Thursday, January 28
Since his debut in 2003, Major League Baseball's José Miguel Cabrera Torres has become a two-time American League Most Valuable Player (MVP) , a four-time AL batting champion, and a ten-time MLB All-Star. He has played at first and third bases for most of his major-league career and claimed the 17th Batting Triple Crown in 2012, the first to do so in 45 seasons. The Venezuelan-born athlete's achievements inspire people worldwide, but his effect on young people will become his legacy. Through Cabrera's efforts in the Miguel Cabrera Foundation, kids and teens throughout the United States can learn the benefits of participating in baseball. The foundation's two main activities — revitalizing baseball fields in schools and neighborhoods so athletics can be used as a catalyst for student engagement and achievement, and providing academic scholarships — ensure that generations of students will be offered opportunities to better their educational futures through the beloved sport. Supporters of the foundation's mission can contribute to the cause and celebrate at the Miggy Ball Gala this Thursday at the Café at Books & Books inside the Adrienne Arsht Center (1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami).
The evening includes an open bar, a photo opportunity with Cabrera, and live and silent auctions. VIP guests can also meet Miguel Cabrera, access a private area with a top-shelf liquor bar and a cigar and whiskey lounge, and take home exclusive gift bags. The gala begins at 7 p.m. Tickets cost $175 per person for general admission and $250 for VIP. Visit miggy24.com.
Let's get real: The toughest of tough guys had gut-wrenching reactions to Pixar's massive animated hit Finding Nemo. It tells the story of overprotective clownfish father Marlin who, along with the forgetful tang Dory, searches for his abducted son Nemo all the way to Sydney Harbour. The 2003 box office sensation remains one of the most beloved American animated features. So it comes as no surprise that Pérez Art Museum Miami has selected the hit to kick off its sea-themed film series, Sea Movies at PAMM, beginning this Thursday.
Nemo lovers of all ages are invited to catch the screening, where guests can claim seats on the Bayside Stair or bring a blanket and cuddle up on the PAMM Beach while enjoying the movie under the stars. Dogs are allowed in outdoor areas.
Finding Nemo and future sea-themed movies are free with general museum admission, which is $16 for adults. Showtime is 7 p.m. at Pérez Art Museum Miami (1103 Biscayne Blvd., Miami). Space is limited, and prepurchase is highly recommended. Admission does not include food and drink. Call 305-375-3000 or visit pamm.org.
Raising environmental awareness in the most tasteful of ways, the Great Lawn at the Miami Beach Botanical Garden will transform into a culinary mecca with more than 20 chefs and restaurants at the 11th-annual Taste of the Garden. During the event, guests will sample small bites, cocktails, and sweets alfresco, enjoy live entertainment, and have the chance to place bids at a silent auction. Proceeds benefit the Miami Beach Garden Conservatory's mission to preserve and protect urban green space and the Garden Club's environmental education initiatives.
Taste of the Garden begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Miami Beach Botanical Garden (2000 Convention Center Dr., Miami Beach). The event will take place rain or shine. Complimentary valet parking is available. Tickets cost $90 per person. Visit mbgarden.org.
As the late, great David Bowie says in one of his coolest tunes: "Fashion! Turn to the left. Fashion! Turn to the right. Oooh, fashion!" That's because fashion is pretty damn exciting. The folks at Fashion Project, Bal Harbour Shops' cultural space, are well aware of that fact and are here to dish out more and more fashion in film for interested audiences.
Months after its Dressing Down the Movies series with Nat Chediak, Fashion Project is hitting us with another film festival— this time on a smaller scale but with no shortage of films and events. This complimentary four-day film fest, taking place Thursday through Sunday, is titled Wearing Time: Returns, Recalls, Renewals and is co-curated by Tom Gunning and Marketa Uhlirova. It'll focus on fashion's connections with the present and future — how film and fashion together evoke and reflect on the past.
Thursday's opening night will feature two events back-to-back: an introduction to the festival by Kate Sinclair titled "Fashion in History," followed by a program of nine shorts.
All screenings and talks in the series are free and take place at Fashion Project, Bal Harbour Shops, Level 3 (9700 Collins Ave., Bal Harbour). Visit fashionprojectbhs.com.
Friday, January 29
While Miami's club scene remains firmly rooted in a seemingly endless cycle of vodka-cranberries, the ever-growing bar-and-lounge landscape continues to evolve cocktail culture in the 305. And thanks to the renowned Regent Cocktail Club, local spirits enthusiasts can learn the Art of Crafting Cocktails. Featuring bimonthly classes, the Regent invites locals to learn from its talented team of bartenders, who offer a comprehensive introduction to fundamental bartending techniques and etiquette. Each class presents a featured spirit and special guests from the selected brands sharing firsthand insights about the premier liquor.
