December 8 to December 15
December 8
Social
Christmas in Ireland
The South Florida Emerald Society celebrates Christmas in Ireland in the Ancient Spanish Monastery, in North Miami Beach tonight. The evening will include a buffet dinner and entertainment by the Irish/Celtic/Rock band, The Three Jacks and the Irish Fiddlers. $75. 6:30pm. Ancient Spanish Monastery, 16711 West Dixie Highway; North Miami Beach. For info: 305-302-2301.
December 8
Film
Los Zafiros
The Kenneth Lattman Foundation Lecture Series presents Los Zafiros – Music from the Edge of Time: During the 1960s, when the Bay of Pigs invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis made headlines, Los Zafiros (The Sapphires) caused a musical sensation in Havana with their mix of American-inspired Doo-wop touched with Afro-cuban rhythms and Salsa. Thirty years later, two of the surviving members reunite in present day Havana. Music, history, and emotion fuel this dynamic, award-winning movie. The Film will be followed by an audience discussion with the producer and director Lorenzo Destefano. Free Cuban food and music. 7pm. $9. Bill Cosford Cinema, 5100 Brunson Dr; Coral Gables. For info: cosfordcinema.com
December 8
Social
40th Anniversary Quilt
Don’t miss the unveiling ceremony of Miami-Dade Public Library System’s 40th Anniversary Quilt. Experienced quilters volunteered their skills, talents and time to this first-ever quilting project. From design to the coordination of volunteers to soliciting material sponsors, quilters labored many months on the project. The 84-block quilt was completely handmade as a labor of love by several generations of library lovers – ranging in age from two to 80. The project began in May, when library staff and volunteer quilters helped patrons to create an individual block depicting what the library meant to them. After all the blocks were collected, they were assembled and bound together. Along the quilt’s border are the names of all project participants. Music will be provided by Jon Saxx followed by storytelling performances. 6:30pm. Free. The ceremony takes place on Thursday, December 8 at p.m. at the South Dade Regional Library, 10750 SW 211 St; Miami. For info: mdpls.org.
December 9
Comedy
A Pair of Nuts
With over 60 performances at various venues throughout the United States, Yamil Piedra and Johnny Trabanco, better known as “A Pair of Nuts,” are the only Emmy Award winning, nationally touring Hispanic comedy duo. This year the Nuts traveled to colleges, comedy clubs, and military bases nationwide with their live stage show. But the two are hometown boys and that’s why they chose their hometown of Miami, as the last city in their 2011 tour. As a special bonus to the Nuts’ fans, with the purchase of a ticket they can stay after the show and catch a free Spam Allstars performance. 7:30pm. $15. PAX: Performing Arts Exchange, 337 SW 8 St; Miami. For info: 305.640.5847. or nutscomedy.com.
December 9
Social
Legends of the Full Moon
Channel the power of the male moon god and find your inner warrior at the Legends of the Full Moon party at the Ritz. Featuring Aztec inspired cocktails, mexican style light bites, telescopes and mystical Mayan entertainment. Music by DJ Bounce & YSL. The Ritz Carlton, 1 Lincoln Rd; Miami Beach. For info: yourvitaminc.com
December 9
Music
Blues Brothers Review
Playing live as part of the Dwntwn Miami Concert Series and Second Fridays is Jake and Elwood Blues Brothers Review. 6pm. Free. Tina Hills Pavilion at Bayfront Park, 301 N. Biscayne Boulevard, Miami. For info: dwntwnmiamiconcertseries.com
December 9
Music
Apero Jazz
Something a little different from the Alliance Française is Apero Jazz with the Frederico Britos Trio who will perform Gypsy Jazz. Wine bar on the terrace. Free. 7pm. Alliance Française, 618 SW 8th St; Miami. For info: 305.859.8760 or afmiami.org
December 10
Music
Sunday Afternoons of Music
Violinist Ray Chen and pianist Julio Elizalde will perform tonight as part of the Sunday Afternoons of Music series. Winner of many prestigious competitions, Ray Chen is among the most compelling young violinists on the concert scene today. Pianist Julio Elizalde, a native of the San Francisco Bay area, has been praised by the New York Times for his ‘catlike ease’ at the keyboard. 7:30pm. $35. Gusman Concert Hall, University of Miami, 1314 Miller Dr; Coral Gables. For info: 305-271-7150 or sundaymusicals.org.
