The Lincoln Eatery, Miami Beach's first modern food hall, announces the opening of SIMLYGOODPIZZA, a new pizza concept focused on creating a sense of community in Miami Beach by sourcing fresh ingredients from local farmers and purveyors while giving back to those in need. Helmed by Max Pierre and Richard Fuentes, hospitality veterans who have worked within Miami’s Food and Beverage industry extensively, SIMPLYGOODPIZZA’s overall goal is to positively impact social and environmental issues within the community through the businesses by simply “Doing The Right Thing.” As minorities, Pierre and Fuentes created SIMPLYGOODPIZZA with the intention of starting a social conversation about advocacy in business, while also serving a diverse array of flavorful pies. SIMPLYGOODPIZZA’s values are cemented in the importance of community and giving back. “As black and brown business owners, we recognize the social and environmental issues that negatively impact our community. We also understand the injustices and inequalities our community faces daily,” explained Max Pierre, co-owner of SIMPLYGOODPIZZA. “SIMPLYGOODPIZZA was created as a platform for good in the hopes of making a difference. A reminder to both Miami locals and visitors, that we have the power to bring about the changes we want to see in our communities. The harsh reality of George Floyde as well as COVID 19 forced us to this realization that we had to do something. We genuinely hope that this program inspires others to do the right thing even if its one pie at a time.” Owners Max Pierre and Richard Fuentes have worked in the hospitality industry in Miami for years. When Max Pierre founded SIMPLYGOODMIAMI in Little River 2018, his vision was to create a welcoming and collaborative venue that fostered talent and cultivated ideas as well as creative vision. He was able to capture the vibrant spirit and passionate creativity of the cultural community which ultimately helped him offer a progressive and forward thinking experiences. He later met Richard Fuentes who served as executive chef at the Nautilus by Arlo, who shared the same values, goals and vision. With a career culinary giant in the fold they decided to expand on the SIMPLYGOOD concept by launching a pop up at The Lincoln Eatery food hall. “It’s at the cornerstone of our culture to bring a little joy to local communities in need,” said co-owner and chef Richard Fuentes. “Simple and good are the values we live by, and we honor that by serving a menu of well-balanced pies that are delicious, with a fantastic mixture of punchy sauce, gooey cheese, flavorful meats and produce from local farmers.” The menu includes a selection of flavorful pies, offering a traditional approach to pizza, in addition to unique flavors that pay homage to Miami. Highlights include the Breakfast Pizza ($15), a flavorful pie topped with mozzarella, gruyere, smoked bacon, green onions and a sunny-side up egg. Other notable pies include the Mushroom & Truffle ($15), served with mozzarella, Gruyere, Parmesan, cremini mushrooms and truffle oil, and the Garden ($15), vegetable-forward with arugula, blistered cherry tomatoes, mozzarella and a flavorful balsamic reduction. For dessert, sample the Guava & Cheese Pizza ($8), a combination of guava shells, whipped cream cheese and pistachios. Lightly inspired by the Spike Lee film, “Do the Right Thing,” the concept encourages those who dine there to pay it forward. With a purchase of any item on our menu you are afforded the opportunity to purchase a $10 Pay It Forward Pie Special which will ultimately be donated to local nonprofit, local organization or someone on the ground doing the work in communities in need. In addition, SIMPLYGOODPIZZA plans to work with local organizations to coordinate pizza parties for families in need. SIMPLYGOODPIZZA is open daily from 12 a.m. to 8 p.m., and located within the Lincoln Eatery Food Hall. Stay up-to-date on SIMPLYGOODPIZZA by following @SimplyGoodPizza and @LincolnEatery on Instagram. For more information visit thelincolneatery.com. - Images by SIMPLYGOODPIZZA By ML Staff. Images courtesy of SIMPLYGOODPIZZA

The City of Coral Gables is turning on the lights. Illuminate Coral Gables (ICG), a new public art initiative focusing on the intentional use of light and technology to transform public art by day into magical and mysterious work at night, will be on view Feb 12-March 15, 2021. Curated by chief curator Lance M. Fung with Catherine Cathers, Jennifer Easton and Rosie Gordon-Wallace, ICG, has been created for specific outdoor locations throughout Coral Gables. An illustrious Arts Advisory Committee of David Chang, Carol Damian, and Jill Johnson Deupi has been instrumental in shaping the outcome. ICG’s eight projects include video projections, sculpture and art installations by a stellar group of local, national and international artists including Kiki Smith and Cai Guo-Qiang. Seven of the artworks are new site-specific commissions. ICG is a project of the Coral Gables Community Foundation. Blue Night, sponsored by the City of Coral Gables is Smith’s project, which will be installed in Giralda Plaza, is a continuation of her interest in constellations. Forty-two suspended mirrored renderings of animal constellations from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres will reflect light through transparent blue plexiglass with holographic vinyl stars denoting the constellations. An Augmented Reality (AR) component will enable viewers to see ghosted constellation images and asterism on their devices throughout the day and night. A free downloadable artist coloring book will be available. Cai Guo-Qiang’s Fireflies is being exhibited in South Florida for the first time. This project was commissioned by the Association for Public Art (APA) with Fung Collaboratives and was first presented in Philadelphia in 2017. The project was curated by Lance M. Fung. Major support was received from The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, the John and James L. Knight Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts. This interactive and mesmerizing public artwork will meander through downtown adding color and joy through handmade Chinese silk lanterns. “It’s such an honor to be working with an amazing group of artists to bring relevant, thought- provoking and meaningful art to the general public through ICG,” said Fung. “The commitment, vision and passion of these creatives are only matched by my dedicated and professional colleagues on the ICG team.” Participating Artists: Cai Guo-Qiang Carlos Estevez David Gumbs Ruben Millares Joseph Mills Jonathan Perez and FIU student artists including: Jennifer Hudock, Heather Kostrna, Maria Daniela Maldonado, L’nique Noel, Tara Remmen, Ari Temkin and Emily Silverio-Williams Sandra Ramos Kiki Smith Antonia Wright Visit: www.illuminatecoralgables.org for artist bios. ICG’s educational component, through a partnership with Florida International University’s Art and Art History Department will include a projection mapped video and sound-based work by professor Jonathan Perez with six undergraduate and graduate students that focuses on the intersection of the natural and built environment of South Florida and the City of Coral Gables. The project will cover the west side of the Coral Gables Museum during the month-long exhibit. Artist Carlos Estevez has created an educational tool and interactive artwork in collaboration with Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Through a demonstration video, Estevez hopes to inspire and help second through twelfth grade students, and their families, to make kites that are based on identity, self-portraiture and inclusivity. This video will be available worldwide as a free workshop in hopes that children and adults from around the world will participate. By initiating ICG, the Coral Gables Community Foundation is using art and culture as a beacon of resiliency, community strength and support for the City’s residents and visitors for its vital small business community while realizing a museum quality exhibition. Envisioned as a new and annual public art benchmark, ICG organizers recognize that residents and visitors will be able to experience high quality art on their daily journey. Once the pandemic struck, it was clear that ICG was the perfect exhibition for tough times because it is free and can be safely navigated outdoors by foot, bicycle or vehicle. Measures to ensure safety and social distancing will be used such as hand sanitizing stations and social distancing markers. Facial coverings will be required. For more info visit www.illuminatecoralgables.org By ML Staff. Images courtesy of Coral Gables Community Foundation

