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by Mayi de la Vega

ONE on ONE

by Mayi de la Vega

Forty & Fabulous

By Art, Culture, Events, Music

Congratulations to Miami’s very special YoungArts on its big birthday!

YoungArts, one of the world’s biggest champions of the next generations of artists, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. For those of you who aren’t familiar with the Miami-based organization, it was founded by Lin and Ted Arison to foster U.S. artists aged 15-18 in various disciplines including classical music, jazz, voice, dance, theater, visual arts and film. Each year, hundreds of winners across the nation receive financial awards and a week in Miami to study and mingle with star experts, many of whom are YoungArts alumni themselves. Just to give you an idea of the talent, Viola Davis, Andrew Rannells and Tarell Alvin McCraney have participated in this program, first as teens, and then as instructors. YoungArts also has enough cachet to get famous non-alums like Mikhail Baryshnikov, Debbie Allen and Wynton Marsalis to share their insight and experiences with the kids in master classes. The nurturing doesn’t end there. Winners are eligible for nomination as a U.S. Presidential Scholar in the Arts, among many professional networking and career development opportunities and services.

The Arisons passed the baton to their granddaughter, Sarah Arison, Arison Arts Foundation’s board chair who has put her own spin on things. A major rebranding initiative shortened the original name simply to YoungArts and revamped the website and overall look, while recent hires and promotions bring vital new energy to Sarah and executive director Jewel Malone’s vision for the next chapter.

© 2018 Jason Koerner Photography

Many people are already familiar with the annual National YoungArts Week in January, when teens and teachers arrive for workshops and performances that culminate in the YoungArts Backyard Ball at its Miami campus (housed in iconic, historic buildings formerly owned by Bacardi). The 2022 week is slated for January 9-15, but they’re skipping the traditional gala in lieu of a special, earlier celebration in honor of the 40th season. Co-chairs Sarah and her husband, Thomas Wilhelm, are hosting the “40 Years for Artists” birthday bash with cocktails, a seated dinner under the stars and a performance by Queen Esther [and her orchestra], the night’s master of ceremonies who won the YoungArts Theater award in 1983. ONE Sotheby’s International Realty is a proud sponsor of this milestone event on November 20.

More festivities follow with the opening of “The Choreographers’ Scores: 2020” in December. The exhibition features works on paper by U.S.-based choreographers, including Camille A. Brown, who were commissioned to imagine a score as a love letter to the future of dance. The Lapis Press printed editions of their scores handmade in quarantine during the pandemic’s shutdown. You can be among the first to see these rare works at the YoungArts Art Basel Miami Beach VIP breakfast and curator tour on December 1.

I’d also like to recommend attending Nu Deco Ensemble’s performance at the Arsht Center on December 10. YoungArts partnered with the local modern orchestra for this concert featuring original compositions by 2007 YoungArts Classical Music award winner Chris Rogerson.

Looking ahead, the YoungArts New York Gala returns on April 11, 2022. Its inaugural event in 2016 commemorated the 35th anniversary. Here’s to many more great years ahead!

Following Fall

By Travel

Touring the country in its autumnal glory.

Despite our sub-tropical geography, Floridians love fall colors and traditions. Like reverse snowbirds, we hop on a plane and head north for destinations that promise a quintessential fall experience. Some of us even follow fall, making our way down the East Coast for peak color, or going out west for the gloriously golden aspen trees. Here are some ideas for where to spend a long weekend this season and partake in one of nature’s greatest shows.

 

The Point/Adirondacks, N.Y.

Everyone I know who’s stayed at the Point resort in the Adirondacks can’t stop talking about it. They become obsessed and count down the days until they can return. Once owned by the Rockefeller family, the remote, 75-acre property with a historic great camp (the regional term for a grand lodge) in northern New York is a member of the Relais & Châteaux collection. Each of its 11 uniquely-decorated guest rooms with private baths features lake views, a wood-burning fireplace and porch to listen to the loons. The all-inclusive hospitality concept is also known for its old-fashioned charm, such as scenic boat rides on antique watercraft and regularly scheduled black-tie dinners. You can see why it’s a timeless hit.

Pickering House Inn/Wolfeboro, N. H.

