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The Miami FC announced on Wednesday that Head Coach Nelson Vargas has assumed the role of Executive Director for the club’s Youth Academy. Along with his first team duties, Vargas will also focus on assisting the growth of the Miami FC Youth Academy. The appointment of Vargas as Academy Executive Director will see him join his First Team assistant coaches Paul Crichton, Chris Spendlove and Anthony Hazelwood, who were all named Academy Technical Directors back in June of this year. With all four coach holding USSF A-Licenses, the Miami FC Youth Academy will take a vast leap in professionalism, aligning its curriculum with that of the First Team. “Miami is a city that means a lot to me and growing the game right here in the heart of this community is my top priority,” said Vargas. “It’s extremely important our Youth Academy is aligned with our First Team, which is why all our Assistant Coaches and myself have decided to take a prominent role with both. I couldn’t be more excited for this amazing opportunity and my goal is to provide continued success both at the professional and Academy level.” Vargas has been with the club since before the 2018 NPSL season, where he has helped the team capture multiple trophies. He was appointed head coach of Miami FC in November 2019 after Paul Dalglish moved to the General Manager and President role. “There is no better fit to help guide and grow our Academy than Nelson,” said Dalglish. “Nelson is an important figure in the Miami soccer landscape, having played professionally in the area and also more recently having been involved with several important local youth clubs. This announcement is yet another important step in growing our Youth Academy and aligning its vision with that of the First Team.” An accomplished soccer player, Vargas began his career by rising through the youth ranks of Standard Liège in Belgium. He was drafted by the MLS' Tampa Bay Mutiny in 1996, and played there for two seasons, before joining Miami Fusion in 1998. He played three seasons with the Fusion and made 54 appearances for the side. During his career, Vargas also made four international appearances for the U.S. men's senior national team, including being a member of the 1996 Olympic Squad. After retiring, Vargas’ career focused on youth soccer and growing the game. From 2007 to 2009, Vargas was a coach for the U.S. Olympic Development Program, while also being an Academy Scout for U.S. Soccer. After his time with U.S. Soccer, Vargas became Director of Coaching for Miami Rush Kendall SC, a position he held from 2009 until 2019. The Miami FC Youth Academy is holding tryouts at Tamiami Park this upcoming week from Monday, July 27 to Thursday, July 30. To learn more about tryouts or to secure your spot, click here. By ML Staff. Courtesy of Miami FC

For some, protein powders are a go-to source of fuel. But are they healthy? When you think about the benefits of protein powders, it’s easy to understand why protein powders are gaining popularity. Fitness enthusiasts like the the muscle-building boost of protein. The supplements can help older adults maintain their muscle mass, which can help them manage an illness. Basically, people get help muscle-building without all the fat, carbs, and other fillers that come from many foods. However, there is research that suggests protein powders may not be all they’re cracked up to be. In fact, some of them could potentially be harmful. “One common issue is that you often don’t know if you’re getting what you’re buying,” said Jason Stevenson, a registered dietitian and board-certified sports dietitian at the University of Miami Health System. In a 2018 study, the Clean Label Project found that 74% of the products tested had detectable levels of the heavy metal cadmium, while 70% contained lead. BPA, another potentially harmful chemical, was also found in 55% of the powders tested. Arsenic was also detected in some of the powders. Of the products tested, the ones derived from plant-based proteins seemed to have the highest levels of heavy metals, while those made mainly from egg-based or whey protein had the lowest. Considering some levels of heavy metals in the soil, as well as plants that grow in that soil, are natural, several protein powder manufacturers have said that the levels found in their products should be considered normal. Are protein powders harmful? “In general, protein powder consumption is safe, but some people think more is better,” Stevenson says. Evidence suggests that certain types of protein can hinder athletic performance by producing excess ammonia, which results in fatigue. "Excess protein may also tax the kidneys, and the result is a more acidic environment called metabolic acidosis," he says. "Although this is more likely to occur in individuals with an existing kidney disorder, I often see consumption of protein powders offsetting the consumption of other healthy, more alkaline-based foods such as fruits and vegetables.” Protein powders still have their place in a healthy diet. The key is to use them at the right times and in a responsible manner. “The main benefit of using protein powders is that it helps fitness enthusiasts and athletes meet their protein requirements, when normally it would be difficult to obtain through eating alone,” he says. “Some athletes expend so much energy