December 10
Lecture
Jerry Saltz
The Art and Culture Center of Hollywood’s Hot Topics Discussion Series continues with internationally known art critic Jerry Saltz. A judge on the Bravo TV show “Work of Art,” Saltz is the senior art critic of New York Magazine. A three-time Pulitzer Prize finalist, in 2006 he was named “Best Art Critic” by Time Out New York for his work at the Village Voice, where he wrote from 1998-2007. On view is Artist Unknown/The Free World, a first-of-its-kind exhibition that features more than 17,000 images of vernacular photography found online by artists John D. Monteith and Oliver Wasow. From the bizarre to the sublime, these anonymously sourced amateur photographs provide a fascinating view of American culture through the new frontier of social media. 6pm. $10. A 5pm reception precedes the lecture. Art and Culture Center of Hollywood, 1650 Harrison St. Hollywood. For info: 954.921.3274 or ArtAndCultureCenter.org.
December 10
Music
Tiempo Libre
Local Latin Jazz band Tiempo Libre will play the Van Dyke Upstairs Cafe tonight. From KCC Productions. 9pm. The Van Dyke, 846 Lincoln Rd; South Beach. For info: 305-534-3600 or thevandykecafe.com
December 10
Festival
Peace Palooza
Don’t miss the fabulous, Peace Palooza 2011 celebration. 2 stages of music featuring performers that made significant contributions in the 1sixties; from Rock and Roll, Soul, Pop, Reggae, Blues and other genres of music. Peformers include Sweetbone, Andrew Bayuk and The Undeniable, Steve Minotti, Alonso the Poet
and Salvador the painter. Expect an eclectic mixture of sounds and styles with highlights including a Multimedia Tribute, Visual Art Gallery, Artistic Marketplace and a Peace Community. 7pm. $10. Tobacco Road, 626 S. Miami Ave; Miami. For info: tobacco-road.com
December 10
Music
The Nutcracker
The FIU School of Music and FIU Theatre collaborate to present a unique version of this beloved holiday classic, The Nutcracker, adapted and directed by Philip Church, featuring the highly acclaimed Amernet String Quartet. Net proceeds from this concert will benefit FIU School of Music and FIU Theatre scholarships. 7pm. $5-$15. Wertheim Performing Arts Center, 10910 SW 17 Street, Miami. For info: 305-348-0496.
December 10
Holiday
Snow Fest
Take out your hats, jackets and mittens because a snow advisory has been issued for today. The City of North Miami Beach’s Leisure Services Department is holding their annual Holiday Snow Fest. Featured will be a snow mountain, rock climbing wall, giant slide, bounce houses, carnival games and arts and crafts. Participate in holiday games such as the Grinch’s Grab Bag or for those who have been nice, write a letter filled with your list of wishes to Ole St. Nick. Photo ops with Santa, Mrs. Claus, and Frosty the Snowman throughout the evening as well as a DJ, raffles and prizes. $5. 6pm. Gwen Margolis Amphitheater, 16501 N.E. 16th Ave; North Miami. For info: 305-948-2957.
December 10
Dance
Pioneer Winter
Dancer Pioneer Winter choreograph and dance with dancer/educator Ana Bolt and spoken word artist/director Marie Whitman in Miami Open Stage. Winter will be premiering a work-in-progress focused on the diary entries of his mother when she was 17 years-old and the journal Winter kept shortly after his mothers death when he was 10 years-old. $10. 7pm. Little Haiti Cultural Center, 212 NE 59 Terr; Miami. For info: pioneerwinter.org
December 10
Books
B&B Press Blue Christmas Party
Merry Christmas! Deck the halls! Joy to the World! Really? Year after year, the forced frivolity, gratuitous gluttony, and crass commercialism of the holiday season pegs Christmas with a kind of fairy-tale sentimentality existing in a world where there is no conflict, no anger, no hatred, and no criticism, a world in which there is no warfare in any form. Readers now can rest easy; there’s no trace of this sugarcoated existence in Blue Christmas: Holiday Stories for the Rest of Us: An Anthology. Instead, they are offered the gift of candor, suspense, and substance, showing them that Christmas can be both the best of times and the worst of times. Edited by award-winning novelist John Dufresne, Blue Christmas is a collection of 17 original stories written by some of today’s finest contemporary authors exploring a variety of Christmas experiences. Tonight, join Mitchell Kaplan, John Dufresne, Robert Goolrick, Lynne Barrett and Les Standiford, among others, for a celebration of the new B&B Press imprint, a project of Books & Books. They’ll be serving up blue Christmas mojitos, some yuletide surprises and a few blue Christmas stories. 7pm. Books & Books, 265 Aragon Ave; Coral Gables. For info: booksandbooks.com
December 10
Festival
Haitian Holiday Traditions
Join guests the Backyard Movement for live music and dance related to the various colorful celebrations that take place on this island nation. Make beautiful Haitian bead and sequin money purses. $5. 12pm. For info: 305-375-1629 or education@historymiami.org.
