Edward Steichen: In High Fashion, the Condé Nast Years 1923-1937 (photo Gloria Swanson)

Thanks to the Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale, Condé Nast publications archival records and the unmeasurable efforts of curators William Ewing, Todd Brandow and Nathalie Hershdorfer, fashion and photography lovers can take a glimpse into the Edward Steichen‘s legacy. The exhibit counts with 200 out of 2000 vintage portraits featuring celebrities and haute couture during the years he served as chief photographer for Vogue and Vanity Fair magazines from 1923 to 1937. It was during this period that he paved the way for modern high fashion photography, but the most impressive aspect of this exhibition lies in the quality of the prints and the immaculate preservation of the pieces.

His iconic portraiture work include celebrities like actors Charlie Chaplin, Gary Cooper, Marlene Dietrich, Greta Garbo and Gloria Swanson (on this post), filmmakers like Cecil B. DeMille, Ernst Lubitsch and Walt Disney, painters like Matisse, writers like W.B. Yates, E.E. Cummings and Collete, musicians like Stravinsky, Horowits and Gershwin; and statesmen like Winston Churchill, Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Herbert Hoover, to mention a few.

Steichen’s striking and innovative outlook on the use of photographic equipment stands out from other photographers of his time  who sought the outdoors for a natural approach. Steichen was the first photographer to explore the camera as a tool for communication and made art out of fashion photography at the peak of his artistic career with Conde Nast. Thanks to his innovative and contemporary approach we have an influential historical record of fashion photography and a glimpse to fifteen of the seventy yeas of artistic career. The exhibition runs until April 11, 2010 at The Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale.

Check this article at the Examiner.com

Suddenly, we went from having less than a handful of supermarkets to six within a five mile radius. All of them are part of a convenient shopping centers, and all of them were built in less than two years. The good news, is that we no longer had to cross to the other side of town to do our grocery shopping, drop our dry cleaning or rent a movie. We saw a new fire station built on the new side of town with a spiffy rescue team and we are very lucky to be home to South Florida’s first green hospital, Homestead’s Baptist Hospital. A state-of-the-art facility that promises to shield off a category five hurricane. Even more, banks opened in almost every shopping center as a good sign of economical progress in a city forgotten in time. After all, Homestead endured almost two decades of deficit and depreciation, a remnant of Hurricane Andrew, a devastating catastrophe that took place in 1992.

In fact, new street signs popped up everywhere giving way to new neighborhoods dressed in pristine landscapes built over old potato, corn and sunflower fields of years past. The sounds of our new city resemble more those in any corner intersecting Kendall Drive in Miami. Sirens go off at any given hour, a chopper hovers over the new hospital, cars honk impatiently at a traffic light during Homestead’s new rush hour, while the old sleepy town’s police department revamps its ranks with new officers.

Homestead’s life under the shadow of its big glamourous sister, Miami, provided us with some setbacks and contentment to conform to small American town status. Naturally, life is not simply about conforming but about aspiring. Up until recently, most people thought of Homestead as being good for only a few things, Mexican food, car races and the last stop for gas before heading to the Florida Keys. Today, Homestead’s new face lift along with new services promises all the conveniences and entertainment a city can offer. Its new residents bring to Homestead a new cultural vibe and variety. Proof of this is that Homestead, today, thrives to offer not just a new look but a renewed cultural environment that we can all enjoy, like the new art galleries in downtown and wine tasting in the Redland.

Let’s hope that glitzy life does not compromise Homestead’s integrity and that we are able to cope and manage with environmental and human changes resulting from growth. That financial progress and the local government are able to facilitate new avenues for innovating local entrepreneurs that can establish newer and better businesses thus generating new jobs and that we can all work together in making Homestead a city worth living in and set an example of social integration and cultural advancement.

Two days ago, I sent a blast of my latest post (which had nothing to do with this subject). Shortly after, I received a response from the kind Roberto Santiago, Director of Communications and Strategic Marketing for the museum, and the person who facilitates my media passes. He wanted to know if I ever wrote anything about the Rockwell exhibit. So here I am, amateur writer on the spot. Shamefully, I must admit that mere fear has prevented me from posting this article before (saved in my drafts until today) and just three days away from closing the exhibition I launched this post and below is my original review:

“There must be tenths of adjectives to describe the art of the late Norman Rockwell. In fact, many people can claim having seen his illustrations on the cover of New York’s Saturday Evening Post. However, one thing is for sure, Rockwell’s illustrations will take you by surprise because beyond the expressions of American culture, his oeuvre is simply extraordinary, socially engaging and thoughtful.