Every fall, leaf peepers descend on New England. The region has so many gorgeous historic inns and resorts, but I chose Pickering House Inn near Lake Winnipesaukee’s Wolfeboro Bay, because it was just rated the top hotel/resort in New England by Travel & Leisure. Local residents Peter and Patty Cooke spent two years renovating the early 19th-century tavern turned private residence for the Pickering family who were instrumental in Wolfeboro’s prosperity. They offer traditional bed-and-breakfast packages in 10 unique guestrooms with gourmet breakfast in Pickering’s Kitchen and priority dinner reservations at Pavilion, their sister restaurant next door. It’s the ideal place to set off for fall adventures like hiking, strolling town and visiting Moulton’s Farm for wagon rides and treats from cider doughnuts to pumpkin whoopie pies.

The Vanderbilt, Auberge Resorts Collection/Newport, R.I.

Also making T&L’s top 10 list for New England, the Vanderbilt, Auberge Resorts Collection is shaking up Newport’s hospitality scene. Nationally renowned design firm Swoon is charged with reinventing a Vanderbilt scion’s historic, Georgian-style mansion-turned-resort. The original owner’s love of adventure and travel, as well as Newport’s Colonial heritage are among inspirations for the new lobby and library lounge with a fabulous, old-fashioned portrait gallery.

Patrons of the Spotted Pig are delighted that the defunct New York gastro-pub’s British chef owner April Bloomfield has resurfaced at the Dining Room at the Vanderbilt to curate a seasonal selection of her signature elevated tavern fare. In addition to several savory dishes, it’s worth a reservation for her spin on clam chowder.

The abundance of fun common areas welcomes fall delights. Cozy up with a book in the Living Room, dine in the Conservatory, watch the sunset from the Roof Deck, and pamper yourself in the spa. Come early 2022, its 33 guestrooms will be fully renovated too.

Primland/Blue Ridge Mountains, N.C.

Famous for its breathtaking mountain views and luxury amenities, Primland also began as a private retreat. The family built a towering resort and 18-hole, Audubon-certified golf course (designed by Donald Steel) on their 12,000-acre property, which joined Auberge Resorts Collection this year. Among a choice of 62 rooms, one can stay in the lodge or in several types of standalone cottages including a trio of intimate, modern treehouses with romantic baths and ample decks. There are many dining options like Elements whose farm fare (honeyed quail, mixed beet salad, potato and truffle gnocchi with kale) is overseen by a chef who worked at Daniel Boulud and Soho House in New York. In between fine meals, visit the spa and try activities from kayaking to archery. Another major draw is stargazing from one of the largest observatories on the East Coast.

The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch/Avon, Colo.

Located at the gateway to Beaver Creek in the Rocky Mountains, the Ritz-Carlton Bachelor Gulch is wonderfully restorative. Its mountain setting bursts with fall color, and the luxury spa’s exclusive treatments alone are worth the trip. The Miner’s Mineral Mud Wrap, whose detoxifying charcoal mud uses ore sourced from nearby mines, combines a rose quartz scrub, mud wrap, Vichy shower, and full body and scalp massage with amethyst oil and shea butter. Named for its glowing results, the Alpenglow includes a shea butter scrub, honey and avocado wrap and full body massage. Along with plunge pools, steam rooms and saunas, relax in the stone-lined coed grotto before and after treatments. Multiple, onsite restaurants specialize in different cuisines from Sakaba’s sushi to Wyld’s seasonal, locally-inspired ingredients. End the day with a glass of wine or whisky at the outdoor Fireside Bar.

 

Falling for Art in NY

By Art, Culture, Events

A look at the city’s art-filled season, which starts this week with tony fairs.

The Armory Show kicks off New York’s splendid art season. The premier fair has lots to talk about this year, beginning with new dates—September 10-12, with a private preview for VIPs on September 9—and a new venue—the Javits Convention Center, which recently underwent a $1.5 billion expansion, enabling modern and contemporary works to be displayed cohesively. There are new sections and programs, too, including Solo, which focuses on single-artist presentations from the 20th or 21st century, and Armory Off-Site, a large-scale, interactive series of public artworks exhibited at multiple sites around town. Among the latter are Swedish artist Katja Larsson’s new sculptures (titled Empire and Materially Superior) that will be on view at Hudson River Park through December 3; and American artist Josh Callaghan’s installation (titled Social Blocks) in the Flatiron Plaza through November 1. Keep in mind that some of the nearly 200 participating international galleries are only exhibiting virtually due to covid. Others will be showing in person and virtually. Armory Live, a two-day art conversations series, will also take place in person and virtually.

