Official uVu Blog

Lights out! Literally!

Can you guess which of your senses will take over the fastest once your eyes are covered with a silky blindfold? Ummmmm…. Yes your taste buds!

This is my theory after experiencing my first Dining in the Dark event at City Hall The Restaurant on August 24^th, 2011.

About thirty people were selected to participate in the preview night benefiting Ability Explosion, a non-profit dedicated to raising awareness and bettering the lives of individuals with disabilities.

Each person was greeted with a gift bag containing the blindfold, and information about the upcoming Lights Out Miami event on October 20^th with more than 15 participating restaurants across the county.

I was introduced to the people at my table in the cocktail reception area where City Hall owner Steve Haas explained the rules, which can summarized like this:

“ No peaking!, No peaking , no peaking!”

I followed that main rule all night, challenging myself to take pictures and film blindfolded! So each picture that you see here is taken with my blindfold on... applause anyone?

Everyone entered the dining room holding on to a designated waiter. The staff was trained to accommodate the unique diners. I was introduced to my seat, my napkin, my water and wine glass.

  Touch became my first security blanket. I caressed everything around me to know what I was surrounded by, included the woman next to me, whic h I later found out was Mary Jo Almeida-Shore from Miami  Socialholic.

Let’s concentrate on the food. I was nervous at first not knowing what we will be eating. A previous email asking us about allergies or any diet restrictions reassured me a bit, but I was still not sure how to manage a knife and a fork in the dark.

Bread was served on the table “to my left” as the waitress with the nice voice stated. I started battling with other hands (I still don’t know whose) to rip a piece of the warm Cuban bread from the wooden board.

I dipped it in pecan butter and brought it my mouth. Obviously I had put too much butter, but still manage to grab another piece of bread before it was all gone.

First course:

My guess:

A soft cold substance that resembled fish, topped with a mushy texture which I recognized as avocado, seaweed salad (the crunchiness cannot be mistaken for something else), and chips.

Reality:

Tuna Tartar with Truffle-Soy Vinaigrette, Papaya, Avocado, Wakame & Sugared Lotus Root 

Sauvignon Blanc Chalk Hill

 

Impression:

It was rather easy to eat this course blindfolded. The chips helped scoop the tartare and following the contour of the plate was a great way for me to know the boundaries of the dish. It was paired with white wine which I looked for on the table by sliding my fingers slowly from my plate to the water glass then to the wine glass.

 

Second course: 

My guess:

Salad with eggs and bacon

Reality:

Chopped iceberg and romaine lettuce with Jumbo Lump crabmeat, carrot, cucumber, Cherry tomatoes, avocado, egg and White cheddar, crispy tortillas and spicey buttermilk dressing

 

Impression:

It was served in a rectangle high bowl, so I knew I would not spill anything. As soon as she put the plate in front of me, I recognized the smell of boiled eggs, and my first bite was bacon and lettuce, so I knew it was Cobb salad. I had a great conversation with Mary-Jo at the same time, so I don’t remember the dish very well as my ears were mostly the sense used the most at that time. It was really interesting to speak out loud to all those different voices around me without knowing what they look like. That actually gave me an idea for Blindfolded blind date! No more judging on appearances!

 

Third course:

My guess:

Asian inspired dish with glazed fish, 90 percent sure it was salmon, with wild rice. Steak and Israeli couscous topped with goat cheese bites. Two pieces of bok choy (Chinese cabbage).

Reality:

Grilled Skirt Steak with Israeli Couscous, Kalamata Olives, Tomato-Coriander Vinaigrette

Sesame seared North Atlantic salmon with a Shiitake Jasmine Rice, Baby Bok Choy, Miso Glaze

Pinot Noir  Erath, Willamette Valley, Oregon

Malbec  Diseno, san Juan Argentina

 

Impression:

This was the hardest dish to eat with no vision. I had no idea how big the piece of meat was, so I almost chocked on a big chunk o steak. But like Mary Jo stated, no one would have known I was chocking as everyone was blindfolded, so we just started laughing hysterically for 5 minutes. It was hard to know what was where on the plate, so I decided to use touch as my primary sense! I basically ate with one hand and my fork. It was easier to know the consistency of the food and where I could cut. The course was served with red wine, which was placed to the left on the white one.