during training; they cannot eat enough to recover. Protein powder helps narrow the gap.” When it comes to the older population, 1 in 3 adults over the age of 50 was not getting enough protein into their diets. This could be due to reduced appetite, dental issues, impaired taste, swallowing problems, or limited financial resources. Some people simply may not think about how much protein they eat (or how much they aren't eating). But, protein maintenance is part of a healthy diet. Adults who are in the hospital, or who have chronic or acute illnesses, need more protein to maintain muscle when their bodies are facing additional stress. “For the older population, our general assessment is always to look at protein intake versus what they need,” Stevenson said. “Their protein needs are based on weight, pre-existing medical conditions, activity level, and a number of other factors.” The amount of information online can be overwhelming. Conflicting advice about what types to take, and how much or how often to take it, confuses people, he says. If you need a place to start, talk to a physician, especially if you have a pre-existing condition. Which protein powder is right for me? “We always try to practice food first and encourage people to get their protein from food sources before a supplement.” But, as Stevenson mentioned, it’s more difficult for athletes to reach the volume they need without using a dietary supplement. If you think protein powder has a place in your diet, choose the right one. Whey- or egg-based powders may have lower levels of heavy metals than plant-based protein powders. But it’s still too early to know if there are risks. To get the best results, Stevenson recommends that athletes get a variety of proteins. “For most fitness enthusiasts, I lean more toward a product with a mixture of proteins: whey, casein, soy, isolates, concentrates… you get the picture,” he says. “For my more elite clients, the timing of specific proteins may be more advantageous. Much of the time, though, it’s trial and error.” Another factor in choosing the right protein powder is a lot less scientific. “Ultimately, taste is the main factor in an athletes’ compliance to consume,” says Stevenson. “If it doesn’t taste good, you won’t drink it.” Words by Cara Tremols. Courtesy of University of Miami Health System. UHealth offers valuable health tips and insights into research discoveries that change lives, brought to you by UHealth experts.

We have been here before. Honestly, we have. That isn’t to say that Bryson DeChambeau should be casually labeled a sequel, much like it probably isn’t fair to dismiss “The Dark Knight” as just another in a parade of Batman movies. Most likely, Christian Bale would prefer to stand on his own, disassociated from Batman actors before him. Bale brought a riveting energy to the leading role. Never had Batman jumped out at us like that. Likewise, at no point during DeChambeau’s three-stroke victory at the Rocket Mortgage Classic did you say to yourself, ‘He reminds me of ol’ Stranny, no?” “Ol’ Stranny” being the memorable Frank Stranahan and, no, people aren’t comparing DeChambeau to Stranahan – mostly because so few people in today’s world have an inkling about historical perspective. But it behooves us, in this rush to embrace the transformation of DeChambeau from “a golfing scientist” (his term, by the way) into “the hulk,” to take a deep breath and pay respect to golfers – from Stranahan to Gary Player to Tiger Woods – who blazed this fitness trail in which he now walks. No question, the 26-year-old Californian is navigating in his own unique way and achieving results with exponentially different numbers, but the essence of what he’s doing has been done before and it recycles a topic that’s been discussed for years in golf. Is weight-training and adding muscle important for a golfer? Emphatically, DeChambeau says yes and he worked out three times every day of the pandemic-forced break putting on weight. Three months later, he returned to the first PGA TOUR tournament since March looking thicker than a banyan tree. On social media, fans took guesses at what he weighed, and 300 pounds was a popular pick. “They were quite a bit off,” laughed DeChambeau, who said he added 20. But if the season’s media guide was correct in reporting his weight at 205 and he was being honest in saying his weight was between 235 and 240 pounds, it means he added 30 to 35 pounds. Then again, golf fans don’t care about those numbers; they are only focused on those digits he’s spitting out with every drive. DeChambeau is hitting drives 320 meters as nonchalantly as fish swim, and for those who are as “inside golf” as you can get, the ball speed factor of 305-310 kph is basically uncharted waters. (The average PGA Tour player is at about 274 meters.) “Holy $*&@,” said Rory McIlroy, when he got his first eyewitness account, paired with DeChambeau in the final round of the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas. It was the Tour’s re-entry into competition in this age of COVID testing and no spectators attended. But McIlroy, no slouch off the tee himself, was impressed. “[DeChambeau] hit a couple drives on Sunday where Harry (Diamond, McIlroy’s caddie) and I just looked at each other and we’re like, ‘That was unbelievable.’” While it is difficult to fathom that DeChambeau is hitting it 30 meters past