november 5
This year's Easter Seals Festival of Chefs promises to be about more than just tantalizing your tastebuds. The event, which raises awareness and funds for children with disabilities, will feature unlimited amounts of good eats from restaurants such as Los Ranchos, Cafe Beethoven, Diego's, and Cafe Tu Tu Tango. But this year organizers have added something to stimulate your eyes and ears as well: a harp concert by Uruguay native Shirley Dominguez and an art exhibition titled "The Facets of My Soul" by Colombian artist Gustavo Duque. The festivities, which also include a not-so-silent travel auction, begin at 6:00 p.m. in the Sky Lobby of the NationsBank building, 100 SE Second St. Tickets cost $50. Call 305-325-0470. (NK)
friday
november 6
Nice to know that Cuban bands aren't the only ones who have visa problems. The guys from the Spanish group Radio Tarifa can commiserate with their fellow musicians. The band, which creates its distinctive sound by blending energetic flamenco guitars and vocals with exotic Moroccan rhythms, were set to perform a couple of dates in Miami a few weeks ago but at the last minute got stuck without visas to get into the United States. The folks at the Miami Light Project swear up and down that Radio Tarifa will make it here this time. We tend to believe them. Showtimes are 8:00 and 10:00 tonight at the Lincoln Theater, 541 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach. Tickets cost $20. Call 305-576-4350. (NK)
If you're tired of the typical hip-hop scene -- homies wearing Hilfiger drooping off their behinds, prancing around onstage grabbing their personals, and laying down raps about how many Benjamins, cars, or ho's they have -- the Black Eyed Peas can save you. The multiethnic, lyrically positive Peas inhabit a jazzy place somewhere between PM Dawn and the Digable Planets. They're making their first South Florida appearance as a part of the Progression Session tour, which pulls into Salvation (1771 West Ave., Miami Beach) tonight at 10:00 and also features L.T.J. Bukem, Tayla, DRS, Blame, MC Conrad, Kimball Collins, Jon Bishop, and DJs Stryke, Duncan, D-Luv, and Snowhite. Tickets cost $15 in advance and $20 at the door. Call 305-673-6508. (LB)
saturday
november 7
The news that the Shops at Sunset Place (that looming behemoth plunked on South Dixie Highway and Red Road) will not be open in time for the hectic Christmas shopping season is a last hurrah of sorts for the South Miami Art Festival. One more pleasant year without the stiff competition of a retail amusement park next door. Festival honchos may not care (they recently renamed their event the Shops at Sunset Place South Miami Art Festival in honor of their big new sponsor), but we do. We prefer a kinder, gentler event, which is what will take place for the last time ever from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. today and tomorrow on Sunset Drive between Dixie and Red. More than 150 artists and craftsmen from across the country, working in mediums such as oils and acrylics, film, jewelry, ceramics, watercolors, glass, and wood, will hawk their wares. Incan group Runa Pacha and sitarist Stephan Mikes will provide musical entertainment (a first this year). Admission is free. Call 305-661-1621. (NK)
Admit it: Nothing turned you on more in the Eighties than the sight of an anguished Steve Perry screaming his head off to the song "Separate Ways" on MTV. The slick ballads, the nonstop histrionics, the perfectly feathered hair. Ahhh, Journey, the class act of power-pop bands. You owned every album. You could easily hum the hooks to "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'," and "Don't Stop Believin'." (You often wondered what they had against using the letter "g" in song titles.) In 1988, when they broke up, you squeezed into your black leather pants and secretly mourned. Two years ago, when Mariah Carey revived their hit "Open Arms," you had a glimmer of hope. Could it be? Could they really get back together one day? Quick, get to the thrift store and buy back those pants. Your wish (albeit a Steve Perry-less one) comes true tonight at 8:00 and tomorrow at 7:30 at the Sunrise Musical Theatre, 5555 95th Ave., Sunrise. Tickets cost $25.75 and $35.75. Call 954-741-7300. (NK)
sunday
november 8
An array of Latin superstars including Enrique Iglesias, Shakira, Chayanne, Cristian, Jose Feliciano, Carlos Ponce, Jose Jose, Raul DiBlasio, Alvaro Torres, Mijares, Pimpinela, Chris Duran, La Mafia, Luis Angel, and more perform at the Concierto de Amor to help celebrate the third birthday of radio station WAMR-FM (107.5). Tickets cost five dollars. Showtime is 1:00 p.m. at Hialeah Park and Race Course, 2200 E. Fourth Ave., Hialeah. Call 305-447-1140. (NK)
monday
november 9
We remember her mostly for her flaming red hair and the zany sense of humor she showed off during her numerous appearances on the TV game show Match Game in the Seventies, but Fannie Flagg is also renowned for a few other things: acting; writing for TV, film, and theater; and most notably writing novels. She wrote the best-selling Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe and has now published Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!, the story of rising TV star Dena Nordstrom and the odd cast of characters who surround her. Tonight at 8:00 Books & Books sponsors a reading by Flagg at the Coral Gables Congregational Church (3010 De Soto Blvd., Coral Gables). Admision is free. Call 305-442-4408. (NK)
tuesday
november 10
The Cuban bands just keep coming to town. Tonight NG La Banda performs at the Cameo Theatre, 1445 Washington Ave., Miami Beach. See "Music," page 89, or call 305-532-0922 for details (NK).
wednesday
november 11
Try to stifle those giggles when you hear this, but the topic is "Miami, Politics, and Ethics" (ahem, notice which comes last?) when Joe Centorino, chief of the public corruption unit in the State Attorney's Office, and Bennett Brummer, Miami-Dade Public Defender, are welcomed as the featured speakers at the Pursuit of Happiness Lecture Series at 6:00 tonight in the Fascell Conference Center on MDCC's Kendall Campus, 11011 SW 104th St. The series will look at happiness from a multitude of perspectives. Hmmm, how about the jailed-politician perspective? Admission is free. Call 305-237-2148. (NK)
The FLA/BRA festival continues its tradition of bringing an incredible Brazilian musician to town for an intimate concert at the Coral Gables Congregational Church (3010 De Soto Blvd., Coral Gables). Last year it was Brazilian superstar Baden Powell. This year it's the legendary Jo‹o Bosco. Born in Minas Gerais, a region that has spawned many other musicians, Bosco graduated from college with a degree in engineering but couldn't tear himself away from music. He subsequently wrote songs that were recorded by top Brazilian singers such as female vocalist Elis Regina, who made dozens of his tunes into hits. (Amnesty International adopted her rendition of Bosco's "O Boado e Equilibrista" as its theme song.) In addition to writing songs, Bosco also performs. Since 1972 he has released nineteen eclectic albums, highlighting his never-ending search for a new sound. Hear Bosco alone with his guitar at 8:00 p.m. Tickets cost $25 and $35. Call 305-324-4337. (
