Official uVu Blog

Miami Today Profile - Constance Collins Margulies

Constance Collins Margulies remembers the first time she saw a homeless person – she was 13 – and it left an indelible mark. “How can any of us be happy as long as one of us lives like this,” she wondered at the time. Nearly 40 years later, she has become a champion for homeless women and children in Miami-Dade.

Lotus House Women’s Shelter opened three years ago in Miami’s Overtown – an area many Lotus House residents call home. While community in-kind support remains strong, the current economic climate has led to financial difficulties. To help make ends meet, the shelter recently opened the Lotus House Thrift Shop near the Design District. “We are still in the infancy stages of it but it’s one way we’re trying to respond to what’s happening out there in the economy,” she says.

Moving forward, Ms. Margulies hopes to get up and running a small volunteer health clinic. Long term, she is banking on a recently started endowment to help sustain the clinic into perpetuity. “Just making it through the next five years will be an important goal for us, and beyond that we hope the shelter will be here as a resource for generations to come,” she says. From the courtyard at Lotus House’s Overtown operation, Ms. Margulies discussed her philanthropic calling with Miami Today staff writer Scott E. Pacheco.

Watch video from the interview here on uvu

The Krewe of Boo Parade

Halloween came a little early in New Orleans, but the unusual is tradition in the town that defined Mardi Gras.  The parade wound its way through the French Quarter and then up and down Canal Street, finishing at the riverfront warehouse of Mardi Gras World.  More than just a whimsical evening of fun however, the parade raised much needed funds for the cities first responders, police, fire and EMS.

Although the beads and cups and stuffed toys were flying, I didn't hear anyone shout "throw me something Monster"

Here is a little info about the parade and the cause it represented:

The Krewe of Boo, New Orleans’ Official Halloween Parade!

Created by New Orleans’ own Blaine Kern Sr., The mastermind producing Mardi Gras for over 60 years, the Krewe of Boo is unlike any other parade in the world. Not only is the Krewe of Boo the official Halloween Parade in New Orleans, it is the first parade with a charitable cause! Mr. Kern’s vision for this unique event was to give back to New Orleans First Responders the best way he knows how…by throwing a party! Every dollar generated by the Krewe of Boo benefits the Greater New Orleans First Responders Fund.

Michelle Monaghan on uVu

You might better know her as Tom Cruise's wife in Mission Impossible III. You know...The sequel where the wife is kidnapped and ends up being the one saving everyone at the end (My version of the movie). If my description is not accurate enough or if you decided not to follow the adventure of agent Ethan Hunt for a third time..Maybe you are a Grey's Anatomy's fan and watch every single movie featuring Patrick Dempsey aka Mc Dreamy, you might have seen Made of Honor, where Monaghan plays the love interest.

If you still cannot picture the actress' beautiful face, one last chance. The Heartbreak Kid? with Ben Stiller? Rings a bell? Well, she is the love interest, once again. If you still don't know who she is, just watch the uVu video below where Monaghan gracefully walked  the Red Carpet of the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival on Oct 23rd, 2009 for the premiere of her movie Trucker. She also received the Star on the Horizon Award that same evening.

Hope Blossoms - An Art Happening benefitting the Lotus House

The Margulies Warehouse was the place to be on October 16th, 2009. Drumming, dancing, painting, food tasting welcomed each guest who came to celebrate the arts for a good cause: The Lotus House Women's Shelter in Downtown, Miami.

uVu was once again there to bring you a taste of the Fifth Annual Hope Blossoms- An Art Happening Fundraiser in case you missed it. About 500 people came to the event to support the Lotus House. Donations as low as $ 10 were accepted in exchange for a poem writing on old school typewriters. Guests could also buy Lotus House clothing to help the Women's shelter.

Constance Collins Marguiles Founder of the Lotus House explained that the shelter helps about 130 women and children by providing free transitional housing and empower women to improve the quality of their lives on every level.

It was all about arts in every forms at the famous Margulies Warehouse. Between the Margulies Arts Collection, dancers moving and shaking around guests to the beat of their Ipod, restaurants offering culinary treats such as sushi, empanadas, squid salad, cupackes, shrimp cocktail, drummers offering beats of Latin America...Hope Blossoms brought joy, positive energy and inspiration to everyone.

Clients from The Lotus House were also present and shared with uVu their gratitude and happiness. "It is the first time I enjoy myself drug free," said an emotional Cherry during the party.

The evening was a success as Martin Margulies described it, "but not only because of the fundraiser", he insisted, "but because we brought awareness to the women's shelter."

Watch for yourself

Interview with a Vampire

While living in South Florida it is sometimes difficult to connect with the people around you. If you think about it, when was the last time you had a conversation with your neighbor? In this new series the uVu crew tries to reconnect people by showcasing the interesting lives of South Floridians; some who could be your next-door neighbor. 

In episode one we sit down with Elijah, a vampire living in Miami. In this clip Elijah discusses how he became a vampire. This episode is part 1 of 4.

Read a uVu intern's perspective of when the crew met Elijah for the first time in his blog post Vampires in South Florida.

Halloween in the land of Voodoo

Almost Halloween in New Orleans. Look for the full story of the Krewe of Boo Parade on uVu later this week.

Move Moment at STU

On Wednesday, October 21st, 2009  St. Thomas University opened their doors and invited everyone to an exhibition called the Move Moment. The Move Moment is and exhibition of contemporary Slovenian art. It displayed the work if numerous Slovenian Artist and was followed by a cocktail reception. 

Up close with Mia Leonin

uVu met with author Mia Leonin in her home as she talked about her carreer and her latest book "Havana and other Missing fathers," a memoir that traces the journey Leonin took in search of her father.

Leonin is a creative writing instructor at the University of Miami. She is the author of two books of poetry, Braid and Unraveling the Bed.

Leonin will be at the 2009 Miami Book Fair in November.

Watch the video here

A Symphony of Science

We are all connected - 

Flight of Heroes

So I'm sitting at DCA  coming home from a video shoot at NIH- I'm there early- we all had flights leaving this morning and I was the last to leave. I bought a new book and some munchies and checking in with some folks and getting ready to settle in for the duration and read when I heard trumpets.

I stuck my head up and there were baloons everywhere- an entire orchestra, a group of high school kids tuning up their voices.
"wow"  I think "this is some cool airport"
People with flags started to arrive.
Up until now my video and still camera are safe in my bag lovingly tucked away and put to rest after a long weekend of shooting.

I had no idea that  senators  Bob and Elizabeth Dole were coming but you know how could I not shoot this?
Both senators showed up and that was neat  but for me the majic was the faces of the veterans who came off that plane.
With a little wonder and awe at the Heros welcome they received I pictured both my deceased parents (both veterans) and wondered how they would feel if they received a welcome like this.
And even though I didn't know a soul my heart swelled with pride and tears poured down my face.

This is an "Honor Flight" organized by Senator Elizabeth Dole in memory of her brother that died.

I came home and put this piece together and the google searched. I saw one piece on the news in north carolina (about this one -there were other stories about honor flights) and nothing on the news anywhere else. Not even a blip--I guess the universe is too busy perseverating about baloon boy to even care. 

shot and edited by cyndi lenz
clenz@mac.com