Blog No. 47 of 2025

This week we pick it up from last Saturday when Vance and I watched Nick and his softball teammates take the bronze medal at the Special Olympics Fall Classic. It was great redemption after a crushing loss on Friday.

Nick (6th from the left) and his softball teammates and coaches proudly display their bronze medals. Photo by Vance G.

Kiwanis Island Park in Merritt Island

Sunset at Jetty Park Beach

Sunset on Jetty Park Boardwalk. Photo by Vance G.

We stuck around to watch them receive their medals and after dropping off Nick back at the townhouse, Vance and I went to Bobalicious just a few minutes away so I could have my favorite Mocha Loco Chai Iced Latte. After that, we went and sat by the water at Kiwanis Island Park where we watched kayakers take off on a bioluminescent tour and then we closed out the day with a relaxing walk on the Jetty Park boardwalk at Port Canaveral The view from there was incredible and the weather was absolutely perfect.

Sunday, I’m happy to report we watched the Miami Dolphins beat the Washington Commanders but I was still upset because Dolphins Head Coach Mike McDaniel could’ve closed out the game with a field goal but instead opted to go for the touchdown and they failed miserably. The Dolphins managed, in overtime, to intercept a pass and eventually made it into field goal range to close it out. An unnecessarily stressful ending to the game if you ask me.

Wednesday morning, after dropping Nick off at his program, I returned to the Miami Beach Regional Library. If you’ll recall, I was there to a few weeks ago watching the Project SOAR students, adults with special needs, rehearsing for their performance. I got to watch them put what they’d learned at that rehearsal, into a heartfelt performance. It was truly magical to watch. I also used that morning as an opportunity to ask the Project SOAR Director and the school’s principal if they’d be interested in putting together a newsletter about their programming. I’m excited to see what comes of it. Fingers crossed.

North Beach on Wednesday when I took a moment to dip my toes in the water and enjoy some time on the sand.

“Reflection” public art installation at Ocean Terrace Park in North Beach.

Another angle of “Reflection” art installation at Ocean Terrace Park at 73rd St. on Miami Beach.

Since I was already on Miami Beach, I took Collins Avenue from where I was at 22nd St. all the way to 73rd St. where I stopped at the new Ocean Terrace Park in North Beach to admire their public art installation “Reflection,” which I read about on our Artbust Miami website, click here to read the article by writer Douglas Markowitz. The spot is breathtaking and zen-like, I love where they installed it, inside a pond with floating water lilies throughout. The landscaping there and throughout the park is so soothing and the palm trees add to the tropical flavor of it all. I plan to return and meander through the winding boardwalk.

Thursday morning I went out to breakfast with my friend Claire. We had a long leisurely meal at First Watch where we chatted about family, life and just about everything else. We are the both the youngest in large families and so share a common bond and always have great conversations. I met Claire when we were both doing food rescue at Trader Joe’s in Coral Gables and we had an instant connection.

Then at night I attended the opening reception of “What’s in Your Container?” an exhibition presented by Diaspora Vibe Cultural Arts Incubator on display at the Monsignor William Barry Library, Institute of Immigration Studies Gallery at Barry University. It features works by 19 artists who answered the question the exhibition title asks through their very personal installations. Also, during the show’s six month run, there will be activations and interactive works presented in the space. I loved engaging in conversation with a few of the artists whose work really spoke to me, particularly Fiber Artist Evelyn Politzer and Rosa Naday Garmendia, a printmaker and activist artist. I also loved seeing Vivian Marthell of O Cinema and Tom Virgin of Extra Virgin Press, who were in attendance. Rosa told me that Tom taught her the art of printmaking. The show will be up until April 17, 2026.

This morning I went to another Creative Mornings, this one at the Allapattah bar Las Rosas where Adrian Castro spoke. It was such an open and honest presentation by Castro who spoke about his journey from the corporate world hamster wheel to deciding to take the leap and follow his heart and pursue his creative passions. He has reinvented himself several times, taking whatever was his passion at the moment and rolling it into his next idea, all of it culminating to where he is now, a pro wrestler with CCW and General Manaer at Las Rosas. I was so touched when he spoke about his support and advocacy for the mental health organization National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) and how he donated proceeds from his CCW fight to the organization and has for the past four years, been organizing a walk to raise awareness about mental health. I also got to see some familiar faces and also met some new people.

And right before I went up to speak to Adrian and let him know my son Nick is a huge wrestling fan and that I might be bringing him to the next match, I met artist Brian Butler of Upper Hand Art. Brian is hosting a sunset event on the beach on Dec. 6 calling it the Beach Towel Art Show. I told him I’m going to try to make it to his event.

Tonight I’m going to a play at Colony Theater, Miami New Drama’s “Here There Are Blueberries” which tells the story of a scrapbook of photographs taken at Auschwitz, but not of horrific scenes but of everyday life. Click here to read Artburst Miami Editor Michelle Solomon’s review. The play runs through Dec. 7.

And suggestions on to do this weekend? Get outside! Enjoy the amazing weather either at the Miami Book Fair, the beach, a park or an outdoor attraction like the Ancient Spanish Monastery in North Miami Beach, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden in Coral Gables or walk or bike along The Underline.

Oh and one last thing, while at Las Rosas this morning, a song had playing caught my attention so naturally, I Shazamed it and discovered the lovely instrumental music of Arc de Soleil. If you like mellow, rhythmic music, give them a listen. Been listening to it all afternoon.

Have a great weekend and a wonderful Thanksgiving. See you next Friday!