There are several concurrent satellite art fairs. The Future Fair will make its physical debut at the Starrett-Lehigh Building in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. (The first in-person edition was scheduled for last year but pivoted to a digital-only format.) The concept encourages diversity and transparency, as well as supports artists and galleries through year-round storytelling and authentic engagement with art audiences. Half of its participating galleries are women-owned, while a quarter are owned by people of color. Its dedication to inclusiveness marks a big step for the art fair scene.

Storytelling is also at the heart of Independent New York, a fair designed around the artist experience through inspirational settings and an intimate, rare mix of established, emerging and outsider galleries. Forty have signed on for its 11th edition from September 9-12, at the beautiful Battery Maritime Building (home of Cipriani South Street) with three halls overlooking the water and a spacious outdoor terrace for an exclusive café and restaurant serviced by Cipriani. Independent is also introducing an Online Viewing Room option from September 9-September 26. Beyond booths, the inaugural digital platform features exclusive editorial content like artist takeovers, podcasts and videos.

There are too many great exhibits to mention all of them, but one of immense scope should definitely be on your list. The Whitney in New York and the Philadelphia Museum of Art are collaborating on a monumental, unprecedented retrospective of Jasper Johns, who’s still working at 91 years old. The complementary exhibitions, which are concurrently on view from September 29, 2021 to February 13, 2022, required two institutions to cover his prolific, seven-decade career. Nearly 500 paintings, sculptures, drawings, and prints range from his iconic flags to recent works to selections from his personal collection that are being shown to the public for the first time. A double-entendre, its title “Jasper Johns: Mind/Mirror” references his longtime study of mirroring and doubles, as well as how the two self-contained shows mirror one another.

Savoring Summer

By Dining, Fashion, Florida Finds, Travel

Rather than rush into fall, enjoy the last month of summer to the fullest.

Many of us are back from summer break and getting the kids ready for school. But truth be told, we still have nearly a month left of summer to go. I thought it would be a nice to explore summery tips to squeeze out the last bit of this sweet time before the daily grind begins again. I hope you make the most of it!

Get Out of Town

Maine is known for its many grand hotels, but the Claremont stands out for its proximity to Acadia National Park. A Kennebunkport Resort Collection cofounder bought and refurbished the 19th-century property that had been owned by different families over the years. Thanks to his redesign’s thoughtful balance of the old (the beloved croquet greens) and new (transforming one of the greens into an outdoor swimming pool, which is heated for my fellow Floridians, with chic cabanas), it delivers the quintessential Maine experience.

In addition to croquet and swimming, a typical day might involve taking a yoga or pilates class on the lawn with sweeping views of Somes Sound, visiting Botanica Spa for a treatment with Osea products and winding down with a Berry Smash made with Maine’s famous seasonal fruit at Harry’s Bar. Among other drinking and dining options, Little Fern offers duck, steak and local seafood delicacies without overlooking vegetarians through dishes like sweet potato stew with hints of coconut and lime.

I also like all the choices for accommodations. The main hotel’s 24 guestrooms come in three types and three colorways. For more privacy, book the Ocean View and Woodland cottages. Larger parties appreciate the Phillips and Summer houses; an interesting note about them is that they were originally built by separate families as summer homes and were acquired by the hotel as its demand grew.

Improve Your Health

Many of my clients have home gyms, but Anatomy is a terrific alternative. The upscale boutique gym with locations in Sunset Harbour, 1 Hotel South Beach and Midtown Miami expanded to Coconut Grove’s new waterfront development called Regatta Harbour. Its advanced fitness concept is built around integrative wellness and personalization, not to mention making workouts interesting and fun. Tremble, just one of its popular classes, packs in all the necessary components in 50 minutes. Anatomy’s owners understand their clientele’s busy schedules by creating a one-stop, seamless hub. Beyond premier equipment and exclusive classes, members have access to healthy dining, child care services, vitamin infusions, a hair salon and spa amenities.

