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TRAVEL: Miami & Romantic Winter Vacations

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Because love is always in season, it’s a great time to take a trip and start or rekindle a romance. All kinds of couples are heading to Miami, exchanging -10 degree weather for 80 degree+ temps. Share a balmy climate with someone you love, warm your bodies and your hearts with a romantic winter vacation.

Published

5 years ago

February 24, 2019

Oakland Post

By NNPA Travel Writer/Photojournalist Dwight Brown

Because love is always in season, it’s a great time to take a trip and start or rekindle a romance. All kinds of couples are heading to Miami, exchanging -10 degree weather for 80 degree+ temps. Share a balmy climate with someone you love, warm your bodies and your hearts with a romantic winter vacation.

Romantic Sights and Things to Do

Experience a touch of Italy at the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens.

Vizcaya Museum & Gardens

VIzcaya Museum & Gardens

From 1910 to 1922 James Deering, VP International Harvester, built a winter home in Miami’s Coconut Grove neighborhood, modeling it after a classic Italian country villa. Set on the waterfront of Biscayne Bay, the large Main House with 24 decorated rooms was originally set on 180 acres. Deering and his winter guests, like Lillian Gish and President Warren Harding, stayed at Vizcaya every November to April.

An exquisitely sculpted barge sits in the back to break the waves. The scenic water views have the magical romance of Venice, the amazing gardens are reminiscent of the Tuileries and the name Vizcaya is Spanish. Collectively, Deering brought a touch of Europe to Miami and left his vision behind for visitors to enjoy at their leisure with audio guides or on guided tours.

Take a cruise from Deering Estate and fall in love again.

Deering Estate

The champagne and prosecco flow on the boat rides that launch from the Deering Estate, former home of Charles Deering (James’ brother) in the town of Palmetto Bay in Miami Dade County. Boats depart from the 450-acre estate with its museum and nature preserve. The vessels head by uninhabited keys populated by mangrove trees pelicans, gulls and ducks a place to perch. Passengers float past downtown Miami, Key Biscayne and South Beach.

The cruise heads to what remains of Stiltsville, a group of wood stilt houses one mile south of Cape Florida. The homes sit in the shallow waters of Safety Valve, a coral reef that at low tide is just one to three feet deep. History has it that “Crawfish” Eddie Walker built the first shack on stilts in 1933, to avoid the confines of prohibition and throw boozy parties. One of the last remaining homes, a pink and yellow one, was a set for the film Bad Boys II.

Learn how to play doubles on the friendly tennis courts at the Miami Beach Tennis Academy.

Northshore Miami Beach Tennis Academy

In mid Miami Beach, the crowds of tourists are thin, it’s more like a real neighborhood and folks like to gather at the Northshore Park on 72^nd Street. If you book time with the tennis pro Julio Avila, he’ll teach you how to play doubles on one of the 10 clay courts or two hard courts. Doubles, which requires negotiating, anticipation and working together, can strengthen your relationship with your better half and it’s a game people play well into their 80s. Julio and his fellow pro Alina will coach you at a tennis park that is frequented by Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova. Bring a racquet or borrow one and you can learn or fine-tune a sport that you can play anywhere in the world.

Gaze into your lover’s eyes across a table.

Brush shoulders with the in-crowd at the swanky Swan/Bar Bevy Restaurant.

Swan Bar Bevy Pavlova

Restaurateur David Grutman (LIV at the Fontainebleau, STORY, Kimodo) has partnered with music icon Pharrell and Chef Jean Imbert to open the trendiest restaurant in the Design District, the chicest neighborhood in Miami. Surrounded by Tom Ford, Givenchy and Burberry stores, the two-story restaurant, with the upstairs cocktail lounge Bar Bevy, attracts gastronomes and wheeler-dealers who network at lunch and play at night.

Dine outdoors in a courtyard among foliage and sunshine. Or, eat inside where pastel colors and handsome furniture set a swank tone. Make sure your menu choices include: Hamachi Tartare or Little Gem Salad (with pear slices) appetizers; Branzino or the delectable Spaghetti with Osetra Caviar for a main course. End it with the Pavlova dessert– looks like a macaroon Faberge egg.

Dine in elegance—pre-theater—at BRAVA by Brad Kilgore.