someone as powerful as McIlroy, here’s what is easy to comprehend, because the numbers are already in the books. At Colonial CC, DeChambeau dusted McIlroy, 66-74 in Round 4, finished a shot out of a playoff, and concluded four rounds at 14-under. Throw in the next two tournaments – the RBC Heritage and Travelers Championship, where DeChambeau tied for eighth and tied for sixth, respectively – and his first 12 rounds back have produced 11 efforts in the 60s, a scoring average of 66.5, and a cumulative count of 46-under par. Thus, has the praise flowed. Phil Mickelson: “To watch someone hit it that hard and that straight, it’s impressive.” Justin Rose: “Pretty unique. You can tell . . . he’s obviously trained speed.” Webb Simpson: “It’s phenomenal what he’s done to be able to put on that much muscle mass and increase swing speed and ball speed but still have great control. Really impressive.” The results thus far thanks to DeChambeau’s newfound physique? Four top-10 finishes, the July victory in Detroit, fourth place in the FedExCup standings and more than U.S.$2.135 million in earnings. “It’s a little emotional for me,” DeChambeau said after firing a 7-under 65 to beat Matthew Wolff by three at Detroit Golf Club. “Because I did do something a little different, I changed my body, I changed my mindset in the game, and was able to accomplish a win while playing a completely different style of golf.” Ah, Bryson. Could you point us to the gym, too? For media members and fans who have embraced the uniqueness of DeChambeau since he turned pro in 2016, a year after winning both the NCAA Championship and U.S. Amateur, this muscle-sculptured physique and ball-speed stuff is delectable. But for those who’ve never really warmed up to a guy who majored in physics in college, talks openly about testing his golf balls in Epsom salt, insists on every iron in his bag being the same length, and tosses “oxygen depletion” into casual conversations, it is further cause for hesitation. Again, the remedy for both sides is to calm down and enjoy the show. And consider that DeChambeau doesn’t have the market cornered when it comes to, shall we say, eccentric tendencies? Which is a perfect segue into Stranahan, a guy who at 71 was still pumping iron and bodybuilding in 1993 when DeChambeau was born. “He was very peculiar,” said Jim Gaquin, who was the PGA Tour’s traveling secretary in the 1950s. “But he did think he had some sort of formula to live a long time.” In fact, Stranahan made no secret of his belief that he was going to live for 120 years. He based that on the devotion he paid to good health; he never drank alcohol or smoked, he woke up at 3 a.m., and ran every morning, then worked out faithfully with weights. It was a regimen he adopted as a kid in Toledo, Ohio, and carried through his entire golf career and into the decades he lived after retiring in 1964 at the age of 42. Recently, Brooks Koepka got mileage on social media after telling reporters he virtually took his entire gym with him from Florida to Hilton Head Island, but that’s less impressive when you consider Stranahan always took his weights with him – and this was in the 1940s and ’50s when the favored mode of coast-to-coast travel was an automobile. In the late 1950s, Stranahan befriended a young golfer from South Africa who also showed an interest in weights and keeping in shape. Stranahan was adamant about the benefits to using weights but insisted he had developed a routine that would not ruin his golf swing. The key, Stranahan told Player, was to not overdevelop the biceps or chest muscles. Player considered Stranahan, who was 13 years older than his South African friend, a mentor and visionary. “In the early part of my career, people thought I was an absolute nut for training with weights,” Player told ESPN, four years ago, when he turned 80. “But I stuck to my workout routine even during tournaments and it paid off big time.” Who could argue? Player is one of five golfers (Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Woods being the others) who has captured at least one victory in each of the four professional majors – the career Grand Slam, as it is – and he has won more than 160 tournaments around the globe. Nor could anyone suggest Stranahan’s intense fitness regimen thwarted his golf game. While an amateur, Stranahan won four PGA Tour tournaments, but it was the non-professional stuff that truly mattered to him. He won a pair of British Amateurs, two Canadian Amateurs, the Mexico Amateur, and as an amateur he finished second in the Open Championship twice and at the Masters in 1947. When he failed in his 11th and final time to win the U.S. Amateur, in 1954, it was a loss to eventual champ Arnold Palmer in the Round of 16 that convinced Stranahan to turn pro. He did, and from 1955-64, Stranahan played 188 PGA Tour tournaments as a pro, winning twice more, including a top-heavy 1958 Los Angeles Open filled with the world’s best players. Palmer, who considered Stranahan a good friend, called him “Muscles,” but to everyone else he was the “Toledo Strongman.” Stranahan liked the nickname and surely didn’t mind showing off his attributes; he wore tight polo shirts in competition and often posed shirtless for body-building endorsements. “But he was actually a very kind man, pretty quiet and polite,” said Gaquin. Whereas DeChambeau conceded his fitness regimen