December 10
Art
Scratch an Etch
Head to Second Saturdays at MAM for Scratch an Etch, a family fun day, today. Find writings and drawings etched onto metal plates by artist Michael Genovese in the upstairs galleries. Itching to make some art yourself? Create a multitude of messages by scratching into specially coated surfaces in the auditorium workshop. Tours at 2pm. 1- 4pm. Free. Miami Art Museum, 101 West Flagler St; Miami. For info: miamiartmuseum.org or 305.375.5466.
December 10
Tour
Overtown Walking Tour and People’s Bar-B-Que
Stroll with HistoryMiami’s historian Dr. Paul George to Overtown’s Lyric Theater, two centennial churches, the site of several clubs, hotels, and the restored home of Dana A. Dorsey, Miami’s first black millionaire. Finish the day with an optional lunch at People’s Bar-B-Que offering ribs, chicken, cornbread, conch salad and collard greens for a reasonable cost. $30. 10am. Advance reservations and payment required. To book a City Tour 305-375-1621 or citytours@historymiami.org.
December 10
Performance
South Florida’s Kids Got Talent
Check out South Florida’s Kids Got Talent, a song and dance competition for kids 15 and under. Today the top 12 finalists will compete for a $500 prize and family four pack for Cirque Dreams Holidaze. Performance by American Idol Season 10 Top 24 Finalist Brett Loewenstern. 11am. Free. The Galleria at Ft. Lauderdale, 2414 East Sunrise Blvd; Fort Lauderdale. For info: tri-rail.com.
December 11
Tour
Miami River Boat Tour
Enjoy an entertaining and relaxing ride on the river with HistoryMiami’s historian Dr. Paul George as he points out drawbridges, hidden neighborhoods, Caribbean freighters, tugboats, the Miami Circle archaeological site and little known parks, while the history of Miami comes alive. 10am. $54. Advance reservations and payment required. To book a City Tour 305-375-1621 or citytours@historymiami.org.
December 11
Holidays
Botanical Bazaar
A celebration of the holiday season. Artists, crafters and plant enthusiasts present a pre-holiday bazaar with one-of-a-kind artworks, jewelry, handcrafted items, books, orchids, wreaths and assorted plants. Live music, food trucks and holiday cheer. Noon to 4pm. Miami Beach Botanical Garden, 2000 Convention Center Dr; Miami Beach. For info: mbgarden.org
December 11
Music
Miami Children’s Chorus
The Miami Children’s Chorus heralds in the holiday season with their annual holiday concert – Voices of Angels. Witness the artistry and purpose of all three Miami Children’s Chorus ensembles as they perform r holiday favorites. Musical selections span a wide range of genres and represent many cultures as the choir aims to depict the immense cultural diversity in South Florida. 4pm. $20. 1st United Methodist Church of CG, 536 Coral Way; Coral Gables. For info: miamichildrenschorus.org or 305.662.7494.
December 12
Tour
Hungry for History: Police Horses at Lummus Park Walking Tour
Visit some of the City of Miami Police Department’s most noble guards – police horses at Lummus Park, the city’s oldest park. Meet Sgt. Ralph Toirac, supervisor of the mounted patrol. Hear about the history of Miami’s Mounted Unit and its role in public safety and community service. 11am. $15. Advance reservations and payment required. To book a City Tour, please call 305-375-1621 or email: citytours@historymiami.org.