Devour a Good Book

We are so blessed to claim one of the most incredible bookstore chains in the world. Books & Books has several locations around Miami, but out-of-towners can also order its vast inventory online, including a nice selection in Spanish, online and partake in year-round, virtual literary events. Two authors who are speaking in September particularly inspire me. On September 12, tennis legend and women’s equality activist Billie Jean King talks about her new autobiography with Katie Couric. FIU’s Cuban Research Institute co-hosts “Cuba: An American History: An Evening with Dr. Ada Ferrer” on September 14.

Eat Light

One of my favorite things do to with my fiancé Rich is to have a delicious sushi dinner with just the two of us. Miami’s sushi scene has exploded with newcomers, but one that you should definitely try is Uchi. It began in Austin, Tex., of all places, and opened its first East Coast outpost here in Wynwood. Once you’re inside, you don’t feel like you’re in Wynwood though. The décor is chic, the crowd is mature and professional, and the service is impressive. But most importantly, the food is melt-in-your-mouth good. Each piece of sushi is created as a perfect bite, so you can skip the wasabi and soy sauce (though they’re happy to bring you some). There are elevated versions of Japanese hot dishes, too. Just in writing this, I’m already craving dinner here.

Wear Something Summery

One of the best things about Miami shopping is that it’s always summer—I think that’s why visitors love to shop here! On top of the latest runway looks, including fall and winter collections to wear in colder climates, clotheshorses can find resort looks any time of year. We have so many great resortwear boutiques like En Avance, Beach and Curio at Faena Bazaar. They have great dresses in all lengths that go from beach to night, caftans and adorable matching sets with tops and shorts. Throw on a wedge sandal, and you’re good to go.

 

Aspen Summer

By Art, Culture, Dining, Travel

It’s that time of year when my Aspen reveries turn reality. After Florida’s busy season (that seems to get longer every year!), I like to escape to the mountains with my family and fiancé Rich for some well-deserved R & R. The majestic views alone instantly relax me, though I also look forward to getting out in nature and experiencing all the shops, restaurants, culture and events. Here’s a list of new places and fun activities to explore when you’re in town.

Stay

Ideal for personal and corporate events of all kinds, the family-owned Aspen Street Lodge is available for full buyouts only. Accommodations offer a lot of variety, from a two-bedroom penthouse with a full kitchen to nine traditional hotel rooms with a mix of bunk beds, double queens and single kings. Guestrooms feature smart-tech systems and connect to at least one other guestroom for families traveling with small children and other needs. The extensive array of amenities—rooftop, heated pool and hot tub, fire pit, terraces with Aspen Mountain views, game room and outdoor grill and pizza oven—leaves nothing to desire. Sounds like heaven.

Attend

Aspen Art Museum’s annual summer gala ArtCrush takes place August 3-6. Along with AAM’s new director Nicola Lees, co-chairs Amy Phelan and Jamie Tisch, and 2021 Aspen Award for Art honoree Mary Weatherford, the benefit includes silent and live auctions by Sotheby’s. Bid on more than 45 artworks by artists such as Oscar Murillo, Rita Ackermann and Weatherford; Sotheby’s senior international contemporary art specialist Michael Macaulay conducts the live auction of eight lots during the gala at Aspen Skiing Company’s Buttermilk ski area on August 6. Panel discussions, a classical music art performance, tastings and a Pine Creek Cookhouse hike are also part of this year’s extended festivities.

Eat

New restaurants focus on several types of cuisine from the Basque Country (Joonas) to surf and turf (Catch Steak). Italian imports are also making their mark. Based in the West Village, Dante NYC returns for a second collaboration with the Surf Lodge. The partners had such a great time with their winter pop up at the Snow Lodge, that they relocated to the Chefs Club at the St. Regis Aspen Resort through next spring. While Surf Lodge books live music acts, Dante helms the menu’s seasonal fare. Items like whole grilled branzino and a peach, heirloom tomato and goat cheese salad lean to the lighter side. Complete your al fresco repast with a summery spritz within Dante’s famous cocktail collection.

