/YoMiami.