 

Fourth course:

My guess :

Cake with lemon custard

Reality:

Banana creme pie

 

Impression:

 I was already full by the time dessert arrived. Conversation was flowing at the table and everyone was having a great time. Some guest confessed having cheated during the meal to check their blackberry or take pictures. I did not!

As soon as I took out the blindfold (two hours later) I realized that the room was not completely dark. I was astonished by the people around me. I had pictured them totally differently from what they looked like, and I felt disappointed to have gone back to reality, meaning, the end of a great evening among strangers who became friends with no worries of looks and appearances.

 

Conclusion:

You have to go to any of the participating restaurants on October 20^th. This is lifetime chance to experience dining in such a manner. I am a foodie and I truly experience the food on a different level. I am an advocate of starting to eat with my eyes with a beautiful presentation, but in this case, an exception can be made. It was amazing how the body works. The other senses take over in a sense of survival. I enjoyed every touch, smell, taste and sound. I became aware of details such as wine being poured down my glass, people laughing, yawning, the texture of food, the temperature of ingredients and the savor of wine.

There is nothing to be scared of. The staff was well trained and really helpful. The experience was memorable and I recommend it to anyone who wants to do something different while helping a good cause, Ability Explosion.

 

Miami Today Profile: Eveline Pierre

As the Haitian Heritage Museum enters its eighth season, Executive Director Eveline Pierre is working to expand the facility – increasing both its reach and yearly budget.

Always the historian, she founded the museum out of her desire to expose Miami-Dade youth to Haitian culture. As a South Florida native, Ms. Pierre said that while her parents taught her Creole and exposed her to Caribbean cuisine, the education she received at home did not carry over to the classroom.  

 

 

“I didn't want that to happen with this new generation,” she said, adding that the facility is the first of its kind outside of Haiti. “I created the Haitian Heritage Museum to teach them about their culture and connect all the dots. A lot of other cultures have a great connection with Haiti that a lot of people don't know about.”

The facility is bringing children face-to-face with Haitian culture through Miami-Dade County Public School’s museum magnet program. Through the program, museum officials work one-on-one with students, integrating the arts with math, science and English lesson plans.

“Art really does change the kids,” She said. “It is a different way of learning. Not everybody is a conventional learner. Bringing artifacts and objects is relatable and tangible. It makes the learning experience new and fun. They learn through discovery.”

While the museum recently moved from a 3,000-square-foot space on North Miami Avenue to a 2,000-square-foot space in Midtown, Ms. Pierre said that visitation has increased 100%. She hopes to up that number by expanding into a 65,000 foot space, increasing the facility’s budget from $200,000 to $1 million and by bringing more staff onboard.

“That day- to-day is [about] bringing awareness of who we are, where we are and what we're trying to do,” she said. “[We’re] bringing the cultures and the people of our community together.”

Ms. Pierre discussed her plans to expand the facility’s scope at the Haitian Heritage Museum with Miami Today staff writer Ashley Hopkins.

Recapturing some Nerve

If you missed the XIII annual Optic Nerve film series held at MOCA this past weekend, you can screen all 18 finalists on uVu and meet some of the filmmakers.

Senator Bill Nelson at the Forum Club of the Palm Beaches

Florida’s senior U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson will open the Forum Club’s season Aug. 25 with an economic congressional update touching on the national debt, unemployment and the future of entitlement programs such as Medicare and Social Security.

The noon event will be held at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, 650 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach.  Tickets may not be purchased until receipt of your electronic or standard newsletter.