BRAVA by Brad Kilgore. N’duja & Potato Ravioli

If you’re headed to the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts to see an opera, dance performance or traveling shows like The Lion King, Jazz Roots starring Sergio Mendes, Flamenco Festival Miami or Miami City Ballet’s classic “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” prep yourself for a wonderful evening by dining at the lush BRAVA by Brad Killgore Restaurant. The stately ambiance of the center permeates the upscale eatery and its innovative cuisine.

Nibble on the BRAVA Brioche (rosemary parmesan crust and umami butter), before an appetizer of Roasted Bone Marrow or the very delicate N’duja & Potato Ravioli. Dinner will be well remembered if you order the Crab Arrabbiato (jumbo lump crab cake) or the succulent Bone-In Veal Chop. Before running off to the theater, feast on the Black Forest dessert, which looks like an oblong cubed chocolate bar with caramelized chocolate, cherry gelée, pistachio genoise and basil. Gorgeously crafted.

Dig into Brazilian cuisine at Boteco Copacabana on lively Española Way.

Boteco Copacabana Rasen Beer, codfish and chicken croquets

South Beach’s Española way is a short four block pedestrian mall, populated by outdoor cafes and looks like it belongs in Europe. Tourists parade up and down the cobblestone street providing high-caliber people watching. Among the Italian, Mexican and Cuban places to sit, gaze and dine, is the friendly Brazilian restaurant Boteco Copacabana. You will be greeted at the door, ushered to an outdoor seat and have your choice from the finest array of Brazilian beers. Cerpa is the gold standard, a very light ale bordering on the taste of ginger ale. If it isn’t available, go for the equally smooth Rasen. Sip on your beer and start with either the codfish or chicken croquets. So you don’t have to choose between meat and fish, order the Mar e Terra (Surf and Turf) entrée with perfectly seasoned and grilled sirloin, lobster tail, shrimp, salmon, beef ribs and chorizo. Then nurse an espresso, hold hands and watch the parade of people go by. FYI, Saturday nights at 8:30pm Boteco hosts mini-carnivals called “Samba Saturday.”

Nothing does it like a romantic spa treatment

The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, Miami’s spa lets you languish in luxury.

The RItz-Carlton Coconut Grove, Miami Spa

Walking through the halls of The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, Miami on the way to its spa, reminds you why the Ritz hotels are such a mainstay in the luxury accommodations market. Stately walls, impeccable interior design, attentive service, flattering lighting and you haven’t even made it to the front door of the spa. As soon as you do walk in, you’re shrouded in a calming serenity.

Get in the mood for love by trying the Honey Dream treatment (80 min $260). It touches the entire body, providing deep relaxation with rhythmic massage techniques using honey-based products that leave a sweet smell. Balance your body’s vital energy and boosts your immune system with a full body massage using a beeswax thermal pad, an organic honey masque treatment and tea served with local honey. Classy and sweet.

Get pampered at the Newport Beachside Hotel’s spa.

Newport Beachside Hotel Spa

Head up past North Miami to the neighboring town of Sunny Isles and the tourist crowds disappear. Here at the Newport Beachside Hotel, a place South American tourists love, the Aveda Seven Seas Spa & Salon is wiping out stress one treatment (or package) at a time.

Lovers are particularly attracted to the Restorative Package ($205) which includes: Elemental Nature massage (50 mins —pick your favorite aroma, add in acupressure and reflexology); Elemental Nature Facial (50 mins – customized based on your skin); manicure (45 mins); and pedicure (one hour). Request the manicurist Miriam for your mani-pedi; she has the golden touch and works well with women and calms skittish men. On your way out, dine at Kitchen 305, where the freshest fried whole red snapper in Miami is on the menu and the key lime pie is excellent.

Welcoming places to stay that have love in the house.

The intimate and black-owned Copper Door B&B welcomes everyone.

Copper Door B&B

Back in the ‘40s and ‘50s when black musicians performed at nightclubs in Miami Beach, but couldn’t stay there, they’d head over to the welcoming neighborhood of Overtown, in Downtown Miami. They’d hang their hats and trumpets at the Demetree Hotel, on NW 4^th Avenue and 5^th street. The lodging house was closed and abandoned for years until a very entrepreneurial couple—Jamila Ross and Akino West—renovated it and turned it into the prestigious Copper Door Bed and Breakfast. Twenty-two rooms and three suites in this ultra-friendly B&B attract guests from around the world.

