With so much trouble in the Miami, it’s kinda hard being Carl R A C H E, but somehow some way, I keep coming up with funky l’il lists each and every day. Apologies Snoop, but remaining lyrical, with respect to the Marleys, there is so much trouble in the world. Ignoring reality may be the reason for this season. Thank goodness there is no longer a war on Christmas now that Jerusalem is the official capital of Palestine.
Yes — I have gone crazy watching the big payback over the last year. However, now seems like a good time to abandon partisan politics and tender another superficial catalog to soothe both suffering and hostile global citizens. When all else fails, we got Miami right?
Here are the year’s best in my fragile worldview and failing memory.
1. The sun, the beach, and the winter are way ahead of whatever is in 2nd place.
2. Whistleblowing: Respect for all the courageous, outspoken women, especially Rose McGowan.
3. Miami Art Week and Art Basel especially NADA, UNTITLED, Pinta, and SCOPE; Props for Black Art Basel.
4. Small Family Business: You don’t know what you got till it’s gone: Mainzer’s, Walter’s Coffee Shop, El Carajo, Happy Wine on 8th, Zak the Baker, BXLDR, Enriqueta’s, the French Bakery, Knaus, Havana Harry’s, La Sandwicherie, Su Shin Izakaya.
5. Miami Jewish Film Festival: Executive Director Igor Shteyrenberg does a great job. Fever at Dawn by Peter Gardos Hungary, and Restoring Tomorrow.
6. Examining Race: Nothing got the racial climate more accurately than Jordan Peele’s biting Get Out. Nothing predicted it like Raoul Peck’s I Am Not Your Negro. Nobody addresses it like Ta-Nehisi Coates, Brittany Packnett, Bryan Stevenson, Marc Lamont Hill, Ava DuVerney, Donald Glover, Tarell Alvin McCraney, and Colin Kaepernick.
7. The Classic Acai Bowl at Under the Mango Tree, the Forbidden and Dale Bowls at Della Test Kitchen, Vodka Pops from Oasis Raspados, and Flan Cheesecake from Pinecrest Bakery.
8. Breweries: Tank, Bousa, Lincoln’s Beard, Veza Sur, Wynwood, Concrete, Biscayne, NightLife, Unbranded, M.I.A., and Wakefield.
9. SMDCAC Events like the Backyard Bash.
10. Mainstream Media fighting for the truth despite false accusations about fake news.
11. South Beach Seafood Week’s Chef Showdown: Love to Chef Demetrios Pyliotis of Poseidon and Chef Masatomo Hamaya of Dragonfly.
12. Books and Books.
13. Salsa: Tromboranga playing at El Rancho in Hialeah beginning at 2:15 in the morning.
14. Netflix: So much good stuff. Sad about The Get Down.
15. Miami architectural gems like those by Bjarke Ingels, Zaha Hadid, Herzog & de Meuron, and Rem Koolhaas.
16. The U’s sports.