Kate Moss is a magpie of the beadiest-eyed variety. As soon as I step into her Soho modeling agency, where our interview takes place, she clocks my earrings and correctly identifies their designer: “I was there yesterday, I love her stuff.” The 46-year-old supermodel is sun-kissed in flared jeans and a silky black shirt, having spent lockdown at her Cotswold home with her 18-year-old daughter, Lila Grace; her boyfriend of five years, photographer Nikolai von Bismarck; her half-sister, Lottie; and her best friend, hairdresser James Brown. She is relieved to be back in Soho during the late-summer buzz, but admits she has found easing out of lockdown difficult. “I didn’t want to see anybody at first. I was like, ‘What do you mean I’ve got to go to a dinner?’” Now, she’s back in London, attending Fashion Week parties and popping into Alfies Antique Market to browse for vintage jewelry, a favorite pastime. “I bought these yesterday,” she says, shaking her head so her new earrings shimmy. “I can’t walk in there without going, ‘Ooh, just one little pair...”’ She is also wearing a diamond pendant by Annina Vogel, a diamond ring she bought in Istanbul, a couple of Indian bangles and, on the third finger of her left hand, a vintage emerald and diamond ring, the one piece that she wears every day. It was a gift “from the boyfriend,” but it’s categorically not an engagement ring. “Oh, no, I’m not engaged. It’s more like, I’m in a relationship, I’m committed. I think after you’ve been married, that finger feels a bit empty. It was an ‘I’m going out with you, and I have a very empty finger, so give me a ring’ kind of present,” Kate cackles. Among her vintage treasures are several pieces from her own new jewelry collaboration with Messika. Kate fronted the Parisian brand’s 2019 campaign, alongside Joan Smalls and Sylvia Hoeks, and instantly hit it off with founder Valérie Messika. Although she has previously designed collections with the Brazilian jeweler Ara Vartanian in 2017, and with the French house Fred, in 2011, this partnership is Kate’s most personal, inspired by her own much-loved jewelry. “I brought a couple of boxes along to our first meeting, and we had a lot of fun looking through it all,” she says. “Valérie was surprised when she saw that most of my jewelry is antique, she thought I would be more rock ‘n’ roll, and I’m not really. My style is much more bohemian and eclectic.” That presented a challenge for Messika, whose knife-sharp contemporary diamond designs are worn by the likes of Beyoncé, Bella Hadid, and Emily Ratajkowski. In 2017, the brand enlisted Gigi Hadid to co-create an ‘entry-level’ range that Kate says her daughter adores, but the Messika by Kate Moss collection comprises seriously high value, high jewelry, with prices strictly on application, but ranging from five to six figures. An art deco chapter features geometric, baguette-cut diamonds --Kate’s favorite-- set in yellow-gold hoop earrings, rings, bracelets and chokers. “I have a lot of art deco pieces; I love the decadence of that era. I’m also really into that 1970s, hippy-deluxe kind of decadence.” Which explains the diamond-set headpiece, with a fringe of baguettes resting between the brows, inspired by an Annie Leibovitz image of Kate taken in 1999. There’s another nod to her modeling heyday in slinky strands of diamonds, seemingly loosely tied around the neck, finger or wrist, a precious riff on the piece of leather she wore in a 1990s Peter Lindbergh shoot. Elsewhere, Messika recreated a 1920s glass bead tassel necklace in “metres of diamonds -- it’s so cool.” Kate’s passion for emeralds parlays into a suite featuring rich green malachite, while her love of Indian jewelry is evident in huge diamond bib necklaces, an earring connected via diamond chains to a nose ring, and a tasselled lapel pin worthy of a maharaja. Click below to launch slideshow > From top to bottom / right image: Messika Paris, Clip Oreille Malachite Colour Play, Messika by Kate Moss High Jewelry, Malachite Colour Play Ring & Necklace Click below to launch slideshow > From top to bottom / right image: Messika by Kate Moss High Jewelry Exotic Charm Necklace, Cuff Bracelet and Boucles d’oreilles Exotic Charm Click below to launch slideshow > Messika by Kate Moss High Jewelry Liberated Spirit Ankle Bracelet (left) Liberated Spirit Necklace & Liberated Spirit Tie Necklace (right) Kate first discovered Indian jewelry when she went traveling there at 22. “I went to Jaipur and Rajasthan; all the girls were covered in incredible jewelry. I started buying loads of it. I bought a beautiful Gucci jewelry roll to store it all in, and when I got home, I said to my friend, ‘Wait until you see the jewelry I got in India.’ But it was all gone --stolen. That was pretty depressing. There were things in there that I still think about.” That’s not her only jewelry-related heartbreak. Her grandmother’s wedding ring --the only ‘heirloom’ she’s ever had-- was also stolen, as was a Cartier art deco bracelet she had bought at SJ Phillips in London, although that one made its way back to her. “I always take jewelry on holiday. I love wearing it on the beach and in the sea; I think it’s so decadent,” says Kate. ‘I’d taken this bracelet on a boat in Thailand and somebody nicked it. They sold it to someone in India, who came to London and sold it back to SJ Phillips. It was stamped, so they could identify it as mine; they called me and said, “We’ve got your bracelet,” and gave it back to me.” Kate used to visit the antique jewelry specialist every birthday to pick out something new. Fortunately von Bismarck, who shot the Messika by Kate Moss campaign, is a willing benefactor. “I like going jewelry shopping with Nikolai ---he’s into it. I think some men take just as much pleasure in giving jewelry as we do in receiving it.” He’s not into jewelry for men though. “I like it when men wear jewellery, such as a nice chain, but I can’t imagine Nikolai in it. It’s definitely not his thing.” Another of Kate’s most precious personal pieces is from her ex, Lila’s father, Jefferson Hack. “When I gave birth to Lila, Jefferson bought me a diamond eternity ring, which is gorgeous. I’ll give it to her one day. She likes all the girly jewelry; she’s not into antiques yet, so my jewelry is safe, for the moment.” It seems the majority of her collection was self-gifted, an ethos in line with that of Valérie Messika, whose aim was to create a contemporary diamond jewelry brand not linked to love or marriage. “I buy a lot for myself,” Kate admits. “Sometimes it’s to mark a milestone, but most of the time, it’s just when I see something that catches my eye. I’ve got a big rose-cut diamond ring that’s quite a statement piece,” she laughs. “I bought it as a bit of a celebration, a present to myself because I’d achieved something.” There’s more common ground in Messika’s mission to make diamonds wearable. Valérie Messika herself is no stranger to pairing high jewelry with jeans or a jumpsuit, and Kate clearly follows suit. “I don’t want to be intimidated by jewelry, I want to feel like it’s part of me. Even my big pieces I’ll wear all the time. I don’t want them to be kept in a box.” As Kate coos over the jewelry I’m wearing and we swap favorite designers, it’s clear that this is a genuine obsession for the Croydon-born model. Where does it stem from? “Not ever having any,” she says quickly. “I was so desperate for a ring when I was little, I’d always leave the smallest Christmas present till last, hoping and praying that it was a jewelry box, but it never was. I know, poor me!” That might explain her preference for wearing her own jewels on the red carpet, although she’s not averse to borrowing from brands --on one condition: “I won’t do it if I have to have a security guard following me. No way. My friend did it once, and as soon as the party was over, they were standing at the door waiting to get the jewelry off her. It’s so embarrassing. You get into the car and you’ve got nothing on. That’s awful!” For more information, visit messika.com for their latest Christmas and holiday season collection and specials. Words by Sarah Royce-Greensill, The Telegraph/The Interview People Valerie Messika & Kate Moss Photos by Chriss Colls

Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator (DVCAI) opens its traveling exhibition Inter|Sectionality: Diaspora Art from the Creole City in the Miami Design District, on February 5, 2021. Inter|Sectionality is a bold, multi-regional, multi-disciplinary exploration of the emergence of the "Creole City" as a local, regional and global phenomenon. Internationally recognized curator Rosie Gordon-Wallace, president and chief curator of Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator, Inc. (DVCAI), designed this exhibition to provide a lens through which communities and community leaders internationally can begin to better understand themselves, their diversities and their unlimited possibilities. The exhibition which is FREE to the public, will be on view at Moore 200, 4040 N.E. Second Avenue, 2nd Floor, Miami, Florida 33137 from February 5, 2021 to May 31, 2021. To accommodate visitors the exhibition will be open from Monday - Saturday, 11 am - 7 pm, and Sunday, 12 pm - 6 pm. A small, socially-distanced opening reception for Inter|Sectionality: Diaspora Art from the Creole City will take place on Friday, February 5, 2021, with activities beginning at 6:00 pm. For questions and appointments during operating hours, please call the gallery at (786) 306-0191. Covid-19 protocols are in place - visitors will pass through a temperature station and are required to wear masks at all times. Celebrating DVCAI’s 25th anniversary, this exhibition marks DVCAI’s longevity and resiliency as Miami’s premiere Afro-Diasporic arts incubator, whose reach has supported collaborations, residencies, and exhibitions throughout the Caribbean and internationally since 1996. Organized locally, this traveling exhibition of 27 artists from 18 countries originated at the Corcoran School of Arts and Design at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. (Nov. 2019 - March 2020), and traveled to the Harvey B. Gantt Center for African-American Art and Culture in Charlotte, N.C. (Oct. 2020 - Jan. 2021). Its third iteration in Miami, Florida was made possible through an invitation by Craig Robins, Chief Executive Officer and President of Dacra and Claire Breukel, Dacra curator in the Miami Design District. The site comes full circle for DVCAI as two of its earliest gallery spaces were located in The District from 2000 - 2017. A dedicated space within the exhibition is The DVCAI Inter|Sectionality Library, that presents the 25-year history of Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator through images, catalogs, and video documentation. Sponsored by the DVCAI Board of Directors, the space acts as a reading room and houses a virtual conversation hub for the DVCAI Caribbean Crossroads Series. Inter|Sectionality: Diaspora Art from the Creole City is being presented at a time when Diaspora artists and voices are challenging social injustices, celebrating identities, and re- activating and bridging communities through contemporary art and scholarship. The complexities and diversities represented by this exhibit are emergent, and in many cases, ascendant, across the world. Inter|Sectionality scholarship includes catalogue essays by Sanjit Sethi, Rosie Gordon-Wallace, Donette Francis, Ph.D., Alix Pierre, Ph.D., Erica Moiah James, Ph.D., Jafari Allen, Ph.D., and Patricia Saunders, Ph.D. The exhibition is grouped around themes that encompass the diaspora and "Creole City" life stories, memory, politics, myth, religion, and culture. The exhibition showcases the works of 27 artists from 18 countries that represent a broad spectrum of the African Diaspora. Exhibiting artists include: Moisés Aragón (Cuba) Aisha Tandiwe Bell (Jamaica) Minia Biabiany (Guadeloupe) Christopher Carter (United States) Katrina Coombs (Jamaica) Esperanza Cort s (Colombia | US) Michael Elliott (Jamaica) Guy Gabon (Guadeloupe) Rosa Naday Garmendia (Cuba | US) GeoVanna Gonzalez (US | Germany) Juan Erman Gonzalez (Cuba | US) Kearra Amaya Gopee (Trinidad & Tobago) Grettel Arrate Hechavarría (Cuba) Caroline Holder (Barbados | Canada) Izia Lee Lindsay (Trinidad & Tobago) Anja Marais (South Africa | US) Claudio Marcotulli (Venezuela | Panama) Jared McGriff (United States) Petrona Morrison (Jamaica) Kurt Nahar (Suriname) Devora Perez (Nicaragua) Evelyn Politzer (Uruguay) Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz (Puerto Rico | US) Juan Ernesto Requena (Venezuela | Panama) Asser Saint-Val (Haiti | US) Deborah Willis, Ph.D. (United States) Stephanie J. Woods (United States) For more information, visit www.dvcai.org By ML Staff. Images courtesy of dvcai.org

Dawn Pfaff, president and CEO of State Listings, Inc., owner of My State MLS, NY State MLS and LA State MLS, has been selected as an RISMedia 2021 Real Estate Newsmaker. The recognition honors real estate professionals who made headlines in 2020 as a result of their newsworthy contributions to the industry, and for their efforts to positively affect the consumers and communities they serve, amid an unprecedented year of challenge during the coronavirus pandemic. Over the past year, State Listings, Inc. has been instrumental as its members have pivoted to accommodate new restrictions and regulations. Pfaff’s team used selling real estate online as an opportunity to increase its offerings and truly invest in its members with free educational content. Thousands of agents signed up for the company’s series of classes teaching them to rethink their business strategy and build a digital marketing plan from the ground up. Pfaff founded State Listings, Inc. in 2009 as NY State MLS to fill a void in the market and offer agents and brokers their own statewide MLS, featuring streamlined listing options, ownership of data and a variety of enhanced tools to fit their unique needs. In 2015, the company expanded to My State MLS in response to a nationwide demand. LA State MLS debuted in October 2020. Today, it covers all 50 states and Puerto Rico with more than 50,000 members, making it one of the largest MLS platforms in the country. The technology platform now offers a full suite of custom solutions, educational services, webinars, and serves as a resource for its members and real estate professionals across the industry. The software allows members to list all property types including residential, commercial, land, multi-unit, manufactured on leased land, business, rental, seasonal/vacation rental and more. Pfaff is a technology entrepreneur who has been involved in the real estate industry for the past 20 years from nearly every angle possible. She is an appraiser, agent, broker, dealer for manufactured housing, licensed instructor to teach continuing education, and investor. “I am thrilled to be named an RISMedia 2021 Real Estate Newsmaker,” said Pfaff. “Throughout the unprecedented events of 2020, we pivoted to successfully utilize online real estate sales, offer our members free educational content, helping them to succeed.” MORE ON NY State MLS State Listings, Inc. began in 2009 as NY State MLS, a full MLS serving all 62 New York counties. Born from a desire to create a common-sense MLS solution, New York’s statewide Multiple Listing Service quickly garnered agents across the state, as well as nationwide attention and demand for the company’s services. In 2015, My State MLS, the first nationwide Multiple Listing Service of its kind, was created and today it has agents in all 50 states and Puerto Rico. LA State MLS debuted in October 2020. In addition to its MLSs, State Listings, Inc.’s services and products have expanded to include direct feeds to all major sites (Zillow, Trulia, Homes.com, Realtor.com and ListHub), international syndication, IDX feed, branded virtual tours, access to FIND, website design, private MLS administration and much more. For more information visit, www.statelistings.com, www.mystatemls.com, or www.lastatemls.com. MORE ON RISMedia RISMedia was founded in 1980 by CEO and Publisher John E. Featherston, as the residential real estate industry’s definitive source for news and information for real estate’s most profitable and productive professionals ― and all those looking to gain a competitive edge. For more information, visit rismedia.com. By ML Staff. Image courtesy of RISMedia

