PlanetEye

One of our favorite ways to unwind, destress and step outside the often crowded and fast life of Miami is yoga.  Surprisingly enough, the magic city has some really interesting venues for doing your daily practice.  Asanas by the waves is one perfectly appropriate setting you can access on a regular basis in the city parks.  We recommend the hatha yoga classes taught every Wednesday at The Barnacle Historic State Park in Coconut Grove.

The classes here are for all levels, including beginners, and cost just $13 (which includes the park entrance fee).   Just bring your own mat, block, strap and of course comfortable lightweight clothing.  The Barnacle Historic State Park offers a lovely view of Biscayne Bay and of Old Florida. Commodore Ralph Munroe's home and boathouse are right out of the 19th century and one can well imagine how life may have been as he and his family made a home on the frontier in South Florida.  As you synchronize your postures and breath and the sun goes down over the shoreline, you'll also connect a little to the tranquil atmosphere of early Miami that this well-preserved refuge still conveys.  Classes take place from 6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.

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 The Barnacle Historic State Park - 3485 Main Hwy., Coconut Grove; Tel: (305) 442-6866

It's a cornucopia of coffee table books, but also lots of fine imprints covering art, architecture, cinema, travel, celebrity, authors, and other rarer subjects.  Books & Books is an inviting stop along the busy pedestrian thoroughfare of Lincoln Road stretching toward Alton Road, wedged in between boutiques, bars and bistros, this book haven is a cornucopia of unusual reading.  Hardback fiction releases are in plentiful supply, and let's not forget our own favorite non-fiction category - biographies and autobiographies. 

Along with all that, there's a magazine stand with an equally eclectic range of glossy periodicals.  If you're visiting the region, there's a nice selection of postcards  If you're also famished and up for something more tranquil than the high-profile eateries nearby, there's an in-store cafeteria serving up basic breakfasts and filling snacks for lunch.  Aside from this Miami Beach location, you'll find another branch of Books & Books over in downtown Coral Gables, which has considerably more floor space and an ongoing series of author appearances.

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Books & Books - 933 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach; Tel: (305) 532-3222 

Dedicated to all things Miami-based and born, Plum TV Miami Beach always seems to have some fascinating program about the magic city, its inhabitants and happenings whenever you tune into its broadcasts on local cable Channel 5. 

Its latest venture in show programming, RSVP, gives the talk show format an interesting reinvented twist based on the old Playboy After Dark talk show of the late 60’s/early 70’s.  The formula: bring together an ever-changing group of artists, performers, socialites and business types from around the town and the country at large, and let the conversation flow from their interchange on any given topic.  RSVP is the brainchild of hotelier-restaurateur-entrepreney Amir Ben-Zion, who co-owns both The Townhouse Hotel and The Bond Street Sushi Lounge.  The new series had its pilot episode filmed at Ben-Zion’s own new Design District eatery, Domo Japones, last month, and there are plans for a total of 12 episodes.  Watch this space for more reports on future air dates.  Appearing in the creative brew of the first pilot episode was Victoria’s Secret model Marisa Miller, Heatherette designer Richie Rich and Dacra Development president Craig Robins, while the background atmospherics were enlivened by local indie band Modernage.  Ben-Zion says he wants to connect the dynamic of the show with the local cutting edge creativity of the Design District itself and its diverse collection of architects, designers and artists.  RSVP promises to be idiosyncratically Miami, a chance for locals and visitors alike to share in the insights and directions of urban movers and shakers in a variety of fields.

Plum TV Miami Beach can be seen locally on cable Channel 5, and outside Miami Beach can be viewed at http://miamibeach.plumtv.com

When the sun goes down and the city eases into a relaxing mid-summer evening, what could be more appropriate for entertainment than a concert featuring some of the most interesting names in jazz and blues? 

The place to experience it this month is over in Coral Gables, where a Thursday night lineup of stellar talent will perform highlights from their latest releases and classics from the past.  The schedule and artists you can look forward to:

August 14: Meet the famous Marsalis family patriarch who spawned a family of jazz giants. Ellis Marsalis will be performing at the Coral Gables Congregational Church, 3010 De Soto Boulevard, at 8 p.m. The pianist will play songs from his newest CD, An  Open Letter to Thelonious Monk. This performance is part brought to you by the 2008 Summer Concert Series. Ticket prices range from $25 to $40. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 305-448-7421, ext. 33.

August 28: Brothers Chris and Dan Brubeck have been fortunate in following in their father’s footsteps, the great jazz legend Dave Brubeck. The brothers will be performing at the Coral Gables Congregational Church, 3010 De Soto Boulevard in      conjunction with the 2008 Summer Concert Series. The concert starts at 8 p.m. Ticket prices range from $25 to $40. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 305-448-7421, ext. 33.