was intended to provide more strength to keep ahead of the curve in this era of power-hitting, both Stranahan and Player insisted their motivation was for long, healthy lives. “My fitness and proper diet are the reasons I have been so successful,” Player said to ESPN. “If I didn’t take care of my body with a strict regimen, as well as eating proper food, I might be dead.” Instead, Player remains vibrant at 84. While Stranahan didn’t fulfill his prediction of living to 120, he was 90 when he died, in 2013, having been a regular at the gym a few days a week right up to his death. Both mentor and protégé advocated sensible diets. Stranahan gave up eating meat in his early 20s, choosing a diet of whole grain, fresh fruits and vegetables. He often fasted days at a time, drinking only water. Player emphasizes tree nuts, fruits, vegetables, olive oil, and he eschews bacon passionately. Different fitness strategies for different fitness freaks because DeChambeau embraces a “two-to-one carb-to-protein ratio” that allows him to pretty much eat what he wants. So, for breakfast “I usually have four eggs, five pieces of bacon, some toast and two protein shakes . . . ” Likely, we would have lost Player at the “five pieces of bacon,” but therein we come to an intersection on the road to fitness. It probably veers off in five or six directions; just as there are dozens of successful golf swings that don’t look the same, not everyone improves his or her physical fitness in similar fashions. Davis Love III, for instance, said his father, a heralded golf instructor and former PGA Tour player, “literally pulled me out of organized basketball because they were lifting weights.” Then there’s Johnny Miller, who has never thought that a lot of weightlifting was good for golfers. “I think he overdid the weight room, personally,” he commented in 2016 about Rory McIlroy, who had squandered a chance to win the Masters with a 77-71 weekend and then missed the cut in the U.S. Open. “I don’t think that helped him at all. I think (the) same thing with Tiger Woods. You just get carried away with wearing the tight shirts and showing off their sort of muscles. You know, golf is a game of finesse and touch. You need a certain amount of strength. I just think you’ve got a little too much of that.” No surprise, given the golf public’s adoration of Woods and McIlroy, that Miller was heavily criticized. But he spoke from experience. After winning his second major, the 1976 Open Championship, Miller chose to return to his ranch in Utah and spend months chopping wood and lifting logs as he cleared his land. He wanted to bulk up and he did; he soon wore shirts with a size-18 collar. The thing is, in 1977, Miller felt like he had lost his feel. He turned 30 that April and should have been in his prime. Instead, in 1977-80 he played 51 times, didn’t win, and had just seven top 10s. Bigger and stronger, yes; but Miller concedes his game suffered. Mind you, his 2016 criticism was consistent with strong thoughts Miller had written in 2003. Miller wrote I Call the Shots with Golf Digest’s Guy Yocom (published in 2004), and in it Miller produced a chapter called “The Trouble with Physical Conditioning.” Players striving for “the big-muscle swing” were putting enormous stress on the back, and he said Woods, who had added 30 pounds of muscle, and David Duval, who was similarly ripped, purposely got into lifting weights to help in that quest. Miller wasn’t an advocate. To give him his due, it could be said that Miller was on target. Duval never did return to elite form, and while Woods had great success in 2005-09 and was rejuvenated in 2019 in winning the Masters, at 43, there were a series of wasted years as his back and overall health suffered. Which is not to suggest DeChambeau is facing similar woes. The fact is, his quest for weight, muscle and power has already paid dividends. He’s going to ride the bull market. “I have really enjoyed the journey to get to this point,” he told reporters. “I am going to continue to work hard and see where it takes me.” He has his own GPS, not someone else’s road map. Words by Jim McCabe. Courtesy of PGA Tour. Photo by Streeter Lecka, Bryson in 2019, Getty Images. Photo by Leon Halip, Getty Images

Giving back is always in style! Gulfstream Park Village, South Florida’s premier entertainment, dining and restaurant destination, is hosting a Pantry of Broward Food Drive to donate to the local community in need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Gulfstream Park Village is partnering with The Pantry of Broward to host this food drive now through Sunday, Aug. 2. Items needed include canned vegetables, canned fruit, applesauce, canned beans, canned meat, mac & cheese, pasta, spaghetti sauce, rice, oatmeal, cereal & cereal bars, mashed potatoes, bottled water, crackers, peanut butter, jelly, and more. There are two drop-off locations at Gulfstream Park Village: The Gulfstream Park Village office (next to Pastry is Art) and near the South Valet drop off. These items will provide meals to families who are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Pantry of Broward is a local non-profit organization that serves seniors in need on low, fixed incomes and grandparents raising their grandchildren. When: Now through Sunday, Aug. 2; Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. How: Visit: www.thepantryofbroward.org Where: Two locations: Gulfstream Park Village Office and South Valet drop off 901 S. Federal Hwy, Hallandale Beach, FL 33009 954-454-7000

