Official uVu Blog

Miami Vibes

One more from "Cirque Eloize iD" Media Day

The artistic director for Cirque Eloize iD, Jeannot Painchaud, speaks with Arsht Center E-Correspondent Caitlin during the media day preview for this amazing production which will run through September 4.

 

Don't Try This At Home

From the Cirque Eloize iD cast, meet Emi. She is the show's contortionist and self describe "romantic girl." Cirque Eloize iD is currently running at the Arsht Center until September. She can twist herself in unimaginable ways and twisted our hearts as well. In this clip she meets with Caitlin, E-Host of "Behind the Curtain at the Arsht Center"

 

Miami Today Profile: Rolando Aedo

Hoteliers watch out. One of the men in charge of pitching Miami as a vacation destination around the globe likes to get away in his own backyard.
“At least once a summer,” said Rolando Aedo, chief marketing officer and executive vice president for the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, I “squirrel away anonymously at one of the hotels and really enjoy it.”

 

In his position he drives  marketing strategy leveraged by anywhere from $10 million to $12 million, funded publicly and privately, to promote Miami around the world.
At the moment, he said, Miami’s biggest source of visitors includes Brazil, Canada and Germany.
The agency is also working to allow Brazilians to visit the US more easily, through advocating for visa waiver and immigration changes with the US Travel Association, and is beginning to eye markets in Asia.
Many of those markets will require newer airplanes, like Boeing’s forthcoming 787 or the Airbus A380 that already services Miami, and the bureau is working to build the channels.
“We will be going to India in September to further develop those relationships,” he said. “So whether it’s Russia, India and China these are markets that we know have tremendous potential to bring more visitors, more money and [create] more jobs.”
Mr. Aedo discussed what’s being done to bring more visitors to Miami, particularly in the summer, the future of the cruise industry and what’s at stake at the Miami Beach Convention Center with Miami Today staff writer Zachary Fagenson.

Cirque Eloize iD at the Arsht Center

It is a little Hip Hop, a little "West Side Story" and all Cirque.

Here is a sneak peek at the troop in action from the nedia day at the Arsht Center.  The show opens this week and for more information go to arshtcenter.org

 

camera obscura

Edgar Mitchell traveled to the Moon aboard Apollo 14. After that 1971 journey, Mitchell took home a movie camera from the mission. He recently tried to auction it, but the space agency sued. Mitchell's lawyer says the camera was a gift, and in any event, NASA waited too long to ask for it back.

Here you can read a transcript of his interview on NPR regarding this.  We had a chance to meet Edgar Mitchell last year and discuss among other things, his path to Apollo and his development of the study he calle Noetic Sciences.

 

Wasserman-Schultz v. West and other Florida Politics

Miami Carnival Season begins

As Miami Broward One Carnival officially launched its 2011 season on July 16th, 2011, we at uVu decided it was time to give you a quick lesson on the matter.

Carnival is an international affair. Some countries follow the catholic calendar, such as trinidad, French West Indies, Brazil,by celebrating in February; and others  celebrate this event thoughout the year, such as in July in Barbados (crop over), or April in Jamaica.

Miami and Broward had their own celebration each year during Colombus weekend, but in the last two years decided to unite forces and concentrate their effort on one big event bringing close to 200 000 spectators each year.

You can enjoy carnival two ways:

-As a spectator in the street watching the different band and floats passing by the streets. Similar to a 4th of July parade, but masqueraders often start dancing with the audience  or take pics with anyone who ask for them.

-Or you can particpate, and this is the one I higly recommend. Pick a carnival band on http://www.miamibrowardcarnival.com/ and contact them directly to look at their costumes, themes, and prices. It is Sunday October 9th, 2011. The parade starts in the morning and finishes aroudn 11 p.m. About 25 bands offer differents styles of costumes, from sexy to extremely revealing, to more conservative. Haitian, Trinidadians, and Bajan bands provide drinks and food for their masqueraders. You have to register with the bands in advance, usually before September by sending your costume choice, measurement and down payment.

The day of the parade is an experience like no other. Music blasting for the music trucks, colorful costumes, glitters, sequins, feathers and more...It is a true Miami experience as so many culture unite in this part of the globe. No need to be Caribbean to participate. If you like to enjoy partying and experiencing new adventure, Miami Carnival is for you and uVu will bring it from start to finish.

There is  a competition between each band every year as judges set up a stage where each band has to display their costumes sections. Some of the favorite bands in Miami are Generation X, China and Party People, but in the recent years, new bands have emerged, such as Carnival Nationz from Toronto, or for the first time this year,  Ascension.

uVu was at the Miami Broward One Carnival and gives you a preview of one of the new bands in Miami, Ascension.

 

Miami Today: Alberto Ibarguen

At the helm of the Knight Foundation, President and CEO Alberto Ibarguen sits in between those who create information and those looking for innovative ways do distribute it.
He and his staff oversee a $2 billion endowment, left behind by former Knight Ridder owners the Knight brothers, which they use to fund countless grants each year in the 26 communities where the one-time Miami Herald owner also had newspapers.

 

On top of looking for new business models to sustain a media industry in upheaval, the foundation also funds projects in the arts. A Gallup poll commissioned by the foundation showed culture is a major factor in determining a person’s engagement in their community and whether they stay.
“It is a way where you and I can begin to have a relationship that helps us understand each other and helps us create the new kind of relationship that we’ll have in Miami,” Mr. Ibarguen said. “You don’t know need a whole lot of explanation to be moved by a Beethoven symphony or a Gloria Estefan song or a painting by a Daniel Arsham, the local artist.”
He discussed some of the Knight Foundation’s latest programs, what digital experiments are seeing success and his work on the boards of such companies as AOL, PepsiCo and AMR, the holding company for American Airlines, with Miami Today staff writer Zachary Fagenson.

Two from Cultural Plaza

Two new exhibitions opened recently, making a trip to downtown Miami a must this summer.

HistoryMiami launched the First 100 Years of Aviation earlier this month and MAM opened an exhibition of conceptual art by Rivane Neuenschwander, called A Day Like Any Other.  Here is some video of both.

 

Funksionally Yours

Funksion Swimwear Miami Beach presents Lila Nikole on July 14th, 2011