A fifth generation Floridian, Nelson was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000 after serving six years as a member of the Florida Cabinet.  He currently serves on the Senate Commerce, Budget, Finance, Intelligence and Aging committees and is recognized as the leading congressional expert on NASA.

Find Video after the jump

Tarell Alvin McCraney

Tarell Alvin McCraney is a playwright making a homecoming of sorts and as homecomings go, this one is triumphant.
Splitting his early years between Homestead and Liberty City has given him a Miami-centric perspective and the fact that he has never learned to drive has forced him to view his hometown at a speed and pace most natives never have.
He may not drive but he has learned to soar.  His travels have taken him from the New World School of the Arts, to DePaul and Yale.  He has recently finished a stint as the RSC/Warwick International Playwright in Residence at the Royal Shakespeare Company and in April of 2010 he became a member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Ensemble.
His series of "Brother/Sister" plays have been staged at the Public Theatre among other places and one of those plays, "The Brothers Size" has brought him back to Miami as he directs the Miami debut at the GableStage starting September 3, 2011. The play was awarded the first annual New York Times Playwright Award in 2009.
We had a few minutes to speak with Mr. McCraney before a rehearsal and had a chance to get this thoughts on aspirations for Theatre in Miami, his early influences and his thoughts on the Miami Transit Authority.

 

See other clips with Tarell Alvin McCraney here.

 

Miami Today Profile: Francisco Garcia

Francisco Garcia has a one-of-a-kind perspective on Miami 21, the City of Miami’s zoning code.

As a consultant on the visionary zoning overhaul with urban planning firm Duany Plater-Zyberk & Co., Mr. Garcia spent hours on end vetting stakeholder concerns – pouring over intricacies in Miami’s strikingly different neighborhoods.

 

 

“Having worked in the private sector both nationally and internationally,” he said, “has given me a broader perspective as to the best practices in urban design and planning, but also in terms of how to interact with the development community.”

Now at the helm of Miami’s recently merged planning and zoning department, Mr. Garcia must lead the way through the city’s first major development wave since Miami 21, which is largely untested, was implemented in May 2010.

With an arsenal of knowledge from a decade-long stint with the city and years of globe-trotting private-sector experience, Mr. Garcia said he is eager to push for smart development and watch Miami come into its own.

“Because it happens to be between Miami Beach and Coral Gables and closest to the airport,” he said, “[Miami is viewed] as a place you have to go through to get somewhere else. Miami is going to increasingly become a destination.”

Mr. Garcia discussed development trends, weighed in on extensions for projects approved before the recession and shared thoughts on Brickell CitiCentre and Resorts World Miami with Miami Today reporter Jacquelyn Weiner at Miami Riverside Center, the city’s administrative building.

You're Invited to the Optic Nerve XIII Film Festival!

In recognition of its 15th anniversary, the Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami has broadened the scope of its annual Optic Nerve Film Festival featuring new short films and videos by artists. This year, in addition to selections from South Florida artists, films by artists from around the country will be screened.  

Optic Nerve XIII will be presented on Saturday, August 27 with two screenings at 7 pm and 9 pm at the Museum of Contemporary Art,  770 NE 125th Street,  North Miami, FL  33161.  The program includes 18 films by 15 artists and 2 artist collectives, all less than five minutes in length and made within the last two years which were selected from an open call for submissions.

One of the films will be purchased for MOCA’s permanent collection. The selection will be announced by MOCA Executive Director Bonnie Clearwater at the conclusion of the first screening.  Audience members will vote for their favorite film by ballot.    A reception will be held at 8 pm between the screenings with wines provided by Rex Goliath.

Optic Nerve XIII is free with museum admission ($5 adults; $3 seniors and students with ID; free for MOCA members, North Miami residents). Seating is very limited and RSVP is required.  For reservations, please call 305.893.6211 or email rsvp@mocanomi.org.