Governor Ron DeSantis announced that the Florida Housing Finance Corporation (Florida Housing) Board of Directors unanimously approved the release of $75 million to local governments to assist Floridians in need of rental and mortgage assistance due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Governor DeSantis made available $250 million, of which $120 million will be sent to local governments to provide rental and mortgage assistance program. The $75 million approved today is the first release of the funding to local governments. “The COVID-19 pandemic has caused profound disruption to families throughout the state,” said Governor DeSantis. “It is my hope that these funds and the rest of the $250 million will provide some level of relief to individuals who—through no fault of their own—are now having difficulty making ends meet.” The $75 million includes allocations to many local governments in Florida, but the Governor traveled to the City of Apopka to highlight Orange County’s allocation of $7.3 million. For a full list of the allocations, click HERE. “As Floridians continue to struggle with the negative economic impacts of COVID-19, Florida Housing remains committed to providing renters and homeowners with housing assistance,” said Trey Price, Executive Director of Florida Housing Finance Corporation. “We are proud to stand with the Governor to ensure affordable housing remains a top priority, and that families have the necessary assistance to remain in their homes during these difficult times.” $120 Million Coronavirus Relief Fund for Impacted Homeowners and Renters Impacted homeowners and renters can apply for the following assistance through a local State Housing Initiatives Partnership (SHIP) Program housing office: Rental and mortgage assistance payments for persons who experienced a hardship that prevents them from making these payments; Emergency Repair; and Rehabilitation and New Construction related specifically to a need caused by the COVID-19 emergency. Click here for more information on the program and how to start the process. Florida Housing encourages homeowners and renters impacted by the pandemic to visit the website. Also, the toll-free Coronavirus Relief Fund for Impacted Homeowners and Renters Information Line 1-888-362-7885 will be available starting Monday, July 20th from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays for those who would like to speak with a representative. By ML Staff. Courtesy of Miami-Dade Gov.

An ultramodern oasis, built on a double lot in 2016, on exclusive Hibiscus Island in Miami Beach. This residence was developed with state-of-the-art home technology and impeccably designed to enjoy the beauty of island living. Marble and wooden floors are paired with bright accents to complement the naturally illuminated rooms. Luxurious interior features include a kitchen with top-of-the-line appliances, in-home theater, and space integration. Living areas open to create a single indoor/outdoor living area with stunning water and incredible city skyline views. Exterior features include infinity-edge pool, 122 feet of water frontage with two docks, enough space for several vessels and all your water toys. Expertly crafted rooftop with its own gourmet kitchen and spa to reinforce an extra touch of sophistication. 5 - Beds | 5 - Full Baths | 1 - Partial Baths | 10,754 Sq Ft. Click to view larger image > Price $28,800,000 Contact www.sothebysrealty.com

The exhibition, which runs through August 31st 2020, features an outstanding selection of small-format masterpieces from a diverse group of exceptional Latin American, Modern and Contemporary artists whose work reflects the interaction of innovative ideas, structure complexity, and connotation of scale in art: Pablo Atchugarry, Fernando Botero, Claudio Bravo, Jose Maria Cano, Mario Carreño, Carlos Cruz Diez, Walter Goldfarb, Pedro Figari, Frida Kahlo, Martin Kippenberger, Wifredo Lam, Yoshitomo Nara, Matta, Henri Matisse, Carlos Merida, Guillermo Muñoz Vera, Rene Portocarrero, Diego Rivera, Frank Stella, Jesus Rafael Soto, Francisco Toledo, Joaquin Torres-Garcia, and Ivan Tovar, among others. Grand Masters - Small Format highlights the distinctive approaches of each artist, and their interaction and experimentation with painting, drawing, and sculpture, creating transcendental artistic statements throughout a broad spectrum of styles that are enhanced and not restricted by the tight confines of their scale. Small-format oeuvres fulfill compact areas of art space demanding from receptors a closer, detailed and intimate perception of the artistic context and approaches; iconic images, provocative visual metaphors, concrete structural work, and symbolical association with reality. For availability and more information on the artworks, please write to us at art@garynader.com Grand Masters Details What: Grand Masters - Small Format When: Through August 31, 2020. Where: Gary Nader Art Centre. 62 NE 27th Street, Miami, FL 33137 Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 10.00 am to 6.00 pm Post SettingsBy ML Staff. Image courtesy of Gary Nader. Fernando Botero The Bedroom Oil on canvas Signed and dated ‘Botero 98’ lower right 16 x 12 7/8 In. [40.6 x 32.7 Cm.]

