Kick Start

German soccer riles fans

FRI 8/6
There is no end to soccer. Once one championship is won, a new one appears. National teams keep fans fixed on a four-year cycle that leads to the World Cup. In between, professional soccer leagues have soccer nuts painting their faces and screaming.

Tonight fans of German Fussball will be celebrating the start of their much-cherished Bundesliga, when the green-and-gold players of Werder Bremen face off against the royal blues of Schalke 04.

In case you don’t know about the BL, Werder Bremen is premiering a new star, Angelos Charisteas, a member of the Greek national team (who walked away with the European Cup this summer). “Harry,” as Werder fans call him, is getting as much attention in the Deutsche press as Ricky Williams has generated in Miami.

The opening game pits the mighty Greek against Schalke 04, the winners of the Intertoto Cup. Star midfielders Niels Oude Kamphuis and Christian Poulsen promise to harry the golden Harry.

See what happens when Fritz & Franz Bierhaus (60 Merrick Way, Coral Gables) hosts a kickoff party. The fun starts at 3:00 p.m. Call 305-774-1883. – Juan Carlos Rodriguez

Heated Exchange

Dealing with summer swelter

SAT 8/7
The large number of people who suffered heat exhaustion in front of a Coral Gables bookstore recently while waiting for Bill Clinton to autograph their book makes it clear that humans don’t excel at staying cool. Light-colored clothing, a fan, water, and an umbrella might have protected against scorching temperatures. Maybe we could all learn a little about not swooning in front of ex-presidents from our friends in the animal kingdom. Keep Your Cool, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at Miami Metrozoo (12400 SW 152nd St.), will cart you around and tell you the secrets of how tortoises, monkeys, and even elephants stave off sweat. Admission is $20 for one adult and one child. Call 305-251-0400 to register. – Nina Korman