OPTIC NERVE XIII FILMS

John Bonafede, 21 Gestures, 2:50 min, New York, NY

An artist ascends into the frame with the statement "I'm Emerging." in both English and Japanese, cuing her companion to do another push up which in turn enables the artist to add another gesture to a portrait she is drawing above her head.  At the 21st attempt,  she is finished and he is exhausted.

Brian Bress, Alone, 1:02 min, Los Angeles, CA

 The artist uses a found photograph of a deserted, sparse landscape as the backdrop over which he video-collages his own totemic portrait as a woeful expression of loneliness.

Brian Bress, Its Been A Long Day, 2:13 min., Los Angeles, CA

What begins as care for an oozing wound turns into a lesson in painting and a portrait of deception. 
Jennifer Campbell, Unbridled :18 min,  Seattle, WAThe artist constructs images by posing with a variety of props in ways that de-contextualization of both the body and the object.

L. Ashwyn Collins, Remake, 3:50 min, Gifford, NH

Remake is a compilation of 16 distinct videos sourced from YouTube consisting of  the original shower scene from Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 thriller, Psycho and 15 amateur recreations of the same scene. 

Christina Corfield, Hot Circuit, 5:00 min, San Francisco, CA

This film uses a traditional narrative to mimic a penny arcade machine - even to the extent that the characters within the story are themselves robotic, endlessly repeating the same actions and same story, raising  questions about our growing  dependence on new technologies and myths.

Kasia Houlihan, Hold On, 1:39 min, Chicago, IL

With a nod and a knowing half-smile, a girl suddenly breaks into a spasmodic dance of disorienting leaps, jerky falls, and floating zigzags. As the camera tries to follow  her sporadic dance, and keep its subject in the frame, it becomes a duet between camera and subject, subject and viewer.

Eunjung Hwang, Feature Creatures, 5:00 min, New York, NY

 This film is part of a series of experimental animations, which explores the complexity of cryptic images from dreams and the subconscious.  The main aspect of the project is to produce visionary narratives inspired by the illusion of fragmented realities and compile them into a usable pictorial catalogue.

Karlo Andrei Ibarra, Crossover, 3:11 min, Miami Beach, FL

This video which depicts random Puerto Rican citizens singing the Star Spangled Banner, amplifies the socio-cultural distance between Puerto Rico and the United States.   Many long for statehood yet often do not know the language of the country in which they wish to assimilate.

Richard Jochum, Twenty Angry Dogs, Group Bark, :59 min, New York, NY

This one minute video is a single channel appendix to the sound and video installation “Twenty Angry Dogs", in which the artist asked 20 people to bark like an angry dog. 

Jennifer Levonian, Her Slip Is Showing, 4:12 min, Philadelphia, PA

This cut out watercolor animation of a suburban bridal shower explores the persistence of traditional gender roles, social awkwardness and the way in which friendship has evolved over time.

Jillian Mayer, I Am Your Grandma, 1:03 min, Miami, FL 

This autobiographical video diary log (vlog) which the artist created for her unborn grandchildren was posted on YouTube, inspiring copycats and creating fans. Envisioned as an authentic solution to fleshing out the detached model of the family tree, the artist hearkens to bygone times when ancestors could glimpse one another through a locket or lock of hair. By placing the video in a public forum, the film becomes a study of why people ultimately share their personal feelings with anonymous strangers, and whether this sharing effects the actual emotional significance of the piece. 

Ruben Millares & Antonia Wright, Job Creation In A Bad Economy, 2:15 min, Coral Gables, FL

This new video series by the collaborative Ruben Millares and Antonia Wright, is a playful commentary on the somber issue of the devaluation of the arts and education in our society.  The artists physically and metaphorically tackle the bureaucracy and walls that uphold these systems and leaving the viewer feeling sympathy for Millares and Wright, yet laughing at the ridiculousness of the situation.  

Tara Nelson, Hull, 5:00 min, Jamaica Plains, MA 

This film is a journey between layers of corporal consciousness, exploring the physical memory of trauma and the psychological repercussions of a surgical disaster.