Copper Door B&B Eggs Benedict

White walls exhibit paintings, like those by the famed Purvis Young of Overtown. Ross is quick to suggest places to eat and visit in the surrounding neighborhoods: Little Havana (Ball and Chain for Cuban food and live music; Azucar for ice cream); Casablanca Seafood restaurant for river views and fresh fish; and The Wharf, an outdoor venue noted for food trucks. Warning: Don’t miss the breakfast at The Copper Door. Akino was a chef at Noma in Copenhagen—he can throw down some very tasty morning concoctions: His eggs benedict and red velvet waffles made with beets and a side of beef sausage may easily be the best food you’ll eat in Miami.

The National Hotel Miami Beach will sing you to sleep.

The National Hotel

It’s not easy distinguishing yourself from the myriad of hotels that dot the shores of South Beach. But the National Hotel has done just that. It’s the perfect hybrid between a luxury and a boutique hotel. The fancy appointments, impeccable interiors and impressive exteriors go hand-in-hand with their amicable vibe, which makes a stay here perfect for lovers. Bed down in any of the 116 renovated city and direct ocean view guestrooms in the Historic Tower (dates back to 1939), or rest in any of the 36 luxurious cabanas and suites (originally built in the 1960s) for a Zen-like feeling.

Their infinity-edge pool, lined by cabanas that double as massage huts, is the longest in Miami Beach and is steps from the shoreline. For a completely private, moonlit evening, dine poolside in one of their three exclusive cabanas. The upgraded poolside dinner comes with a decorated cabana, candles, and a private guitarist who will serenade you throughout dinner. It’s comforting and cool to return to the hotel at night and find a crooner at the piano bar in the lobby singing love songs. He takes requests. Great time to sit back, nurse a Courvoisier and hold hands.

Cuddle up in an apartment at the reasonably priced and friendly Waterside Hotel Suites.

Waterside Hotel Suites

The neat thing about the hip Waterside Hotel is that it has two separate locations in Miami Beach’s North Beach. The one on Harding Avenue at 73^rd St. features vibrant colors with groovy ‘60s flair and rooms at great prices (as low as $59). The one at Harding Avenue and 67^th St. offers spacious apartment-suites (as low as $67) and a parking lot across the street.

If you like to jump in your rented car and explore Miami, this place makes that easy. Gray floors, flamingo wallpaper accent walls, expansive balconies and a small pool give the Waterside a contemporary look. It’s just a minute walk from the beach and the suites come with kitchenettes and have microwaves, mini-fridges, mini-stoves and washer/dryer combos. All the guests say hello—it’s that kind of hotel.

While Valentine’s Day is still on your mind and the polar vortex is producing subzero weather, find a way to feel some warm love in the air. Head to Miami for a romantic winter vacation

Visit travel writer Dwight Brown at DwightBrownInk.com and BlackPressUSA.com.

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IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, activist Ramona Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.
The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Once upon a time, Black Americans were simply known as colored people, or Negroes. That is until Ramona Edelin came along. The activist, renowned for her pivotal roles in advancing civil rights, education reform, and community empowerment, died at her D.C. residence last month at the age of 78. Her death, finally confirmed this week by Barnaby Towns, a communications strategist who collaborated with Dr. Edelin, was attributed to cancer.

Born on September 4, 1945, in Los Angeles, California, Edelin’s early years were marked by a commitment to education and social justice. According to her HistoryMakers biography, after graduating from Fisk University with a Bachelor’s degree in 1967, she pursued further studies at the University of East Anglia in England. She earned her master’s degree before completing her Ph.D. at Boston University in 1981.

Edelin’s contributions to academia and activism were manifold. She was pivotal in popularizing the term “African American” alongside Rev. Jesse L. Jackson in the late 1980s.

Jackson had announced the preference for “African American,” speaking for summit organizers that included Dr. Edelin. “Just as we were called Colored, but were not that, and then Negro, but not that, to be called Black is just as baseless,” he said, adding that “African American” “has cultural integrity” and “puts us in our proper historical context.”

Later, Edelin told Ebony magazine, “Calling ourselves African Americans is the first step in the cultural offensive,” while linking the name change to a “cultural renaissance” in which Black Americans reconnected with their history and heritage.

“Who are we if we don’t acknowledge our motherland?” she asked later. “When a child in a ghetto calls himself African American, immediately he’s international. You’ve taken him from the ghetto and put him on the globe.”