Adam Rodriguez is definitely a familiar face. The 45-year-old New York native has starred in a number of TV series [CSI: Miami, Criminal Minds, Jane the Virgin] and movies [I Can Do Bad All By Myself, Magic Mike, Magic Mike XXL] over the last twenty years. The stockbroker-turned-actor is also a screenwriter, who has written for CSI: Miami, and director, who has directed episodes of Criminal Minds and CSI: Miami. Presently, the father of three is starring in the Showtime series, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels as Raul Vega, the eldest of the Vega children. Created by John Logan, Penny Dreadful: City of Angels is a fantasy-horror-drama (a spin-off of Penny Dreadful) set in Los Angeles during the 1930s --50 years after the original series. The new series premiered in April and also features Natalie Dormer and Daniel Zovatto. How did you find out about the role of Raul Vega? Adam Rodriguez: I was sent a script by an agent and I fell in love with it. It was so rich with life --conflict, mystery, romance, danger, and full of examples of how mankind can’t help but try to destroy himself in the name of progress. Tell us about Raul; where did you draw inspiration for this character? AR: Raul is introduced as a fighter. He is passionate about all the right things and is willing to put himself on the line for them. He believes in standing up to anyone who abuses their power. And then he begins to learn that fighting has many forms, some much more effective than others. He evolves. I drew inspiration from what John Logan put on the page to be picked up. And then, I continued to shape Raul from there. I drew inspiration from the headlines of today, where the same injustices are perpetrated upon marginalized people. I drew from my own experiences and from the experiences of other well-written characters in literature. I read a few Steinbeck novels that were informative and moving. I read a lot of the history of Los Angeles from the early settlers up until the time period of the show which is set in 1938. I put myself in the mind of someone with Raul’s family history and imagined that, like me, he wanted way more than what the world was offering him. And then, I let him live in the space that was so beautifully created by all of the talented artists who created, designed, imagined, decorated, costumed, lighted, etc. the world of Penny Dreadful: City of Angels. How did you emerge into the world of acting? Was acting something you had wanted to do since childhood? AR: I always loved stories as a child, in books, on television, the stage, the movie theatre or hearing friends and family members recount incidents from their lives. I always loved a good story, but I never considered acting as a profession until I was nineteen. I had explored taking acting classes and taken headshots, but it wasn’t until I was doing a scene in a theatre arts class I was in at a local community college that I felt it inside of me. I encountered some truth in a moment that left me feeling 100% sure that being an actor was what I wanted to be. I wanted to move people the way other storytellers had moved me and I was absolutely sure of it. Who has influenced your journey along the way? AR: Too many people to count and in too many different ways! There are those artists whose work rang some bell of truth inside of me and inspired me to want to do the same for others through my art and through my actions outside of art and simply as a man. Also, anyone who ever took a chance on me when other people might not have seen what they did. My father was a big believer in me and he introduced me to a man named Bill Clark, who introduced me to a man named David Milch. Bill was an NYPD Detective who became a consultant and then a writer and executive producer on NYPD Blue. He had been in the Army with my father. David Milch is a tremendously talented writer who changed the face of the network with Steven Bochco. Aside from being talented, David is incredibly generous. He gave me a chance to audition for a new show he was writing and producing with Bill. Long story short, I worked my ass off to prepare and I got the job. That was my first TV series called Brooklyn South. It began my career. I’d say those three guys had an influence on my journey. What are some of the challenges and benefits of playing so many different types of roles? AR: The challenge is mostly about playing the same kind of roles. Getting to play different characters is always the thing you’re hoping to do and the work or challenges that come along with doing that is always the most fun you’ll have. I really believe the things you have to work hardest for are always the most rewarding. Mind you, there is a distinct difference between working hard to make something work, and working hard at something that works on its own. Either way, it’s up to us all to figure it out and that’s my favorite part. How have you grown as an actor throughout your different roles? AR: I’ve gained experience, both technical and creative, through each and every job because it’s what I am striving to do each time --to grow. And I am working to do the same, even more so, as a person moving through this world. As I have grown and evolved as a person, I have become a better actor. I have come to understand myself in a deeper way and I can therefore bring something deeper to a character. I can use that character to say the things I want to say, to connect, to teach, and hopefully to leave some lasting effect that ripples out into the world. How are you working on self-improvement right now? What are some of your personal goals? AR: I’m working on self-improvement every minute of every day. I don’t ever want to take a break from self-improvement. Even when I’m doing something that might not be leading me in that direction, those are the moments when focus has to kick in and you have to right yourself. And righting yourself is the first step to self-improvement. Dedicating myself to my wife and kids gives endless opportunities all day long to be my best self so that I lead the way for them. And my favorite moments are when that effort continues to be motivated by my family leading the way for me in a given moment. Most especially when it’s the kids teaching you about something you thought you were teaching them about. Those moments are the most precious for me. They assure me that I am doing my job well. My personal goals are to give my family the very best of me, my time, and my experience in order for them to go further than me in every way. What’s next for you in terms of your career? Is there a role you’d really like to play? AR: I’m hoping there’s more Penny Dreadful: City of Angels to play in. I’m so connected to Raul and I really want to spend more time exploring what he’s capable of saying in this world of 1938 Los Angeles. I think he’s an extremely important voice that speaks to then and now and he’s the role I’d like to play for a while longer. How are you staying positive with the current COVID-19 situation? Have you picked up any new hobbies? AR: No new hobbies. I’m still trying to improve at the old ones! I do my best to pick up the guitar as often as possible, but with three small children [one is only six weeks old], it has been a challenge to find the time or the energy. But when I do, I cherish it. It means more to me now than ever when I get the time to play. What is something most people don’t know about you? AR: I have a sick sense of humor. Words by Briana Dodson • Photo Credit: John Arsenault Watch Penny Dreadful: City of Angels Sundays on Showtime and follow Adam on Instagram @adamrodriguez and Twitter @_Adam_Rodriguez.