Zachary Ordonez, Resistance - Release - Recover, Part II, 4:30 min, Cutler Bay, FL

Using strength, endurance and willpower, various men compete to see who can last the longest hanging onto a pair of ropes.

Carlos Charlie Perez, Billy The Kids, 4:40 min, New York, NY

Billy The Kids depicts a group of teenagers pretending to be famous actors questioning life's meaning through a quirky "Cat In The Hat" rhyme scheme.

Perfect Lives, Marfa, 4:57 min, Oakland, CA

Artists D. Sadja and S. Martinez fuses elements of narrative film, music video and performance art in this story about two unsuspecting cowboys.  Marfa was shot in a single 18 hour period in Marfa, TX and is part of a larger body of video postcards depicting situations and narratives in various locations.

Sarada Rauch, Pile of Demon Heads, 1:51 min, Brooklyn, NY

This film is based on the 2nd episode of the Devil Mahatmyam Epic, and takes its aesthetic from the original Star Trek series.  It is the last fight scene between Our Hero and the Demon.  The world was under attack by the most powerful demon, who took many forms, including that of a buffalo.  The gods, fearing total annihilation, endowed Our Hero with their powers and sent her into battle.  During their long battle the demon changes forms many times, and each time our hero chops his head off.  The heads that Our Hero has chopped off accumulated in a field of daisies and created pile of demon heads.

All films featured at this event will be available to view on uvuvideo.org.

 

Hitting a Nerve

Short films are magical. They are complete worlds unto themselves, but they are also windows into larger universes. On Saturday, Aug. 27 at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m., the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), a Knight Arts grantee, opens its doors to these short wonders when it presents its annual Optic Nerve Film Festival, featuring new short films and videos by artists from South Florida and across the nation.

Continue reading here

Miami Today Profile: Juan Diego Calle

If the domain name you were hoping to land for your company wasn’t available don’t despair, you may not be stuck with a too-long web address.
A year ago the Colombian government opened up its domain extension, .co, to the world in a process overseen by .CO Internet, which maintains offices on Brickell Avenue.
The firm beat out companies like Verisign, which oversees tens of millions of .com web addresses, for the position and has seen .co domain names grow from a paltry 28,000 to about a million in less than a year.

 

 

In the process the company saw revenues top $20 million, said CEO Juan Diego Calle.
He dropped out of the University of Miami in the late 1990s to start an Internet company that became one of thousands to bear the brunt of a bursting bubble. However the technology was left running, started generating traffic and a few years later was sold to Internet giant Yahoo! for an undisclosed amount.
Mr. Calle discussed what he’s doing to convince companies to build quality websites on the .co platform and what it takes to run a business in the rapidly changing technology world with Miami Today staff writer Zachary Fagenson.

Bon Fest 2011 at Morikami

Inspired by Japan’s three-day Obon holiday honoring the spirits, the Morikami’s largest event, Bon Festival, packed all of the celebration’s excitement into one breathtaking evening.  On Saturday, August 13, the festival followed the holiday’s tradition of remembering ancestors and thanking them for our quality of life. Each year thousands of guests travel to the Morikami for the awe-inspiring Bon Festival which embraces the celebration and appreciation of those who passed.

 

 

Bon Festival features rousing taiko drum performances by Fushu Daiko, children’s activities, traditional Japanese folk dancing, American & Japanese cuisine, and the Kirin Beer Garden. When night falls, patrons pay homage to those who have passed on by floating individually decorated candlelit lanterns on Morikami Pond, a traditional Japanese ceremony known as Toro Nagashi. The myriad of lights created by the floating lanterns signifies the guidance of departed souls back to where they came after their brief visit. Additionally, in light of the recent tragedy, there will be special remembrance opportunities offered by the Morikami to honor and raise funds for those whose lives were impacted by the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan. The night will end with a brilliant fireworks display over Morikami Lake.