I’m also delighted that a familiar name from South Florida is opening soon—hopefully by August! After running their super successful Casa D’Angelo locations in Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton and Aventura, restaurateurs Angelo and Denise Elia are expanding to Aspen.  The couple brightened up the space formerly occupied by Piñons with white oak interiors and Western décor. In addition to signature Italian dishes, the menu increases specialty items (caviar, bison, crudos) that appeal to the Aspen palate. Known for sourcing the finest ingredients, they also plan to celebrate Colorado’s excellent meats, dairy and produce.

Shop

Aspen is as famous for its galleries and designer boutiques as its ski slopes. Balenciaga’s year-long pop up debuted in July, while Prada’s traveling, experiential activation “Prada Outdoor” comes through town from July 29 to September 7. The interactive shop encompasses mountain-friendly gear (tents, frisbees, stainless steel water bottles) and men’s and women’s activewear and accessories (shorts, backpacks, sporty sandals).

While Peri.A devotees wait for its new Los Angeles store to premiere later this summer, they’re hitting the Aspen outpost in droves. Owner Peri Arenas stocks her pint-sized space with coveted labels for women’s fashions and fine jewelry. Her roster features Casablanca, Ikkim’o, Marni, Peter Cohen, Colville and Marie Lichtenberg, among dozens of gems. Don’t hesitate if you fancy something, since it will be gone in a flash!

After popping up in South Florida and the Hamptons during covid, international art galleries next followed their clientele to Aspen. Paris’s Almine Rech operates here through September 12. Catch its back-to-back shows “Genesis Tramaine: Worship Works” and “Wes Lang: Endless Horizons.” Los Angeles-based Honor Fraser displays a meta solo show of Richard Pettibone’s replications of Andy Warhol’s iconic soup can series. London’s White Cube pops up in a 19th-century building through September 5. Works by Tracey Emin, Magnus Plessen, Anselm Kiefer, Antony Gormley, Theaster Gates and Isamu Noguchi, among several established artists, are exhibited throughout its summer program titled “Correspondence.”

Ice Cream Social

By Dining, Florida Finds

Cool treats are one of the benefits of living in a city with year-round summertime bliss.

Now that my grandbabies are out of school and summer is about to set in, I love to spoil them with a trip to the ice cream parlor. This is the very activity that grandparents are made for. Miami has always had its share of ice cream shops, but choices have really ballooned over the last five years. Here are some of my new and old favorites to savor one of life’s greatest pleasures.

Newcomer Salt & Straw is making the biggest splash for its handcrafted, small-batch gourmet flavors. The Oregon import already opened two locations here in Wynwood and Coconut Grove. They get very creative in product development; one of their June flavors is called “Smile: Words & Pictures.” Kids will love it, but they’ll probably go for “Goosebumps: Monster Blood” for the name alone. If this sounds too weird, don’t stress. They also serve classics like chocolate gooey brownie and sea salt with caramel ribbons.

Founded in the Grove with another location in Bal Harbour Shops, Bianco Gelato is dedicated to 100% organic, non-GMO recipes (so you don’t have to feel as guilty when you treat the kids). Its Milanese maker sticks to the standards when it comes to flavors, which instantly transports me to an Italian piazza. Hazelnut, pistachio and cookies and cream are on the menu, plus paletas, smoothies and more.

I always recommend Azucar to visitors who are looking for a taste of Cuba by way of Miami’s Little Havana neighborhood. The owner opened it to honor her Cuban grandmother’s love of ice cream, even naming one of her most popular artisanal flavors abuela Maria (a vanilla base with chunks of cream cheese, ripe guava and crushed Maria cookies). Flavors rotate depending on what’s ripe at the fruit stand. Summer brings mango, mamey and a sugarcane pineapple blend, while grownups always enjoy café con leche ice cream. There are also branches in Dadeland and South Beach.

Soraya Kilgore, chef Brad Kilgore’s secret weapon when it comes to sweets, launched her own culinary concept in the Miami Design District. Made for Instagram, which your tween and teen grandkids will appreciate, her adorable MadLab Creamery goes far beyond traditional ice cream with dozens of cool toppings. We’re talking edible glitter, cotton candy in exotic flavors, Japanese cheesecake and gold sprinkles. These chic works of art are on par with their fashionable neighbors.