The Miami FC announced on Tuesday that the USL Championship match slated to be played on Wednesday, July 22 at Riccardo Silva Stadium against Charlotte Independence, has been moved to Sunday, August 23. The match will kick off at 7:30 p.m. and will be played behind closed doors due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Fans will be able to watch the match live on ESPN+. The Miami FC's full USL Championship schedule can be found below: All  home matches will kick off at 7:30 p.m. *All match dates and times are subject to change By ML Staff. Schedule courtesy of Miami FC

This make-ahead and festive black bean salad is a huge crowd-pleaser. Perfect for a summer cookout! This salad is ideal for entertaining because you can make it ahead of time — in fact, you should because it gets better and better the longer it sits. WHAT YOU’LL NEED HOW TO MAKE IT Begin by cooking the corn in boiling salted water. A few minutes is all it takes — you want it super crisp. Refresh the corn under cold water to stop the cooking process. Place the corn on a clean dish towel set over a cutting board, then use a serrated knife to cut the kernels of the cobs. (The dish towel both dries the corn and prevents it from bouncing all over the place.) Next, rinse and drain the black beans. Combine the corn and black beans with the remaining ingredients, except for the avocado. Toss and chill until ready to serve. Before serving, dice the avocado and add to the salad. It’s important to add the avocado at the last minute to keep it from turning brown. Toss well, then taste and adjust seasoning, if necessary. You may find that it needs a bit more salt or a squirt of lime juice, as the flavors tend to mellow in the fridge. That’s all there is to it. Enjoy! Black Bean Salad with Corn, Avocado & Lime Vinaigrette Servings: 6-8 Total Time: 30 Minutes INGREDIENTS 2 15-ounce cans black beans, rinsed and drained 3 ears fresh cooked corn, kernels cut off the cob 2 red bell peppers, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons minced shallots, from one medium shallot 2 teaspoons salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 2 tablespoons sugar 9 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, best quality such as Colavita 1 teaspoon lime zest (be sure to zest limes before juicing them) 6 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish 2 Hass avocados, chopped INSTRUCTIONS Combine all ingredients except for avocados in a large bowl and mix well. Cover and chill for a few hours or overnight. Right before serving, add avocados and mix gently, being careful not to mash avocados. Garnish with a more chopped cilantro if desired. Serve at room temperature. Special thanks to Jennifer Segal, for the recipe and images. You can support Jennifer by purchasing her cookbook, "Once Upon a Chef, the Cookbook," featuring over 100 delightful recipes.

