March 2009 Serving the communities along the Biscayne Corridor, including Arch Creek East, Bay Point, Bayside, Biscayne Park, Belle Meade, Buena Vista, Design District, Downtown, Edgewater, El Portal, Hibiscus Island, Keystone Point, Miami Shores, Morningside, North Bay Island, North Miami, Oakland Grove, Palm Grove, Palm Island, Sans Souci, Shorecrest, Star Island, Wynwood, and Venetian Islands www.BiscayneTimes.com Volume 7, Issue 1 Heavy Metal on the Bay THE TITANIUM DREAMS OF OMAR ALI By Terence Cantarella ot far from Biscayne Boulevard, cigarette, and watching an osprey obses- cigarette to his mouth, almost lights it, stainless-steel sculpture towering 25 feet outside his ramshackle home just sively circling the sun-sparkled waters of but stops. It’s the holy Muslim month of over his head, casting a strange, twisted Nnorth of the 79th Street Cause- Biscayne Bay that stretch before him. Ramadan, smoking is forbidden during shadow over his Shorecrest property and, way drawbridge, Omar Ali is slumped in The bird swoops down, talons out- daylight hours, and he’ll have to wait more fi guratively, over his life. a folding chair, his thin frame draped in stretched, and with a soft splash, snatches until sunset to break his daily fast. Back in 2004, he designed and built well-worn canvas work clothes, his face a fi sh from the water. It rises, shakes off But the 54-year-old Egyptian metal the mammoth piece — a graceful, spheri- turned toward the sun. He’s listening to the water from its plunge, and glides over sculptor isn’t focused on his hunger cal tribute to the famed French explorer Classical South Florida radio over a pair to a rotting wooden piling to feast on or nicotine craving right now. He’s of loudspeakers, fi dgeting with an unlit its writhing prey. Ali smiles. He lifts the mostly thinking about the fi ve-ton, Continued on page 14 Dining Guide Community News Park Patrol BizBuzz We did it! An architectural FIU’s Biscayne Get in shape. This month’s gem is up for Bay campus Dine out. guide has 200 sale in North is a wide-open, Decorate. Biscayne Corridor Miami. waterfront Support our restaurants! beauty. Page 25 sponsors! Page 43 Page 36 Page 8 2 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com March 2009 MARK KNIGHT CONCERT HALL C CARNIVALC STUDIOH THEATERZ ZIFF BALLET OPERA HOUSE P PARKER AND VANN THOMSON PLAZA SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY Liberty City NWSA Symphony Miami Made Festival Miami Made Festival Miami Made Festival 1 2 & 7:30PM C 2 3 Orchestra 4 5 of New Works: 6 of New Works: 7 of New Works: 7:30PM K Here and Now: 2009 Here and Now: 2009 Here and Now: 2009 “Touches eloquently 7:30PM C 7:30PM C 7:30PM C on race, politics, and Tchaikovsky's First the legacies of the Piano Concerto and Three World Premieres The Cleveland Orchestra The Cleveland 60’s movements.” Brahms Symphony by some of South All-Beethoven Orchestra -The Village Voice No. 2, conducted by Florida’s most Program All-Beethoven Alfred Gershfeld, with innovative artists! 8PM K Program guest piano soloist, Kurt Masur, conductor 8PM K José Feghali. 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Combine your entertainment COLICCHIO in a stunning setting with first-class dining by Performing Arts Catering March 14 March 19 by Barton G. Try our new “bistro” concessions, With several lots and garages located throughout the Center, conveniently close to the ORDER NOW! Center, parking is plentiful at created by every performance. DINING: 305.949.6722 • arshtcenter.org PARKING: Valet parking also available March 2009 Biscayne Times • www.BiscayneTimes.com 3 COMMENTARY: FEEDBACK PO Box 370566, Miami, FL 33137 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Member of the Great Story, Great Bayside: All That Work, with new growth at the tops. But four Florida Press Association Research, Great Tragedy All That Money — Lost for to six weeks ago the tops began to dry out rapidly, and in increasing numbers. www.BiscayneTimes.com “Tragic Drama Under the Miami Water This response indicates a failure to Moon” (February 2009) was a very in- Regarding Jim W. Harper’s review PUBLISHER & EDITOR provide supplemental water once the teresting story. Great research by author of Baywood Park (“Hidden Park, Open rains stopped. Jim Mullin Antolin García Carbonell. Views” February 2009) in our Bayside [email protected] In my opinion, it is critical that I did not recognize the Cuban presi- neighborhood: Once again it seems that supplemental watering be provided over INTERNS dent’s name: Federico Laredo Brú. we the taxpayers have spent a lot of a several-month period after the palms Andrew Leins Manuel Perez-Vichot money for community improvements and are replaced, and the watering should [email protected] Miami the city does not have the foresight of include the oaks as well. The watering David Rodriguez follow-up. I am referring to the landscap- should occur at least until the rains return [email protected] Editor’s note: The left-leaning ing project on 69th Street from Biscayne in June. CONTRIBUTORS Federico Laredo Brú, who attended Boulevard to the bay. Joseph Canale Victor Barrenchea, Pamela Robin Brandt, the wedding of our story subject, Don Medians were built from the Bou- Bayside Terence Cantarella, Bill Citara, Wendy Alfonso de Borbón, served as president levard to the bay starting at the entrance Doscher-Smith, Kathy Glasgow, Jim W. of Cuba from December 24, 1936, to of the Palm Bay Yacht Club. It was a big Harper, Lisa Hartman, Jen Karetnick, Jack October 10, 1940. His successor: Ful- project that took many months of disrup- Bayside: Sparkle King, Derek McCann, Frank Rollason, gencio Batista. tion for the community. Well, it seems Smothered by Swill Silvia Ros, Jeff Shimonski all this work was done, all this money I love Baywood Park and walk there ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES What Secrets Lie Within spent, and guess what? No maintenance every day. However, contrary to what Marco Fernandez the Walls of Miami? was apparently planned. All the plantings Jim W. Harper says in “Hidden Park, [email protected] are all dead or dying, mainly the result of Open Views,” the park does not “sparkle.” I loved “Tragic Drama Under the the city not watering during the fi rst year I have had to call and ask for clean-ups Marc Ruehle Miami Moon.” I was riveted. What a to establish the planting. This is why so several times. [email protected] story! I hope you can do more stories like many people feel that are our taxes are People stop and dump their auto gar- this. It’s fascinating to think about the OFFICE MANAGER being wasted and no one is watching bage in the fi rst bin or eat lunch beside secrets held within the walls of some of the store. the park and dump their garbage. Most Wilmer Ametin Miami’s landmarks. I recently looked at the all plants in of the time cups and boxes are fl ying all [email protected] Thanks for sharing this intriguing story. the medians. There were 16 dead sabal over the place. ART DIRECTOR Kristin Burke palms. It appears that in almost every Marcy Mock Los Angeles case, the palms had begun to fl ush Continued on page 6 [email protected] ADVERTISING DESIGN DP Designs TABLE OF CONTENTS [email protected] COVER STORY POLICE REPORTS The Biscayne Times welcomes proposals Heavy Metal on the Bay .................................................................1 Biscayne Crime Beat ....................................................................28 for articles and press releases. Submitted material may be edited for length, clarity, COMMENTARY and content. All submitted material becomes ART & CULTURE Feedback ......................................................................................... 4 the property of The Biscayne Times. Please The Book As Artwork .................................................................. 30 be sure to include your name, address and Miami’s King ................................................................................10 telephone number in all correspondence. Word on the Street ........................................................................12 Art Listings ................................................................................... 32 All articles, photos,