December 12
Film
Take Shelter
A great time to head to the MB Cinematheque to catch the Best of Cannes flick, Take Shelter by Jeff Nichols with Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastian. Plagued by a series of apocalyptic visions, a young husband and father questions whether to shelter his family from a coming storm, or from himself. 6:50pm & 9:10pm. $10. MB Cinematheque, 1130 Washington Ave; Miami beach. For info: MBCinema.com
December 13
Film
Days of Heaven
The Miami Jazz Society and the Community Cultural Discovery Exchange are working together to host a free series of events in film, music and education. The Miami Tower Film Series will show some fab flicks throughout the month of December. Tonight’s film is Days of Heaven, directed by Terrence Malick and starring Richard Gere, Brooke Adams and Sam Shepard. Set in the early 20th century, it tells the story of two poor lovers, Bill and Abby, as they travel to the Texas Panhandle to harvest crops for a wealthy farmer. Bill encourages Abby to claim the fortune of the dying farmer by tricking him into a false marriage. This results in an unstable love triangle and a series of unfortunate events. Cash bar and snacks. Stay on for some jazz in the Sky Lounge. 6pm. Free. Miami Tower, 100 SE 2nd Street, Miami. For info:
December 13
Film
Straw Dogs
The Miami Jazz Society and the Community Cultural Discovery Exchange are working together to host a free series of events in film, music and education. The Miami Tower Film Series will show some fab flicks throughout the month of December. Tonight’s film is Straw Dogs, Directed by Rod Lurie. Starring James Marsden, Kate Bosworth, Alexander Skarsgård. L.A. screenwriter David Sumner relocates with his wife to her hometown in the deep South. There, while tensions build between them. Cash bar and snacks. Stay on for some jazz in the Sky Lounge. 6pm. Free. Miami Tower, 100 SE 2nd Street, Miami. For info:
December 13
Music
Annual Holiday Concert
A Celebration of Christmas and Hanukkah featuring the Bells of St. Andrews Bell Choir. 8pm. $15. For info: gmsb.org or 305-273-7687.
December 14
Books
Xavier Suarez
Since Alexis de Tocqueville’s seminal work on American democracy, no one has attempted to diagnose the current state of democracy in the United States. Democracy in America (Authorhouse, $25.20) is a modest attempt to do such an update, based on both democratic theory and the author’s actual practice in governing Miami for three terms. Xavier Suarez reports from his perspective as an immigrant, but also from the perspective of a trial lawyer, college professor and politician with half a century of being fully immersed in the American experience. 6:30pm. Coral Gables Congregational Church, 3010 De Soto Blvd; Coral Gables. For info: booksandbooks.com.
December 14
Books
Rabbi Solomon Schiff
Under the Yarmulke: Tales of Faith, Fun and Football is an inspiring and touching collection of stories, lessons and jokes by world-renown rabbi and global leader of interfaith relations, Rabbi Solomon Schiff. In this long-awaited memoir, Sol Schiff recaptures his remarkable journey from local cantor in a Bronx Synagogue to internationally recognized rabbi, whose devotion to community service and interfaith relations has made him a beacon of inspiration for millions of all faiths. He has shared thoughts with five American presidents, three Israeli Prime Ministers, two Popes and the Dalai Lama, along the way collecting a treasure chest of memories. Books and Books, 9700 Collins Ave; Bal Harbour. For info: booksandbooks.com
December 15
Dance
The Nutcracker
A Nutcracker doll will come alive, a Sugar Plum Fairy will dance, snowflakes will fall and smiles from children of all ages will rain down as Miami City Ballet, Florida’s Internationally Acclaimed Company under the direction of Founding Artistic Director Edward Villella, presents its enchanting holiday production of George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker. Students enrolled in the prestigious Miami City Ballet School, will perform in the production along with the Company’s internationally-acclaimed dancers. Based on the story The Nutcracker and The Mouse King by E.T.A. Hoffmann, George Balanchine’s The Nutcracker is a captivating tale of a little girl’s Christmas Eve dream about a handsome prince, a mouse king, toy soldiers and dancers from faraway lands set to the beloved music of Tchaikovsky, brought to life by a cast of more than 100 dancers and children. Nothing short of a Broadway spectacular, the production features glorious sets, lavish costumes like the ones worn by the Arabian and Chinese dancers, magical special effects, such as a Christmas tree that soars from twelve to thirty feet tall, and fanciful choreography that takes the spectator on a magical journey to the Land of Sweets. $20 to $68 Ziff Ballet Opera House, 1300 Biscayne Blvd; Miami. For info: 305- 949-6722 or miamicityballet.org
December 15
Festival
Bay Harbor Islands Bliss
Art and entertainment will take to the streets of Bay Harbor with Bay Harbor Islands Bliss, an event that many of the shops and restaurants on Kane Concourse will participate in. Complimentary refreshments will be offered in many of the shops and strollers can enjoy dinner at one of the many restaurants in Bay Harbor Islands during the evening. The shops will be collecting donations for the Family Resource Center of South Florida. 6pm. Free. Kane Concourse, Bay Harbor Islands.
December 15
Dance
Ballet Flamenco
Hispanico Ballet Flamenco, a colorful cross-section of traditional Latin American music and dance performed live by talented international artists, takes the stage as part of the Smart Stage Matinees Series. $10. 11:30am. The Aventura Arts & Cultural Center, 3385 N.E. 188 St; Aventura. For info: aventuracenter.org.
Category: HIGHLIGHTS, TO DO