Homestead MediaJive had the opportunity to attend the media conference and preliminary tour including The Saturday Evening Post collection, many known pieces and even the lesser advertised works are on display as well. Often, we perceive Norman Rockwell as an Americana illustrator, an entertaining artist for his naïve interpretation of  American life, yet his art was that and more. This exhibit demonstrates how he used his art to comment on America’s social problems and invites his audience to civic engagement. I cannot imagine what type of reaction his paintings could have caused in a racially tense society of an era of social turmoil and patriotic awareness, respectively. One impressive painting is Murder in Mississippi, a painting that will lure you to experience what life was like in the American South just a little over three decades ago. You will be amazed by its theme, you will be chilled by its darkness and feel fear for the main subject depicted. The story behind it will haunt you for days.

For this, Norman Rockwell’s ouvre, is not just entertaining but a frank and poignant American tale.

Rockwell, the multifaceted artist, promises a wonderful ride were you will smile, reminisce and stare in awe for every careful and thoughtful stroke on every single canvas.

Exhibit name: American Chronicles: The Art of Norman Rockwell
Runs until: this weekend, February 7, 2010
Where: Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale, 1 East Las Olas, Ft. Lauderdale

Don’t miss this American Treasure!”

Once again, Krome Avenue staged the annual rodeo parade. Hundreds of people arrived early this morning to secure a spot on the sidewalks of downtown Homestead. Children anxiously waited for candy while the floats made their way through the streets of Homestead and cheerfully greeted everyone.

Okay, let’s face it, this is like our Macy’s parade. It doesn’t get any better! We don’t have the elaborate balloons or Taylor Swift hosting the show, but it is a wonderful family event sponsored by the local commerce and government. It is all about the horses, big trucks, the Mahi Shrine members on go-carts, children from local schools and the infallible poop-scooper. Oh yes, the horses are beautiful but … let’s just say, God bless the poop-scooper boy!

The highlight of the parade, a Florida Panther. Not a hockey player, but the real thing. It was an amazing sight and surprisingly not as big as imagined. Hardly ever we have the opportunity to see one of these creatures up close. So it was a real treat to the Homestead audience.

And if you missed the parade, you still have a chance to enjoy the rodeo at Harris Field until tomorrow. As for next year, well, let’s ll cross our fingers for an awesome host, or better, an awesome concert. Hey, why not? But wouldn’t it be something to have Taylor, Tim, Martina, Keith, Toby and even The Dixie Chicks heading down south to spice up the Southernmost Rodeo in the Continental U.S.A? Make your wishes come true , tell it to the Homestead Rodeo Association.

See ya’ll ’round town!

Yee haw!

At first glance, the obvious. Three men with bright tight gear each armed with an iron horse, water bottles, bags, sunglasses, a bob trailer and a GPS. Undeniably, a bike touring group, but as they get closer, a big yellow banner on a trailer calls attention to the eye. It reads ”Pedaling Over 1200 miles . . .”  It finally clicks, these guys are on a mission.

The three cyclists, touring and working their way through the Redland section of Homestead this morning, were Isidro and George Mendes, and companion guest, “Buzz” Beilharz who flew from Hendersonville, North Carolina to accompany his friends for a few days as they headed to Key West earlier this week. Meanwhile, the Mendes’ have been on the road since January 17 when they parted from Venice, Florida, on the Gulf Coast, to raise awareness and funds for the cure of cancer. Check out their route here!

And that’s not all, the most impressive aspect of this great ride, also known as, Tour de Isidro, is that Isidro is George’s dad and is a warrior battling cancer. This morning, short of their 600 mile mark, twenty two road kills and one gator sighting later, the Mendes duo and their riding guest, met up with me at Kraus Berry Farm for cinnamon rolls, milkshakes and a little chat. As it turns out, Isidro cycles since he was first diagnosed on 2006 and shortly after George challenged himself to do a transcontinental ride across the U.S. And he did it as a one-man-show, riding solo to raise awareness and funds while his dad battled cancer.

Isidro is originally from Fatima, Portugal. He is a fit and young looking 75-year-old man with a great smile and determination to enjoy every moment that life has to offer. Cheerfully, he points out that, life is not over because one is diagnosed with cancer. In fact, this is a challenge he takes very seriously and he defiantly faces it as he rides coast to coast and, north and south of the Florida peninsula. George, is a man with great love for his father, friend and cycling partner, and together they are determined to defeat the disease.