The HistoryMakers bio noted that Edelin’s academic pursuits led her to found and chair the Department of African American Studies at Northeastern University, where she established herself as a leading voice.

Transitioning from academia to advocacy, Edelin joined the National Urban Coalition in 1977, eventually ascending to president and CEO. During her tenure, she spearheaded initiatives such as the “Say Yes to a Youngster’s Future” program, which provided crucial support in math, science, and technology to youth and teachers of color in urban areas. Her biography noted that Edelin’s efforts extended nationwide through partnerships with organizations like the National Science Foundation and the United States Department of Education.

President Bill Clinton recognized Edelin’s expertise by appointing her to the Presidential Board on Historically Black Colleges and Universities in 1998. She also co-founded and served as treasurer of the Black Leadership Forum, solidifying her standing as a respected leader in African American communities.

Beyond her professional achievements, Edelin dedicated herself to numerous boards and committees, including chairing the District of Columbia Educational Goals 2000 Panel and contributing to the Federal Advisory Committee for the Black Community Crusade for Children.

Throughout her life, Edelin received widespread recognition for her contributions. Ebony magazine honored her as one of the 100 Most Influential Black Americans, and she received prestigious awards such as the Southern Christian Leadership Award for Progressive Leadership and the IBM Community Executive Program Award.

The post IN MEMORIAM: Ramona Edelin, Influential Activist and Education Advocate, Dies at 78 first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Stacy M. Brown

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Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues

NNPA NEWSWIRE — Recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.
The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 weeks ago

April 3, 2024

Stacy M. Brown

By Stacy M. Brown, NNPA Newswire Senior National Correspondent
@StacyBrownMedia

Tennessee State University (TSU), the state’s only public historically Black college and university (HBCU), faces a tumultuous future as Gov. Bill Lee dissolved its board, a move supported by racist conservatives and MAGA Republicans in the Tennessee General Assembly, who follow the lead of the twice-impeached, four-times indicted, alleged sexual predator former President Donald Trump. Educators and others have denounced the move as an attack on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) and a grave setback for higher education.

Critics argue that TSU’s purported financial mismanagement is a manufactured crisis rooted in decades of underinvestment by the state government. They’ve noted that it continues a trend by conservatives and the racist MAGA movement to eliminate opportunities for Blacks in education, corporate America, and the public sector.

Gevin Reynolds, a former speechwriter for Vice President Kamala Harris, emphasizes in an op-ed that TSU’s financial difficulties are not the result of university leadership because a recent audit found no evidence of fraud or malfeasance.

Reynolds noted that the disbanding of TSU’s board is not an isolated incident but part of a broader assault on DE&I initiatives nationwide. Ten states, including Tennessee, have enacted laws banning DE&I policies on college campuses, while governors appointing MAGA loyalists to university trustee positions further undermine efforts to promote inclusivity and equality.

Moreover, recent legislative actions in Tennessee, such as repealing police reform measures enacted after the killing of Tyre Nichols, underscore a troubling trend of undermining local control and perpetuating racist agendas. The new law preventing local governments from restricting police officers’ authority disregards community efforts to address systemic issues of police violence and racial profiling.

The actions echo historical efforts to suppress Black progress, reminiscent of the violent backlash against gains made during the Reconstruction era. President Joe Biden warned during an appearance in New York last month that Trump desires to bring the nation back to the 18th and 19th centuries – in other words, to see, among other things, African Americans back in the chains of slavery, women subservient to men without any say over their bodies, and all voting rights restricted to white men.

The parallels are stark, with white supremacist ideologies used to justify attacks on Black institutions and disenfranchise marginalized communities, Reynolds argued.

In response to these challenges, advocates stress the urgency of collective action to defend democracy and combat systemic racism. Understanding that attacks on institutions like TSU are symptomatic of broader threats to democratic norms, they call for increased civic engagement and voting at all levels of government.

The actions of people dedicated to upholding the principles of inclusivity, equity, and justice for all will determine the outcome of the ongoing fight for democracy, Reynolds noted. “We are in a war for our democracy, one whose outcome will be determined by every line on every ballot at every precinct,” he stated.

The post Tennessee State University Board Disbanded by MAGA Loyalists as Assault on DE&I Continues first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

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Braxton Haulcy and the Expansion of Walker|West Music Academy

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