This Friday, class participants will leave with a greater knowledge of cocktail recipes, methodology, and the history behind the featured spirit, Avión tequila. As guests discern the different flavors of spirits, they will learn what it pairs best with and the techniques to prepare a perfect cocktail at home. Appetizers, provided by Dolce Italian, will complement the tastings.
The Art of Crafting Cocktails begins Friday at 7 p.m. at the Regent Cocktail Club (1690 Collins Ave., Miami Beach) and costs $85 per person. Call 786-975-2555 or visit regentcocktailclub.com.
For too many Miamians, cultural experiences extend only as far as Wynwood Walls and free Thursdays at Pérez Art Museum Miami. This city has some serious history, and there's no better place to bask in the origins of the 305 than Calle Ocho. Instead of strolling SW Eighth Street on a random afternoon, however, make your way to Friday's Viernes Culturales. The festive monthly fete has all the ingredients for an iconic Cuban-inspired evening. Think domino games, cigar rollers, and dancing.
This month's edition has something extra special: a gallery exhibit showcasing memorabilia from the Miami Police Mounted Patrol where you can check out classic black-and-white shots of cops on horseback. Plus, there will be local arts and crafts, live music, and other forms of sensory stimulation. Now is your chance to understand this fickle city a bit better (because she's more than sand and suntans).
The event is free and takes place from 7 to 11 p.m. on Calle Ocho between 13th and 17th avenues. Visit viernesculturales.org.
Saturday, January 30
Location doesn't matter for the third-annual Miami Beach Jazz Festival. The fest's closing-night event doesn't actually take place in the island city, but that's OK. With the global theme "A World of Jazz," the celebratory performance will feature musicians from Latvia, Brazil, Austria, Israel, and the United States. Founded by Carmen J. Cartiglia in 2013, the festival has since grown to encompass a week's worth of jazz concerts taking place at numerous traditional and unlikely venues throughout Miami and Miami Beach. Additionally, this year marks the inaugural sessions of the Miami Beach Jazz Academy — a weeklong training program for student musicians 13 and older.
The final event of this four-day fest will take place Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Olympia Theater (174 E. Flagler St., Miami). Tickets cost $45 for general admission and $150 for VIP, which includes mezzanine seating, valet parking, access to an open bar, and a gift bag. Call 305-374-2444 or visit olympiatheater.org. Read more about the Miami Beach Jazz Festival on page 42.
One of South Florida's favorite pastimes is arguably tailgating. Gathering in large groups and drankin' outdoors is wholly inviting. Now turn that idea inside out (or outside in) for the Miami Beer Festival, which brings the art of tailgating indoors to Marlins Park.
Previously held at Sun Life Stadium, the drinking fest, now in its fourth year, will showcase a slew of local, national, and international beers, including Funky Buddha, Sam Adams, and Guinness. The fest will also feature food trucks and DJs to help us sweat and sober up.
Tickets cost $40 for general admission and $50 for VIP, the latter allowing attendees to spend some more quality time with specialty beers presented one hour earlier.
Let the beer flow like wine this Saturday at Marlins Park (501 Marlins Way, Miami). Gates open at 5 p.m. for VIP ticketholders and 6 p.m. for general admission. Food and parking are not included in the price. Visit miamibeerfestival.com.
Tuesday, February 2
One of Miami's favorite festivals is back for another grimy, raucous, bizarro, blink-and-you'll-miss-it good time. The International Noise Conference (INC), now in its 14th year, is a five-day shitstorm of more than 150 bands furiously powering through a sometimes chaotic, sometimes quiet 15-minute set at Churchill's Pub (5501 NE Second Ave., Miami). Arranged by onetime Marilyn Manson & the Spooky Kids audio engineer Frank "Rat Bastard" Falestra, INC showcases a flurry of South Florida bands (and some national acts) in an effort to explore all the corners of noise rock, psych rock, and performance art.
Get your mind and eardrums blown at the 2016 International Noise Conference, hosted by Churchill's Pub, beginning this Tuesday. Admission all five nights, Tuesday through Saturday, is free. The fest is restricted to those 18 or older, and doors open each night at 8. Visit squelchers.net or churchillspub.com.
Motown: The Musical is bringing some soul to the Arsht Center. The Tony-winning Broadway musical broadly tells the story of America's best (and favorite) music: the unmistakable rhythm and blues of artists such as Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, and the Temptations. Specifically, Motown: The Musical traces Motown Records' Berry Gordy's personal history. Born and raised in Detroit, the famed record label owner, songwriter, and producer is inextricably linked with the sounds of the city. And in turn, those songs — including "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "I Want You Back," and "Do You Love Me" — went on to define a generation of pop culture and sounds. Of course, the show's plot is not without its share of strife, but when every song is a sing-along, it's hard to get too down.
Boogie your way to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts (1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami) this Tuesday for the opening-night performance, beginning at 8 p.m. The show runs through February 7. Tickets cost $29 to $150. Call 305-949-6722 or visit arshtcenter.org.