I raised my kids near Whip ‘n’ Dip, an institution for generations of families in South Miami, Pinecrest and Coral Gables. The family-owned shop has been around since the mid-Eighties and continues to hand-make its famous flavors from mint chip to cookies & cream beginning with a 14% butterfat base. Hot for summer are “Somewhere Over the RainDough” and “Nutter-o,” which is peanut butter ice cream with Oreos. They’re also known for soft serve, ice cream cakes and hand-blended milkshakes. There’s a reason this place has stood the test of time.

 

Pack Your Bags

By Dining, Travel

It’s time to start traveling again and visit new spots and old favorites.

Now that places are starting to open up, and people are on the move again, many of us are excited to resume traveling in some form. It may just be a quick staycation in Florida, or somewhere within the U.S., but it will feel like a true luxury regardless. Here are some resorts that I hope will inspire you to book a trip. We all deserve to have a little wanderlust these days.

Western North Carolina’s cool mountains and streams have always been a refuge for Floridians come summertime. Under new ownership by several families, including the Bealls behind Tennessee’s ultra-luxe Blackberry Farm, High Hampton resort and club in Cashiers, N.C., has been fully renovated and upgraded. The once private hunting lodge, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, transitioned to an inn during the early 20th century. Its recent makeover preserved or meticulously replicated its beloved, historic details like the shagbark siding, while adding modern conveniences such as central heating and air (making it able to operate year-round for the first time).

Dining is elevated too. More spacious outdoor dining areas highlight stunning views of the lake and mountains when dining at the Tavern for casual fare and the Dining Room, whose elegant cuisine is helmed by husband-and-wife chefs formerly at Blackberry Farm. Beyond local ingredients from trout to farm produce, guests of the inn’s 12 rooms and the resort’s 47 cottages can partake in a summer camp’s roster of activities. Golf the Tom Fazio-designed course, take a dip in the pool, hike 15 miles of trails, learn the latest court craze, pickleball, or meander the gardens and arboretum. Relaxing is highly encouraged as well, so don’t feel guilty having a spa day or reading a book on the front porch.

The Reform Club in the Hamptons hamlet of Amagansett invites guests to discover its indoor and outdoor vignettes like one would explore a friend’s countryside manor. You might come across its tea house, billiard room or orchard designed by Marders, one of the East End’s premier nursery and landscaping services. There’s so much to see and do without leaving the property, though you’re within walking and biking distance of Main Street should the mood strike.

Choose from three cottages, seven unique suites with private outdoor seating areas, or the 21 House with four en-suite bedrooms, multiple fireplaces, a gourmet kitchen and its own sprawling yard.

The wellness concept promotes healing and winding down. Along with a spa, it offers regularly scheduled workouts by well-known instructors such as the Agdal Method and Skyting Yoga in its sunken garden. The hotel staff is also happy to arrange private catering by local chefs or pack a picnic for the beach.

People absolutely fall in love with the Mayflower Inn & Spa, Auberge Resorts Collection, in the Connecticut countryside. The impeccable grounds, décor and spa, a partnership with the Well, are just a few reasons why guests return season after season.

This year’s big news is the arrival of April Bloomfield, an English chef and winner of the James Beard award for Best Chef: New York City who spearheaded the gastro-pub movement in America. The hotel selected her to pioneer its “Friends of the Mayflower” series, which invites creatives from various disciplines to participate in onsite residencies. The chef-in-residence oversees farm-to-table fare for the Inn’s dining spaces, the Tap Room and the Garden Room, a whimsical, greenhouse-inspired wonderland designed by Florida girl Celerie Kemble. Casual dishes include deviled eggs, burgers and New England clam chowder, but Bloomfield also prepares four-course tasting menus based on seasonal bounty.

High Hampton
Reform Club
Mayflower Inn

My Art Agenda

By Art, Culture, Events

I’d like to share my list of exhibits to visit here and during your summer travels.