While there aren’t many annual outdoor events in Miami in the month of August, heat and humidity being one possible reason, one landmark happening of the past 21 years has been the Miami Reggae Festival.  A commemoration of Jamaica’s Independence Day that’s staged in the city’s Bicentennial Park, its main feature has always been a full roster of local, national and international musical acts. Along with the musical cultural celebration, is the culinary extravaganza of Jamaican cooking, with favorites such as  spicy hot jerk chicken, curry goat and beef patties washed down with cool Red Stripe Beer, D&G Sodas and other island great fare on hand.   There will also be an array of arts and craft items along with reggae memorabilia for sale.

This year happens to be also the last staging of this longtime event, although there are other broader Caribbean music festivals happening in the region at other times in theyear.  Musical artists featured this year include Alton Ellis, Ken Boothe, Joseph Hill, Conrad Crystal & Sugar Roy, and Tinga Stewart. 

Tickets for the Miami Reggae Festival can be obtained at selected Caribbean outlets in Miami-Dade and Broward counties for $25.00. Day of show price will be $30.00 and available at the gate. Doors will open at 2 p.m. and the festival ends at 11:00 p.m.  Children10 and under have free admission at this great day-long event for lovers of Jamaica and its culture. 

While other regions and urban areas of Florida may have a world-class following and appreciation, let it not be said the Magic City doesn't also work its real charms with afficionados of the fairways.

In fact, seasoned golfers from all corners of the globe are keeping Miami Beach high on their check list, eager to experience the Miami Beach Golf Club.  Designed by Arthur Hills, one of America's foremost golf course designers, the course features papsalum turf, the perfect ecological answer to Miami Beach's sand-and-salt-heavy topsoil. The challenging course features plenty of hazards, however the wide fairways, groomed roughs and gentle breezes make a trip to these links memorable.

Golf is the longstanding main event at the Doral Golf Resort and Spa, which won Travel + Leisure Golf magazine's 2006 "Best of Florida Golf Resort" award and just  hosted the 2008 World Golf Championship. The 650-acre resort offers five 18-hole championship golf ourses that can cater to golfers at every skill level. The renowned Blue Monster, host to the PGA Tour since 1962, is considered one of the most difficult courses in the wotrld. The Greg Norman-designed "Great White," opened for play in 2000, features the only triple green in South Florida -- holes 11, 13 and 17 share a putting surface of 25,000 square feet. The Silver, Gold and Red (host to LPGA event) Courses complete the equation, while professional instruction provided by the Jim McLean Golf School is considered among the tops in the nation.

Take your clubs and a ferry over to nearby Fisher Island, a private residential and resort community just a half mile south of Miami Beach.  It's one of Miami's most exclusive environments, accessible only by boat, helicopter, seaplane or auto ferry. Here, golfers can luxuriate at The Links at The Fisher Island Club on a par-35, nine-hole golf course, designed by architect P. B. Dye. Don Shula's Hotel & Golf Club in Miami Lakes boasts two tree-lined courses complemented
by native plants and wildlife that are accessible to all levels of golfers. The landmark Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables has its own 18-hole, par-71 course, which first opened in 1925 and has since been redesigned by renowned golf architect Donald Ross with a $5 million upgrade completed in 2007. In Aventura, the 300-acre Turnberry Isle Resort and Club is a world onto itself. Golfers can choose from two Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed courses, notable for graceful fairways and deceitfully tranquil hazards and traps.

What comes to mind when you think of a tropical fruit that’s got diversity of type and a variety of ways to enjoy?  We hope you include the mango in whatever you have on your wish list, because you can explore all the possibilities while you're in Miami this coming week during the annual International Mango Festival, which takes place this year from July 12-13. 

In fact, this event is one of the largest mango showcases anywhere with varieties on display from some 400 cultivars. This year’s theme is the Mangoes of Africa.  And there'll be plenty of opportunity to sample the ways that mangoes in their world-wide varieties can be enjoyed, with vendors on-hand who will be selling mango-based drinks and dishes.  Our own past favorite is mango ice cream, ideal for this type of July weather.  If you're seriously interested in finding out more about the mango from a gardening point of view, there will also be expert growers with all the necessary tips on raising your own trees, along with young trees for sale to get you started. It all happens at the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden in Coral Gables, and the event is open from 9:30 – 4:30 pm on both days.

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International Mango Festival – at the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Rd., Coral Gables;  Tel: (305) 667-1651