Looking for a quick and relaxing romantic getaway for Valentine's Day? Head over to Naples, Fla., just two hours away from Miami, to the gulf coast city which has been voted the Happiest and Healthiest destination several years in a row by the Gallup-Share Wellbeing Index. Over in Naples, you can book the Ultimate Beachfront, Date Night Valentine's Package at Naples Grande Beach Resort. The package includes your choice of guestroom featuring a private balcony with stunning Gulf views, or a Garden Villa surrounded by lush gardens. Each guestroom comes with two luxurious robes you can use throughout your stay. On Sunday, February 14th, couples will enjoy one of the best beaches in the U.S., with a beachfront sunset evening in a private queen size beach-bed cabana surrounded by lit tiki-torches. The evening includes a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne with a romantic picnic basket for 2 with delicious appetizers and decadent sweets. Couples will be able to continue the romance and spoil themselves at any of Naples Grande’s outlets including The Spa at Naples Grande, The Catch of the Pelican or any of the other six on-site restaurants, beach watersports, tennis, or golf. Rates start at $629/night for standard guestrooms. Guests can book their romantic getaway at naplesgrande.com/valentine. Terms & Conditions: Valid for 2-night minimum stay bookings on Valentine’s Day Weekend. $100 resort credit excludes Sunday night portion of stay, due to the Valentine’s Day Beach-Bed Picnic Experience. By ML Staff. Images courtesy of Naples Grande Beach Resort

Basic.Space, a seamless IRL to URL discovery and shopping experience shaping the future of commerce, is launching a multi-platform initiative with Serving the People (STP), a creative incubator and digital platform founded by artist Lucien Smith. STP will launch its latest exhibition Second Site, curated by Parsons’ Adriana Furlong and Margaux Halloran, on Basic.Space alongside a physical month-long pop-up, located in the Miami Design District. Founded by renowned artist and filmmaker Lucien Smith, STP is an arts non-profit that functions as a platform for young and emerging artists. STP has hosted almost 20 shows featuring works by more than 1200 artists globally; at the core of its programming is an open submission online show, where anyone is welcome to submit artwork and be showcased around a certain theme or moment in time. By eliminating the barrier of entry for participation and practicing an anti-curation multidisciplinary program free of commercial bias,the organization is able to foster a worldwide community of creatives. STP will take over the pop-up store in the Miami Design District from January 24th–February15th. The installation will feature works curated by Furlong that include sculpture pieces, prints, and more. The art projected in the space will be for sale as well as limited edition T-Shirts designed by Smith. “I’m very excited for our collaboration with Basic.Space and the Miami Design District. As a digital community, it is always a great opportunity for our programming to exist in physical spaces. This collaboration is a perfect example of how Serving the People can work together with partners and organizations to facilitate informal, creative, and educational programs for our communities,” said Smith. This partnership with STP comes on the heels of Basic.Space’s latest Experience with Swiss design company Vitra and Virgil Abloh, which recently took place in the Miami Design District during Design Miami/. Offering a unique shopping experience that seamlessly integrates the digital and physical worlds, Basic.Space Experiences allow customers to buy products featured in live streams of creatives in their own space bringing the IRL “pop-up” experience to the online consumer. “Lucien is someone we’ve known and respected for many years now, both as an artist and community builder. Aligned with our vision at Basic.Space, Lucien is supporting the next generation of artists like Adriana Furlong and Margaux Halloran, by giving them a platform to thrive. These Are the types of people we want to partner with; the types of people who are working hard and taking leaps to advance the creative community. We’re excited to see Andrea’s work come to life as a seamless interpretation of where IRL meets URL,” said Jesse Lee, founder of Basic.Space. For more info visit Basic.Space. By ML Staff. Image courtesy of Basic.Space.

Jeffrey Deitch is pleased to present Joven Twitchy, an exhibition of new paintings by Harmony Korine in the Miami Design District. Known as one of the most influential filmmakers of his generation, Korine has also cultivated a long time painting practice that expands the definitions of art and artist through a multimedia approach infused with a post-Pop aesthetic. Painted in Miami, his Joven Twitchy works capture the sinister beauty of South Florida; they reflect the tropical fantasia of his films Spring Breakers(2012) and The Beach Bum(2019). Korine, who has been drawing since childhood, conceives of his “Twitchy” character as an imaginary companion—a ghost that accompanies him on a psychogeographic tour of Miami. Often presented as a golem-like figure, it also functions as a surrogate for the artist’s own mischievous personality. Korine originally conceived the Twitchy paintings as studies for his films. He creates each image using a smartphone, digitally hand-painting over the photographs before projecting the finished images onto canvas and rendering them in oil paint. Korine makes hundreds of phone drawings, choosing the strangest and most striking to transform into paintings. His approach to painting is similar to that of a film director shooting multiple takes to arrive at the strongest result. Avoiding material depth and emotionally charged brushwork, his compositions mimic the flatness of the screen—the paintings are purely about the image Richard Prince, in his text on Korine’s Young Twitchy Paintings, describes the series as existing in a “post-place . . . something about past present future.” “You used to be on the phone,” he writes, “now you are in the phone.” Crossing the line between actuality and animation, Korine fills his canvases with bright, electric colors that approach disintegration while still feeling physically real, an effect akin to the bursts of light often used in cinematic special effects. Yet behind these vibrant hues lies a foreboding darkness; through Korine’s paintings, the South Florida landscape becomes an otherworldly realm inhabited by enigmatic, even alien forces. Harmony Korine was born in 1973 in Bolinas, California, and lives and works in Nashville, Tennessee, and Miami, Florida. Exhibitions include S.M.A.K., Ghent, Belgium (2000); Whitney Biennial, New York(2000); 50th Biennale di Venezia (2003); Pigxote, Vanderbilt University Fine Arts Gallery, Nashville, TN(2009); Shadows and Loops, Frist Art Museum, Nashville, TN (2016–17); and Centre Pompidou, Paris(2017). Korine’s films include: Kids(1995, written by Korine, directed by Larry Clark), Gummo (1997 written and directed by Korine), Julien Donkey-Boy (1999, written and directed by Korine), Ken Park (2002, written by Korine, directed by Larry Clark and Ed Lachman), Mister Lonely (2007, written byKorine, co directed with Avi Korine), Trash Humpers (2009, written and directed by Korine), SpringBreakers (2012, written and directed by Korine), and The Beach Bum (2019, written and directed by Korine). Harmony Korine is represented by Gagosian. For more info visit Jeffrey Deitch By ML Staff. Image courtesy of Jeffrey Deitch.

The Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami (MOCA) is pleased to relaunch its “Jazz at MOCA” series. Since the onset of COVID-19, MOCA suspended the Jazz at MOCA concert series due to health protocols. With the goal of ensuring the continuity of Jazz at MOCA, the museum will launch the program virtually, in partnership with WDNA Radio—South Florida’s premier jazz radio station. Jazz at MOCA is South Florida’s longest-running free outdoor jazz concert series and one of the museum’s most well-known public programs. Since 1999, Jazz at MOCA has been presented on the MOCA Plaza every last Friday of the month. Hundreds of concert-goers have enjoyed a free concert, activations, and pay as you wish admission to the museum until 10 p.m. Hosted by WDNA’s Carter Jackson-Brown, the virtual series will feature the best of South Florida's young and innovative musicians. The concert will take place virtually on the last Friday of every month at 8:00 p.m. Concerts will be scheduled every last Friday of the month, January 29 through June 25, 2021.​ The upcoming performance line-up includes: Jan. 29, 2021: The CieL Experience The CieL Experience combines the styles of R&B, swing, hip-hop, and traditional Haitian music, rooted in the harmonies and improvisation of the American jazz tradition. Claudens Louis, saxophonist and bandleader, explores the infinite possibilities of these genres by presenting fresh compositions and arrangements accessible to a wide range of listeners. Feb. 26, 2021: TWYN Miami's future-jazz duo TWYN is a collaboration between Jason Matthew, Electric Kif's keyboardist; and Aaron Glueckauf, Lemon City Trio's drummer. Known individually as catalysts in the rapidly evolving Miami music scene, the electronic duo aims to challenge the limitations of instrumental and pop-based songwriting. March 26, 2021: Lucas Apostoleris Quintet Lucas Apostoleris is a drummer and composer currently residing in Miami, FL. In addition to writing music for his own jazz ensemble, Apostoleris has recently written arrangements for the Gulf Coast Symphony Orchestra in Ft. Myers, Florida, and for the prestigious Airmen of Note Air Force big band. Jazz at MOCA will be filmed at WDNA’s Gallery Studio and streamed live on WDNA and MOCA platforms. The concert will also air live on WDNA radio, reaching the station’s network of over 100,000 listeners, in addition to MOCA’s extensive audience base. All Jazz at MOCA performances are free of charge.

With his unmatched agility and speed in the water, Michael Phelps holds the all-time record for Olympic gold medals earned. The closest thing to Aquaman, on two legs, Phelps, like many pro-athletes who have reach his rarified status, was placed on a pedestal that was unsustainable. For more than a decade, Michael Phelps' life was a relentless march towards breaking Olympic records, out-swimming his competition as he trained and traveled the world collecting gold medals and corporate endorsement deals. His seemingly flawless athleticism and boy-next-door charm made him seem unstoppable. The bloom first came off the rose in 2004, when Phelps was arrested for driving under the influence. That embarrassing event was compounded in 2009, when pictures of Phelps allegedly smoking from a bong went viral, finding their way into mass tabloid circulation. The final nail in the coffin for Phelps was a second DUI in 2014, which he now describes as "the bottom of my bottom," leading to deep depression and spurning him to seek help for issues that had plagued him since his younger years. The rough road to redemption ultimately instilled a passion in Michael Phelps for mental health awareness and advocacy. Rejecting a tragic end to his story, Phelps dusted himself off and made his comeback at the 2016 Summer Olympics, breaking further records and winning over fans who had doubted him. Now, a devoted husband and father of three boys, Phelps insists that the second chapter of his life will make his storied time in the water look like a dress rehearsal for what's to come. Through his Phelps Foundation, he tirelessly champions the sport of swimming, fitness initiatives and healthy lifestyle choices for young people. Phelps continues to dedicate his time and resources to a cause close to his heart, that of mental health research and awareness. The Weight of Gold, an HBO Sports documentary film, executive produced and narrated by Phelps, delves into the lives and careers of celebrated Olympians as it unpacks the mental health ramifications of the long term, restrictive and singularly focused pursuit of Olympic greatness and stardom that Phelps has achieved. According to HBO, "The Weight of Gold seeks to inspire discussion about mental health issues, encourage people to seek help, and highlight the need for readily available support." Allison Kugel: I watched your documentary The Weight of Gold, and you really go deep into the emotional effects of life as an Olympian. The public may watch this film and not understand how somebody who has achieved so much can feel such profound unhappiness, because our society loves to equate success with happiness. Michael Phelps: The hardest thing for me is when friends of mine say something like that to me. My response is I am a human being. I have these feelings just like other people do. People seem surprised when I say that. Speaking for myself, for most of my life I felt like I was not a human being, so until I was able to look at myself in the mirror and see that I was a person and not just a swimmer, that's when I starting realizing what I was going through, emotionally, and what I was living with and struggling with. Allison Kugel: Is it safe to say that when you devote your entire life entirely to a single pursuit, you don’t get to know yourself or have the chance to develop that emotional intelligence needed to cope with disappointments or problems as they come up? Michael Phelps: It's difficult to start a journey at such a young age when you miss so much of your developmental stages. I was 15 and thrown into competing a world where I was competing with 30-year-old men and expected not to be a 15-year-old kid, but a grownup. At some point I just got numb by it all. You train yourself to not pay attention to how you feel, and before too long you are blindsided by it all. And if you do show emotions, you are showing your competitors weakness. I could not show that part of myself until the last two years of my career when I got to the point where I really didn't care what people thought about me. It was at that point where I opened up and decided to talk about the struggles I had been going through. Allison Kugel: Can you tell me what was your highest moment what was? What was your absolute zenith moment in your life when you just felt absolutely high and on top of the world? Michael Phelps: It had to have been in 2008, after winning 8 gold medals. Achieving that singular goal of doing something no one else has done before. That was the highest point right there. Allison Kugel: By the way, you are in my refrigerator right now. You're on a milk carton (Michael is a brand ambassador for Silk plant-based beverages), but for something good. Not because you're missing (laugh). Michael Phelps: I love it (laugh)! Allison Kugel: Can you tell me what the lowest moment of your life was, where you knew you were in trouble? Michael Phelps: In 2014, getting a second DUI, and not wanting to be alive. Allison Kugel: Not wanting to be alive, why? Michael Phelps: Just the feeling of letting so many people down. Leading up to that point I was trying to call out for help, and I did not really know how to call out for help at that time. That was the bottom of my bottom. I was just basically on an elevator headed straight down. Allison Kugel: Who rallied around you at your lowest moment? Michael Phelps: Leading up to that rock bottom moment I didn’t have a single person, because I was pushing everybody away and at that point it was the people who cared about me the most that I was pushing away. That would be a handful of friends and family. Allison Kugel: I remember reading about the drugs and the DUIs in the news and I think as the reading or viewing public, we are all, myself included, guilty of forgetting we are consuming news about a human being. You read about someone who has it all and does something stupid and it makes no sense. The reason it makes no sense is because you don't really know that person or what