A clear sign that South Florida is no longer seasonal is the quality of art exhibits that continue long after Memorial Day weekend. I especially enjoy having this time to visit our many incredible museums, galleries and alternative art spaces to see a good show. Here are some of my picks in Miami and other parts of the U.S., in case your summer travels take you there.

I’m so impressed with the level of shows that the Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami is curating. They’re groundbreaking and cool, including when the ICA recently exhibited Drake’s custom Rolls-Royce Cullinan x Chrome Hearts in its sculpture garden. It also organized the comprehensive survey “Chakaia Booker” The Observance,” which is on view through October 31. Though most recognized for her sculptures and large-scale installations made with deconstructed rubber tires and rubber conduit, this American artist uses many other tactile materials from bronze to plastic. The show also features two series of abstract paintings in acrylic on various surfaces like wood.

I’m always curious to see what Nina Johnson has going on at her Miami gallery. Her current show “Bhakti Baxter: Heat Transfer” presents new paintings and drawings by the native Miamian who now lives and works in Topanga State Park near Los Angeles. He continues his exploration of innovative techniques, a process that requires drawing grids in blue chalk on raw canvas, soaking the works in water and painting them en plein air. The natural elements affect their outcome, too, thus the “heat” reference in the show’s title.

Every summer, Guild Hall in East Hampton celebrates a major artist. It’s even more special this time, being the 90th anniversary of the treasured cultural institution for art, theater, music and other events. Concurrent with its summer gala, “Robert Longo: A History of the Present” will be exhibited from August 7-October 17. Taking over the entire museum, his massive charcoal drawings offer a critical investigation of history that spans the Abstract Expressionism movement to today. Held the night before the show opens to the public, the glamorous fundraiser features an exclusive preview followed by cocktails, dinner and music at a nearby private venue.

Everyone’s talking about the Alice Neel retrospective at the Met, but I’m also looking forward to “The New Woman Behind the Camera” from July 2-October 3. It’s about the rise of personal cameras in the early 20th century, which became an important outlet for women to express their artistic talents. The show features works shot by 120 photographers during the 1920s to the 1950s. It really gives a global viewpoint, too, since the selected photographers represent more than 20 countries. Subjects range from fashion advertising to portraits to street photography, while some artists are Dorothea Lange, Gerda Taro and Berenice Abbott.

Aspen Art Museum always makes sure to line up premier shows for summer art lovers, and this summer is no exception. “Cerith Wyn Evans: Aspen Drift,” which opens June 11, is the Welsh conceptual artist and film maker’s first presentation at a U.S. museum in nearly 20 years. The witty title references both the state of feeling adrift, as well as the local context, the mountain setting’s snowdrifts. See his sculptures, paintings and works on papers through October 10.

Don’t miss another show by a poet and artist located outside on the rooftop. On view June 11, 2021-September 18, 2022, “Precious Okoyomon: Every Earthly Morning the Sky’s Light touches Ur Life is Unprecedented in its Beauty” is a mixed-media installation combining sculpture and organic matter including plants, soil and water. Since it’s a garden, which the artist will maintain during her residency here, the work will evolve and grow. She’ll also collaborate with other artists and musicians for live performances and seasonal soundtracks.

The Doctor Is In

By Beauty, Wellness

Up your skin-care game in time for summer at Dr. Barbara Sturm’s new spa and boutique in Miami.

Skin-care mogul Dr. Barbara Sturm is a familiar face around Miami (I couldn’t resist the pun). With her white blonde pixie cut and glowing complexion, the German natural stunner is instantly recognizable, too. She comes here often to check in with her many fans and accounts like Gee Beauty in Sunset Harbour, one of my favorite destinations for products, facials and other spa services. It makes perfect sense then that Sturm chose our fair city to expand her Dr. Barbara Sturm Spa & Boutique empire.

Following locations in London, Düsseldorf, New York and Los Angeles, her one-stop, skin-care concept recently debuted in the Miami Design District’s Palm Court. The bilevel space’s minimalist décor with pops of color emulates her brand’s clean beauty ethos. A “discovery table” with illuminated, mobile displays invites customers to find the best products within her molecular cosmetics skin-care line for their skin type. She’s forever developing innovative products. A couple new items to pick up are the Super Anti-Aging Face Cream and the Good C Vitamin C Serum. There’s even a children’s line, and hair products are next on her list.