Undoubtedly, this ride is special for both and for everyone who they meet. As George asserts, it started as a ride to honor his dad but along the way he has been humbled by the many people he encounters on they way. People who are either under treatment or know someone who lost to cancer. For this reason, Tour de Isidro is now more than just a ride for the cure or a proclamation of faith and life. It is a journey to honor all of those people who live with cancer or lost the battle. It is an unmeasurable mission of life, love, courage and strength and a journey one cannot help but think that life is simply wonderful.

As the Mendes duo leaves town we wish them well and a ride with no dog chases, pleasant weather and good food. Buzz is now on his way home to the Blue Ridge Mountains and father and son travel towards Jacksonville. In a few days they will head back triumphantly riding Southwest and leaving a print over central Florida as they head home to the Gulf coast. We wish them a safe ride back home. We hope to see them again soon and we ask them to keep us all posted of their adventures on their awesome blog. Good luck boys!

Well, oh well. I am staggered to see the resilience of our Southern Floridians. It is Saturday morning and it feels colder than the 60 degrees registered at 7:00 a.m. I heard temperatures will continue to drop as the day progresses.

So here I am, at the Homestead site of Baptist Hospital. The event  goes on, as they say, “rain or shine,” but did anyone mention if the temperature drops more than 20 degrees than the usual the race should go on? Let’s just say that I am glad I am not one of them.

I stood out to get some shots of the runners as they made their way to the finish line on this hazy, rainy, nippy morning. The small crowd cheered vigorously to the runners dressed in shorts with scarfs and gloves crossing the line to the beat of the B52s and David Bowie. And instead of water some runners would get coffee from the Dunkin Donuts stand. It is hard to imagine anyone would want to run or even be out here. I know all I wanted to do is crawl back into my car, turn on the heat and drink my double shot cafe con leche.

I stand near the DJ station not because of the music, but because it is the only tent with the sides rolled down. I wait for some more of the runners to cross the finish line so I can take a picture. Meanwhile, the temperature continues to drop. After a few minutes I tell myself, “forget about it, I am heading back to my car.” I get my jacket, scarf and I am going to write my blog and maybe get a picture of the front of the hospital to post on this blog. On my way back to the car, I speak with two of the runners for a brief moment, one of them is from the Keys and the other one is a hospital employee, they tell me they did not expect such cold weather and one of them expressed how hard it was for him to breath in the cold air.

Back in the car, it is much nicer watching the runners from this cozy site, my coffee still warm and my fingers are now thawing. And yes, having moved to South Florida from New York over fifteen years ago, I can say this is COLD weather. I used to run and cycle in the fall up north and the worst part is trying to breath, not to mention how your nose and ears feel like they were frozen and ready to fall off – not a good feeling. Anyway, I cannot imagine what these happy, sunny people are experiencing this morning. Nonetheless, all of them are winners, you ought to be crazy to be running around in shorts and scarfs.

The good news is that this is only another proof of our South Florida strength to overcome just about anything that comes our way. Bring it on, winter, bring it on!

Back on the event … It provides knowledge and awareness of our local environment and what the Redland produces locally and pesticide free. It is a family oriented atmosphere filled with great people, delicious foods, beverages and live music. This year, Jennings  and Keller, a folk band from Homestead, cheered Farm Day with beautiful and environmentally conscious tunes.

Things to keep in mind: Bee Heaven collects a voluntary $10.00 donation at the gate, which helps Bee Heaven sponsor the Art Loves Farm program for students. This year,  the artists in residence from D.A.S.H. learn about farm life, environmental ethics and how to apply their involvement to their art.

WOW! Speaking about a blast from the past, Joan rocked Homestead in her classic look with tight leather pants and awesome haircut. The concert attracted a bunch of generation X-ers, ex-punk music lovers and now mommies and daddies, perhaps ex-rebels and ex-punk rockers themselves.

Jett  opened the show with I Don’t Care About My Bad Reputation and sang a repertoire of old tunes like Love Hurts, Dirty Deeds, Crimson and Clover, Do You Wanna Touch Me, and of Course I Love Rock-n-Roll.

Only one complain Joan: Hey, this is not Fort Lauderdale. I know it makes no sense, especially coming from the big apple to South Florida it may seem like we are all in Fort Lauderdale (I don’t know why…), but sorry to disappoint you, this is Homestead – only 60 miles south. But we still like you and hope you come back to rock us out of our flip-flops!