their day to day life is about. It is probably isolating for you, being that person, in the public eye that people see as infallible. Is that why you ended up self-medicating, do you think? Michael Phelps: It is probably part of the reason I did that. I was trying to escape and numb myself, and I was trying to get away from everybody. I think some of the things I did were really my cries for help, and they were looked past. But again, I really didn't know how to ask for help, and I didn't want to be rejected if somebody couldn’t or wouldn't help me. After discovering that a lot of my struggles were based in my childhood and based in my parents splitting when I was very young not really growing up with my dad, I was able to try to tackle that part things. I still speak with [my dad] from time to time, but that was a non-existent relationship for so long. We do speak now, but it's on my terms. Once I dealt with all of that and I got through that, it just kind of got easier. Allison Kugel: Do you think the media understands the gravity of their responsibility when they are covering people in the public eye, and how it could potentially impact their mental health? Michael Phelps: I think, like you said, that’s a difficult thing for everybody to see, right? Because we never really understand what people are personally going through. So, I would say it’s a general statement that could be applied across the board and just with journalists. Allison Kugel: How have your wife and children contributed to your healing process? Michael Phelps: My wife has been the biggest and most influential person. She has been there for me through some of my struggles. Being together during this quarantine, with so many unknowns for everybody, it's been some more difficult times, and my wife and I have probably pressed each other’s buttons, but not on purpose (laughs). But we have been fortunate enough to grow and learn together, and that is something I am forever grateful for. I was actually afraid as hell of going through this quarantine process and some of our conversations that have come up, and of becoming vulnerable, but that’s part of growing up and learning. Overall, I think the journey with her is something I can look back on and be proud of how I’ve enjoyed this experience with her. Allison Kugel: What is your relationship with fame today, as opposed to a decade ago? Michael Phelps: I don't know that I have a relationship with fame. For the majority of my career I would say I didn’t really think about it because I was just focused on swimming. Everything else just came along with it. At this point, my wife and I live our lives how we want and don’t really let anything affect that. We are laid back, relaxed people. We don’t go out a lot. We are homebodies, in general, so the quarantine has almost helped us in that respect (laugh). In some odd way, our relationship has benefited even more from it. Allison Kugel: It’s an introvert’s paradise, right? Michael Phelps: Yes (laugh)! Allison Kugel: How do you quell stress and anxiety? Michael Phelps: I don’t even know how to put it into words. My scariest days are dark. My scary moments, in general, feel like I can’t do anything right. It feels like the whole world is out to get me. On those days it’s almost better for me to fall asleep and wake up tomorrow. That’s how I feel when I have days like that. I know I need to get into the swimming pool. I know I need to get into the gym even more, just because that’s my calming place. Swimming is therapeutic for me and working out is something I do every day because it’s all I know and it’s the only thing I’ve done consistently for 20 years (laugh). Being regimented helps me be my best; that and taking quiet time for myself. That's one thing my wife and I are both good at. If we aren't taking time for ourselves, the other one is very pushy about making sure we each take that time. If our glasses aren’t full, we can’t help our three kids. Allison Kugel: Because of all the Olympic gold medals you have won, people would define you as "great." How do you define and identify greatness? I ask, because while watching The Weight of Gold, you and other Olympians talk about the price of achieving Olympic greatness, and the toll it takes… Michael Phelps: Would I change anything? Probably not, to be honest. It is all allowed me to be who I am today. If it had to take me going through some of the scariest moments to look at myself and love who I see today, then it is all okay. I think greatness is a bunch of small things done well. That is really all it is. If you look at any of the greats in history, in sports or whatever, we basically all do it the same way. There is no real rocket science behind it. It is hard work, dedication, not giving up and pushing through. I do think there are healthier ways and smarter ways to do it, and people who see this film or people who are going through these things now, hopefully they can see that there is a healthier way to do it than what we’ve done in the past. Allison Kugel: When I interviewed Mike Tyson, he told me that you can’t be happy and be great. He felt that at the height of his boxing career he had to sacrifice happiness for greatness. Do you think that is true? Michael Phelps: I think what he is referring to is that, as an athlete, you are just trying to chase something. That is the biggest thing for a lot of people. I can say for myself, when I retired in 2012, the feeling was, "I need a break. Leave me alone. Stop!" I knew deep down inside I still wanted to come back because I was frustrated with how I finished, and I wanted to finish on my terms. That's why I came back. When I was swimming or when I retired in 2016, I felt I did everything that I could, and I did what I was meant to do in this sport. For the longest time I saw myself as strictly a swimmer, and just this kid who went up and down staring at a black line [in a swimming pool] and not a human being. That's that feeling of trading happiness for greatness you are referring to. I didn’t like who I saw in the mirror when I was like that. Allison Kugel: Do you think you ever bought into the notion that you were superhuman or a superhero, at all? Michael Phelps: No because I just wanted it that bad. It was always more of a wanting and a striving. Going into 2008, that was just… me. When I become super focused on one thing, it's that and only that. I’m a competitor, and I'm the biggest competitor you will ever see. It's that blood in the water mentality. At that point in my life, when I wanted something bad enough, I was going to outwork every single human being, no matter what it took. Allison kugel: How would you say your mental health is today? Michael Phelps: Today, meaning over the last couple of months (laughs)? Allison Kugel: Well, all of us are having some issues these last couple of months (laugh). Michael Phelps: I will say this, I did a piece with ESPN three months ago and it was a disaster. Yes, I have ridden a roller coaster of emotions over the last six months, as I’m sure we all have. But all in all, honestly today I don’t think I could be in a happier place. I probably have one or two bad days a month that are a 6 or 7 on a scale of 1 to 10, whereas before, it would be 10 bad days a month that were at a 9. Quarantine has also forced me to learn and to grow. I almost feel like that is what this is all about. Whether it’s the work that my wife and I have done, or work on myself, I’ve broken through some barriers. It's almost been good for me to have this time, not to, like, sit in my own shit (laugh), but to deal with myself. I feel like everything in life happens for a reason. Allison Kugel: I understand what you mean. It is scary but necessary to be still, and we've all had to be still in recent months. Michael Phelps: It’s been fun though. It was scary in the beginning, but if we can all take a step back and look at the beginning of the quarantine process, I bet we can all see how much we've learned and grown through the process without even realizing it. It's kind of crazy that I have worked within hundredths of a second as a competitive swimmer my entire life, and now I'm trying to slow life down. Allison Kugel: That's interesting. You're really not used to that. Michael Phelps: No, not at all (laugh). Allison Kugel: Are you completely sober today? Have you sworn off alcohol? Michael Phelps: We don’t drink in our household at all. There are some bad childhood memories of