Her facials are also well worth your time. Multiple treatment rooms are divided between the first and second floors for express and full signature facials, respectively. Along with popular treatments like the Signature SturmGlow, the spa menu caters to specific skin types from darker skin tones to a men’s facial. Clients have their choice of several add-ons including microdermabrasion, microchanneling and microcurrent. Miami and Los Angeles also exclusively feature the Summer Facial to repair sun, ozone and pollution damage. Aestheticians begin by gently cleansing and exfoliating skin with her Enzyme Cleanser. The next step cools, soothes and hydrates skin through frozen cubes of Hyaluronic Serum.

 

“In the summer we need extra protection against UVA and UVB rays, pollution and environmental stressors,” said Sturm, of her magic formula for instant results. “Healthy skin protected by a strong skin barrier is the most functional, radiant and glowing.”

She really thought of everything regarding the total experience. Guests can relax in a lounge area, and VIPs have their own discreet entrance. The new Dr. Sturm Professional Line of medically-advanced skin-care products is available at the Miami flagship following a personal consultation in a spa suite. Non-invasive Infrared Therapy is another special service here. Sturm believes in its mood-boosting benefits beyond numerous skin enhancements from increasing elasticity to alleviating sun damage and aging effects. In many ways, the new branch is her love letter to Miami.

“I’ve spent a lot of time in Miami in the past 20 years,” she said, of her long wait for the right opportunity and time to expand. “I love its energy and have so many friends here.”

 

Mama Mia!

By Family, Holiday

 

Here we go again with Mother’s Day celebrations, but let’s make a difference for others too.

The adage goes that motherhood is the hardest job you’ll ever love. As a working mother of two children who now have their own growing broods, I can attest to that. It’s a selfless love that came naturally to me from the moment they placed my babies in my arms. As parents, we always give and give with no expectations of anything in return. As our children become adults, the tables turn in more ways than I ever saw coming. For example, I believe parents look to their children for more love and affection as we age, only to discover that our kids are just as busy as we once were. They’re raising families, working and dealing with the endless laundry list of our everyday lives. It often feels like they don’t have as much time for us as we’d like.

As we celebrate Mother’s Day on May 9, I’d like to stress how important it is to keep our family units close and in touch. Our careers come and go, and all we have in the end is our family. I also think we could use any cause for celebration now, even if you’re not the holiday type. Besides planning something special for your mom or any of the mothers in your life, there are other great ways to commemorate the occasion.

Brunches and other special events are happening all over South Florida, but I like the idea of a charity tie-in. Located in a gorgeous historic building, the Coral Gables Woman’s Club is hosting a high tea on Saturday to benefit the organization’s free children’s dental clinic. It’s just one of their regular fundraisers for this important service.

Many other nonprofits in South Florida are dedicated to helping parents and children year-round. Partially funded by the Miami Foundation and the Children’s Trust, the Miami Diaper Bank collects and distributes diapers—more than 4.1 million thus far—and other baby essentials to low-income families and shelters throughout our region. Donate to its “All For Moms Campaign” in honor of Mother’s Day, and they’ll 100% match your gift.

One of South Florida’s brightest stars is Lotus House, a sanctuary for homeless women, children and young adults. I’m simply blown away by this nonprofit’s devotion and level of resources to help these people find their footing in the world. They give them the tools to thrive and achieve their dreams. Beyond the basic food, clothing and shelter, they create amenities like the Lotus Learning Pod, which was incredibly beneficial when schools were shut down, and wellness initiatives such as the Wildflower Yoga & Meditation Room and Zen Garden, the David and Leila Centner Charitable Foundation Culinary Center, and a brand-new children’s outdoor play area for musical education. Residents also love “The Farm,” a state-of-the-art, hydroponic urban garden and science lab. Kids roll up their sleeves and tend to several varieties of produce from seed to harvest. Their bounty—more than 1,500 pounds of veggies and herbs—feeds everyone including at the salad bar and its homemade herbal dressings. I urge you to check out this place and see how you can become involved. It truly transforms lives for the best, and I can’t think of a better description of motherhood’s goals than that.