Shortly after George Floyd’s death, one of my friends texted me that Floyd wasn’t necessarily a bad person, but, pointing to his prior stints in prison, added that “he wasn’t lily-white either.” Soon thereafter, I read an article in The New York Times written by Chad Sanders in which he noted his agent canceled a meeting with him because he was observing a “Blackout Day” in recognition of the Black men and women who have been brutalized and killed. In the first example, white represents purity and morality. In the other, black represents nothingness or absence – similar to the use of “black hole” as a metaphor. These types of linguistic metaphors – pervasive in speech – have been a focus of my research. There are “brighter days ahead” after “dark times.” We want to be whitelisted and not blacklisted for jobs. Black hats are the bad hackers and white hats the good ones. White lies make stretching the truth okay, while we don’t want to receive a black mark on our records. In picture books, good people, angels and Gods dress in white, but the villains, devils and the Grim Reaper dress in black. Of course, there are exceptions: We prefer to be “in the black” versus “in the red” in financial statements. But for the most part, the delineation is remarkably consistent. How do such linguistic metaphors get formed? And do they perpetuate racism? Processing a complicated world One theory, proposed by cognitive linguists George Lakoff and Mark Johnson, is that metaphors are a cognitive tool allowing people to comprehend what they cannot see, taste, hear, smell or touch. They help people understand difficult, abstract concepts through simpler, more tangible, paradigms. These metaphors get formed as people gain experience in the physical world. For instance, the abstract concept of power is connected to the concrete concept of height – perhaps because, as children, we saw adults as taller and more powerful. Then, as adults, we continue to implicitly associate height with power. It isn’t just tall buildings or tall people. In multiple studies, participants judged symbols representing people or groups to be more powerful if they simply appeared at a higher position on a page than other symbols. [Deep knowledge, daily. Sign up for The Conversation’s newsletter.] My research with fellow behavioral scientists Luca Cian and Norbert Schwarz found that vertical position also has an implicit association with emotionality and rationality. If something is at the top of a page or a screen, we tend to perceive it as more rational, whereas if something is at the bottom, it appears more emotional. One reason may be that we metaphorically tend to connect the heart with emotion and the head with logic, and, in the physical world, our heads are actually higher than our hearts. Infusing color with meaning In a similar vein, fresh snow and clean water are white or transparent, whereas sullied water turns brown and then black. It is also bright and relatively safer during the day, but dark and more dangerous at night. While observing all of this, we start forming conceptual metaphors – or subconscious connections – between color and goodness. Experiments have documented the existence of this relationship. In one paper, for example, psychologists Brian Meier, Michael Robinson and Gerald Clore showed that the color white is implicitly connected with morality, and the color black with immorality. In another study, they asked participants to evaluate words as positive or negative. The words were shown in black or white font on a computer screen with a program measuring the speed of the classification. Participants evaluated words with a positive meaning like “active,” “baby,” “clean” and “kiss” faster when they were shown in a white rather than black font. On the other hand, they classified words with a negative meaning – terms like “crooked,” “diseased,” “foolish” and “ugly” – faster when they appeared in black. A sample of words used in the experiment by Meier, Robinson and Clore. Aradhna Krishna, CC BY-SA These studies have been replicated, and the same findings emerge, indicating that they’re not a fluke: The perceptual-conceptual links between color and goodness are ingrained in people. The race factor Could something as simple as the color-goodness relationship drive racial prejudice? In the color-goodness studies above, black and white colors were connected with good and bad. Implicit race bias tests, on the other hand, look for a connection between Black and white faces and goodness. There is a subtle but important difference here. The implicit bias race test detects prejudice towards Black people. So besides skin color, it also picks up reactions to other differences in appearance – from hair to facial structure – along with any animosity one may have previously harbored. Still, the color-goodness association is clearly a factor in racial prejudice. Can these conceptual metaphors – so ingrained in our everyday speech – be upended? What if we wrote that something was as pure as the blackest eyes; as rich as the darkest hair; or as sophisticated as a black dress? What if Gods and heroes were dressed in black and villains in white? What if, as Muhammad Ali pointed out in a 1971 interview, we had vanilla devil’s food cake and dark-chocolate angel cake? Metaphors aren’t ironclad. It’s possible to consciously change the way we write, draw, design costumes – and, yes, bake. Over time, perhaps this could gradually erode some of our implicit biases. Words by Aradhna Krishna Dwight F. Benton Professor of Marketing, University of Michigan. Special thanks to The Conversation.

Live Nation has recently launched a new series on the Live From Home platform in conjunction with the Crew Nation Fund called “Backstage with Crew Nation” — an authentic and uplifting giveback video series spotlighting relationships between touring artists and the backstage crews that help them make their concert dreams a reality. This episode features Ali Vatter (Production Coordinator), Bobby Herr (Production Manager), Jennifer Tini (PA to Christine McVie) and Marty Hom (Tour Manager) from the Fleetwood Mac crew. Listen below as they dicuss their family vibe on tour, the pre-show and encore rituals, plus everything in between. “Backstage with Crew Nation” highlights the voices that make up the resilient live music community. The Crew Nation Fund was launched in April to help support touring and venue crews through this temporary intermission while COVID-19 puts concerts on pause. Live Nation has committed $10 million to Crew Nation, contributing an initial $5 million to the fund and then matching the next $5 million in donations, dollar for dollar. Artists from around the world have already supported this initiative with donations and activations from performers including John Mayer, U2, Metallica, Coldplay, Cher, Justin Timberlake, Aerosmith, Anderson Paak, Twenty One Pilots, Backstreet Boys and more. If you want to help support crews, visit livenation.com/crewnation to donate or buy exclusive merch now. By ML Staff. Gif courtesy of nporadio2