my father [drinking] or seeing other things like that. I'm somebody who is very conscious of not having my boys go through some of the same things that I lived through and had to see. It’s hard to still live with some of those feelings, even 20 years down the road. When I was a kid my dad didn’t know how to handle certain situations. I feel like at times I get very irritable in certain situations because of it, and I'll go back to my childhood self and realize, "Oh, this is probably why I'm feeling this way right now. It's because of something that scared me from my childhood and this situation is kind of poking at something." I have to take a deep breath and be still with it. That is what I teach my sons. When you feel overwhelming emotions you just have to take a second to realize what they are. [Without alcohol,] I have had to process those emotions that have come up from my childhood. Allison Kugel: In this documentary film, The Weight of Gold, we you appear in, narrate, and you also executive produced, you show a darker side of the Olympics and Olympians? Are you at all nervous about how the International Olympic Committee will react to the film? Michael Phelps: This is a project that I was super pumped and excited about it. Honestly, after coming off of the 16 Olympic games, being able to see that there are so many other athletes that are going through something just like what I went through, I feel strongly that something has to be done about it. Athletes along with myself want to help make a change and I was very fortunate to have 20 athletes jump on board this film. Since then, we have had even more athletes open up about their experiences. The film is very real and raw. We are going to have to change this dynamic if we want to see everything continue to grow in Olympic sports. Allison Kugel: What change do you hope to see because of people watching this documentary? Michael Phelps: I hope people take our mental health just as seriously as our physical health and athletic ability. If [the powers that be] care so much about our physical well-being, then our mental well-being should be a part of that equation. If our mental well-being isn’t there, then our physical well-being won’t be anywhere close to our potential. They both go hand-in-hand. Right now, the mental health resources and support is not there, and it has never been there. I guess if we were not performing, then we don’t get the help we need. Allison Kugel: And you start to feel like a prize racehorse. Michael Phelps: Like a product. You see in this film there are thousands of kids that are waiting to take our shoes, and as soon as we are done the door slams on us and we are forgotten about. Personally, I have been extremely fortunate. Yes, I struggle mentally but my performances have allowed me to continue to do things where other people are still potentially not getting a job because they’ve forgone college, they’ve forgone their whole life to put into this. Allison Kugel: Would you let your kids be professional athletes or take on the kind of the kind of journey that you took on? Michael Phelps: I don't think it's fair for them to have to follow in my footsteps. If they are going to be 100 times better than me, than hell yes! I would love to see it. I would love to be there and be a part of it if they love it. but I don't want to force them into something they don't want. I found swimming as a kid and loved it. I did have some rocky points, but I absolutely enjoyed every moment. I want them to follow their passion and love what they do. Allison Kugel: What do you think you came into this life as Michael Phelps to learn, and what did you come here to teach? Michael Phelps: I think I have partially found some of it, but I don't think I've figured out all of it. I do think this next chapter of my life is going to be way bigger than what I have ever done before. I think bringing awareness to the mental health side of things could potentially be bigger than my swimming ever was. I don't think that is the whole picture, and I don't know what the rest of the picture looks like yet. Isn’t life’s purpose to continually be finding out what it is, but we are never supposed to really find out what it is while we are living it? Allison Kugel: I like that. Michael Phelps: If you obsess over your purpose too much then it almost becomes irrelevant and obsolete. It should naturally just occur over time. I don't know exactly what my life's purpose is because I feel like I am still trying to find it. I might not fully know, but I feel like it's not something I can go out and search for. It will be presented to me whenever it is ready to be presented. Allison Kugel: I get that. Michael Phelps: I am still trying to process what happened over the last 16 years. The one thing for me throughout my career was that I was always visualizing my next goal, and that is important. I was always prepared for what was going to happen, but I was never future tripping. I try to live in the moment as much as possible. And now, that is something I am trying to do outside of the water. I feel like I have probably taken more strokes in the water than I have taken steps on land. The Weight of Gold, executive produced and narrated by Michael Phelps, premieres Wednesday, July 29 at 9pm ET on HBO. Words and interview by Allison Kugel. Allison Kugel is a syndicated entertainment columnist and author of the memoir, Journaling Fame: A memoir of a life unhinged and on the record. Follow on Instagram @theallisonkugel and at AllisonKugel.com. Michael Phelps gif courtesy of NBC Olympics, LLC (NBC Sports Group) and Team USA. Photos Courtesy of HBO Sports.

Check out Miami Living's favorite eating spots to watch the Big Game 2021! 1Rooftop at 1 Hotel South Beach Deal: Private rooftop cabanas Details: This year, guests are invited to watch The Big Game in style in a private cabana at 1 Hotel South Beach's 1Rooftop. They can cheer for their favorite team in their very own poolside rooftop cabana, 18 stories up while overlooking South Beach’s beautiful oceanfront and picturesque views. With its vast alfresco landscape and private spaces, 1Rooftop is the ideal venue for enjoying The Big Game in a safe and socially responsible setting. Choices including a SKY Cabana or an Ultra Sky Cabana. Each personal cabana comes complete with a dedicated server, TV, bottle service and selections from the speciality game day la carte menu. The rooftop cabanas are available starting at $3,000 for guests who are 21+ and over. Cabanas can be booked HERE. Image by 1 Hotel South Beach American Social Deal: Over 25 TVs throughout the restaurant, buckets of Bud Light, Bud Light Seltzer, Trulys To-go packages for Sunday pickup include wings, pizza and more. Details: Big Game 2021 headquarters, American Social in Brickell is complete with all the essentials needed for a successful gameday - and with more than 25 TVs to watch from, all guests can enjoy having the best seat in the house. Find all the food and drink essentials needed for a successful gameday, such as the AmSo Burger, chicken wings, pizza and more. Choose drinks from AmSo's extensive beer and hand-crafted cocktail list for some much needed fuel to make it through the game. Image by Adorned Photography Fuego y Mar at Ritz-Carlton, South Beach Deal: Bucket of domestic beers, wings, and nachos for $55 Details: This year, watch the big game at Fuego y Mar located at the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach. Root for your favorite team while you refresh yourself with some beers and indulge in some wings and nachos. One can get this party pack for $55! Image by Ritz-Carlon, South Beach W Miami Deal: Game day bites & beer buckets Details: Watch the big game at W Miami’s ADDiKT. The restaurant is transforming into a sports bar lined with TVs in honor of game day. Guests and visitors alike can cheer on their favorite team while enjoying game day bites such as burgers, wings, nachos and beer bucket specials. ADDiKT will be open from 5:00pm to 10pm with the game day festivities kicking off at 6:30pm. Image by W Miami The Confidante Miami Beach Deal: Big Game Menu ($12 - $24) Details: It’s Super Sunday at The Confidante and we have a whole day planned full of activations! You can watch the big game on either of our 20 foot screens in front of the pool. You can order from the team rooting for the Bucs or the Chiefs. There will be a Trivia and the winner will get an option of a bucket