Two thousand six has begun as a rainbow striped banner year for gay films. At the recent Golden Globes ceremony, Brokeback Mountain scored an incredible four awards, placing Ang Lee’s poignant cowboy love story in prime position for Oscar night. That’s great for the fellas, but what about ladies who…

The culinary stock of Coconut Grove is on the rise. Sure the verdant, touristy district still has family-friendly restaurants like Johnny Rockets and Cozzoli’s, but newer establishments, like Berries, Ginger Grove, and Jaguar Ceviche Spoon Bar, are making the trip down Grand Avenue worthwhile for gourmands. If you haven’t yet…

The sun is shining, the sky is blue, and a refreshing breeze brings the scent of honey roasted peanuts to your nose. Ah, outdoor festival season. Welcome back; we missed you. Get your leisurely stroll on at the fifteenth annual Aventura Arts and Crafts Festival. More than 200 artists and…

There’s certainly nothing wrong with a little rum or tequila, but for hard liquor with the kind of distinct character and subtle flavors most connoisseurs come to expect from fine wine, you gotta go for the grains. Look no further than Japanese sake. The fermented rice brew is a vital…

Would you argue that mall walking should be considered a legitimate sport? Do you believe dreams can come in a little brown bag? If you answered yes, you might be a shopaholic, and your experience today at Bloomingdale’s biggest annual charity event, The Shopping Benefit, will feel like a wonderful…

Chantal Blanchard is happy to be here. As publicist for Cirque du Soleil’s visiting extravaganza Varekai, she travels with the circus, which typically means staying in miserably cold cities for weeks at a time. “I’m sitting on wonderful South Beach,” she laughs. “Miami is one of those cities where you…

With its Latin spice and sultry clime, Miami has earned a reputation as being a hot city. The people at Gen Art couldn’t agree more. The culture nourishing group is about to launch its Ignite event in the Magic City for the first time. “We see it as a groundbreaking…

Stockbroker Irvin Rosenfeld is a fast talking, no nonsense businessman. He handles millions of dollars in transactions during the week, and his playtime is spent at sea, sharing the joys of sailing with disabled people as part of the Shake A Leg foundation. Rosenfeld isn’t exactly the kind of person…

The truth is as obvious as the blue tarped roofs that still dot the local landscape: Miami took a serious beating from Hurricane Wilma. Nobody knows it better than Lolo Reskin and Sara Yousuf, the cool chicks who own Sweat Records. Their store had become a bastion of everything indie…

When isn’t there a party at the hotels on South Beach? It seems every weekend crowds of beautiful people spill out of chic lounges and into the busy streets. This weekend the party atmosphere will take over Ocean Drive completely. Ladies and gents, welcome to the 29th annual Art Deco…

Darryl Counts has been putting on The Show — An Old School Step Show for the past three years. But this year the event coordinator is particularly psyched. The performance fundraiser used to be held in a smaller venue, Florida Memorial University. “We sold out. We had to turn people…

Take time to smell the strawberries on Rob’s Redland Riot, a fruity, tropical history tour. Get off Miami’s beaten path and head way down south, where urban sprawl makes way for U-pick farms. Sip shakes at Burr’s Berry Farm, admire the flora at R.F. Orchids, nibble a sticky bun at…

According to Chiquita, bananas are quite possibly the world’s most perfect food. The banana’s thicker-skinned brother, the plantain, is arguably the world’s most versatile. Ripe ones fried with sugar are known as amarillos or maduros. When fried green and pounded flat into disks, they are called tostones and are often…

This week’s South Beach Comedy Festival means a veritable who’s who of funny people will be invading the city with a slew of almost sold-out events. Well, our local comedians deserve some love too, and they’re taking the plunge by launching their first full-length DVD. The Miami Comics: Back in…

The funky urban Nineties sketch comedy show In Living Color was a springboard to fame for a number of its stars. But for every Jim Carrey and Jamie Foxx there’s a David Alan Grier or Tommy Davidson — an equally talented comedian whose breakthrough moment hasn’t yet arrived. Davidson made…

The media’s depiction of Africa surprisingly has changed little over the past century. But Africa is so much more than the wretched images of hungry, bare-breasted women and mysteriously menacing tribesmen. The curators at the Lowe Art Museum are presenting the exhibits “Imaging and Identity: African Art from the Lowe…

In a town where hip bars with flat-screen TVs come a dime a dozen, one neighborhood haunt has the secret to longevity. Fox’s Sherron Inn has been open since 1946. “Every customer feels like they’re in their own home. The ambiance makes them feel like that,” explains Eva Andrews, part…

Getting your hair done at a luxe salon feels refreshing to the spirit but distressing to the pocket. Now the adventuresome can sport chic styles for a fraction of the price by standing in as hair models at the Vidal Sassoon Miami Education Center. This establishment has been called the…

A night of drinking in Coconut Grove can feel like some kind of extreme sports competition. The rickshaw dudes pop wheelies, testing their passengers’ fluid-retention skills. Down the street at the Tavern, University of Miami students seem to be competing to see how many people can fit into a bar…

Jude Papaloko’s Jakmel Art Gallery is well established in the Haitian community as a bastion of vodou-inspired art and music. Now the proprietor wants to embrace the many other cultures that make Miami such a deliciously diverse place to live. “We want to offer something for everyone in the community…

Sure, the December weather can get nippy, but one of the best things about Miami living is that no matter how “cold” it gets, it’s always pleasant enough for an outdoor barbecue. Leave the charcoal and lighter fluid behind and head over to Roger’s Waterfront Bar and Grill for happy…