of beer, two signature cocktails, or one pitcher of a signature cocktail. Image by The Confidante Miami Beach Take Out Options Beehive Kitchen Deal: 15% off catering from 11:00am to 1:00pm Details: Watch the big game from the comfort of your own home with Beehive Kitchen catering. With beehive catering one can build healthy super bowls at home with a five person minimum! Beehive offers traditional spread which comes with 2 bases, 1 veggie option, and a sauce + add on. The second catering option known as the signature spread offers 2 bases, 2 veggie options, 2 protein options, and a sauce + add on. Osaka Nikkei Miami Deal: Bento box Details: Looking for a delicious and elevated meal to watch the big game with this year? Luckily, Osaka Nikkei Miami offers their bento box to go which features a sleek and carefully-packaged design with fresh selections, made to feel like you’re dining in the restaurant. A stunning presentation filled with tempting flavors, Osaka’s Bento Boxes feature the highest-quality ingredients made with an array of fresh nigiris, makimonos and your choice of sashimi or ceviche - made for two. Pair this sophisticated dine with some complementing cocktails to really bring the restaurant experience to your home. Bulla Gastrobar Locations: Bulla Gastrobar at The Falls, Coral Gables and Doral Deal: Super game package for $90 Details: Watch the big game from the comfort of your own home with Bulla Gastrobar’s super game package. For a total of $90 one can get buy a to go special package with montaditos, croqueta de jamon, margarita flatbread, patatas bravas, and pinxtos de pollo. For an additional $20 a red sangria pitcher to go can also be added to one’s package. Pisco y Nazca Locations: Pisco y Nazca at Kendall and Doral Deal: Super game package for $90 Details: Watch the big game from the comfort of your own home with Pisco y Nazca’s super game package. For a total of $90 one can get a to go special package with empanadas de ají de gallina, yucas a la huancaína, anticuchos de pollo, ceviche tradicional, and jalea. For an additional $25 any pisco sour 750mL bottle can be added to one’s package. American Social Deal: To-go packages available for Sunday pickup Details: Known for its all-American classic eats, American Social is offering special to-go packages complete with all the gameday essentials including AmSo burgers, chicken wings, pizza and more, letting guests fuel through the game from the comfort of their home. PLANTA Deal: To-go available Details: PLANTA, the popular Miami eatery with locations in South Beach and Coconut Grove, is letting guests indulge in 100% plant-based fare from the comfort of their home this game day. Guests can indulge in comfort food favorites such as the PLANTA burger, cauliflower tots, signature pizzas, nachos and more. By ML Staff.

Two besties penned a unique and inclusive dating and relationship book during the thick of COVID lockdown, and we are so here for it. All Good Just A Week Ago: Funny Dating Stories to Help You Keep Your Head in the Game is full of funny, outrageous, relatable dating stories and teachable moments bravely and candidly contributed by a cross section of men and women. This anonymous tell-all covers just about every dating scenario you can imagine (and even some you can’t). If you are single or if you know a single man or woman struggling to keep their head in the game, you need to pick up a copy of All Good Just A Week Ago. During COVID lockdown, co-authors and best friends Erika McCall and Niesha Forbes, wanted to put their quarantine time to good use and set about interviewing 30 women and 20 men, gathering their detailed dating and relationship misadventures for this book. You’ll laugh, roll your eyes and shake your head as you thumb through the pages. You’ll also empathize with some of the more heartbreaking stories and learn a lot. Most importantly, you’ll know you are not alone. We’ve all been there! According to recent statistics, as of 2019, 124 Million Americans (that’s 50% of the American adult population) are currently without a committed romantic partner. This state of singledom has been on a sharp incline since 1950 when a paltry 22% of Americans found themselves without a romantic partner. Yes, we know, times have changed and there aren’t too many June Cleavers running around these days. But one thing hasn’t changed… most people still want love, and in 2020, too many of us, both male and female, have let the train go off the rails. Co-Authors Erika McCall and Niesha Forbes Want You to Learn After You Laugh “It’s been the year of 20/20 vision, and it’s time for a dating and love revolution,” states All Good Just A Week Ago co-author, Erika McCall. Both women insist that starts with the release of their book. In addition to being entertaining, the two women set out to discover why romantic communication and the expectation rift are widening and how the stories in this book can help heal the relationship between men and women to foster close, loving, committed relationships, despite this new generation’s so-called “hook up culture.” Erika and Niesha put some skin in the game by revealing some of their own past heartbreaks and romantic near-misses within the book’s pages. Erika who now describes herself as 100% single and “clearing the energy for her future husband to enter her life,” and Niesha who just celebrated her third wedding anniversary, hope that their book will start a widespread conversation about returning to a social norm of mutual respect, kindness and traditional courtship between the sexes. According to Erika, “My story is the every-woman story. Prior to writing this book, I had gone from situationship to situationship, and that stops here!” Niesha, who is now happily married, adds, “It is critical to know that once you get to a certain age, things you did in your early twenties, all those toxic behavior patterns where you are not putting your worth above your desire to be with someone, if you don’t do the work on yourself, you will find yourself in your thirties, forties and even fifties, having not learned the important lessons or found true love.” In speaking about many of the dating and relationship books currently being marketed to women, Erika has been disappointed with the manner in which women were being condescended to. “A lot of books out there are written by men and are geared towards vulnerable, single women. They talk about how to get a man, like he is the prize. We wanted to talk to women and not at them. We also made sure to include the men’s stories in our book because we want the conversation to shift towards inclusiveness. We want to include men and validate their point of view and experiences as well.” Niesha adds, “We try to bring it all back to a spiritual center. So many women will say, ‘I’m preparing for my husband.’ We believe we are in a season where men are going to wake up and be who they are called to be, and realize they do need a good woman in their life.” After people laugh and feel the relatability of the stories throughout this book, later chapters inspire a call-to-action for both men and women to redirect towards what we can do collectively to move forward with a healthier dating and relationship dynamic. The women also discuss what they call “Kingdom Relationships and Marriages,” referencing God-centered values in dating and courtship, where both the man and woman are in the right season to receive and value each other with a shared goal of serving a higher purpose and “building strong legacies.” We know, we know. But before you dismiss this idea, think about how many young singles out there love to talk about wanting what their parents and grandparents shared. The struggle is real. The must-read stories in this book are categorized into “Women’s Edition” and “Men’s Edition” and take our word for it, perspective is a hell of a thing! With Chapters like: Red Flags & Situationships, Heartaches & Disappointments, Married Men, Dodging Bullets, Love Made A Fool of Me, He/She Tried It, How I Met My Husband, How I Met My Wife, Strictly For Laughs, and, of course, Keep Your Head In The Game; your eyes will be glued to the pages. Visit AllGoodJustAWeekAgo.com to pick up your copy. And if you think you have a must-read story to share with Erika and Niesha, email them through their website, and your story just might make it into All Good Just A Week Ago Part 2! Words by Allison Kruger • Image courtesy of Don’t Wait Create LLC.