It was only a matter of time that the Colony Theatre on Lincoln Road would stage a play about Elián González. I’m seeing it tonight. Art Basel and the other Miami Art Fairs are coming in December, and you don’t have to be an art lover to enjoy the fairs. The history of Miami Beach is fascinating and was the topic of a featured article in Time Out. And the legendary Diana Ross is the latest celeb making Miami her home. No wonder Miami is hot, hot, hot.

 Revisiting The Story of Elián González at Miami’s Colony Theatre  

It was only a matter of time that the Colony Theatre on Lincoln Road would stage a play about Elián González. The Cuban boy became embroiled in a heated international custody battle in the year 2000 between the governments of Cuba and the United States. It was a story the whole world was interested in, especially the huge population of Miami’s Cuban exile community.  The play should be a big draw 23 years later because many people still want to know what happened to Elián when he was returned to his father in Cuba after his mother drowned trying to bring him to freedom in the United States. There were a number of news reports over the years about how well Elián was thriving in Cuba but there are still so many unanswered questions.

The theatrical reviews for the play promises to revisit many of the circumstances. Elián was living with his relatives in Miami when the United States government decided that he should be returned to his father in Cuba. The majority of the citizens in the United States did not want him returned to a communist country.

I have included a review of the play by Christine Dolan, of ArtburstMiami.com, a multi-media platform covering the arts in Miami-Dade. As always, Dolan provides a comprehensive assessment of the production. Her words make this story so intriguing that I can’t wait to see it. We bought tickets for tonight, Friday, November 4th. I will let you know my reaction to this dramatic story that has tongues wagging all over Miami. Get tickets.

 Dec. 1-3.  The Most Exciting Time of The Year in Miami   

Let me start by saying if you plan on attending Art Basel and the other Miami Art Fairs wear comfortable shoes.  Don’t wear new ones. You need shoes that you know you can walk miles in.  There are dozens of venues to visit and you might be exceeding 20,000 steps per day. There is so much to see and do. The main event is Art Basel in the Miami Beach Convention Center. Scroll down for the satellite art fairs that are scattered all over Miami.

You must register immediately. Some require an entrance fee others do not. I have included links to many where you can register.  If not, go to their websites. You can sign up there. Do it ASAP because thousands of others are filling out the forms. You want to be sure you are locked in.

Let’s get something straight. You don’t have to be an art lover to enjoy the Miami Art fair events. It’s just joyous to walk around, see the creative works and people watch. There is a dreamy energy within these art walls that will make you feel that life has many opportunities and you better start taking advantage of them.

That’s why Eliot and I are so involved in the art community. You meet the most interesting people, you hear about the most fascinating adventures and you get invited to the most exhilarating events.

Beyond Art Basel

Art Basel refers to the singular fair held at the Miami Beach Convention Center, but the spirit of Art Basel lives in venues big and small throughout the destination. In fact, Art Basel is the centerpiece of a week of exhibitions, fairs, and other arts and cultural events throughout Greater Miami & Miami Beach during Miami Art Week. No matter what time of year you visit, you’ll always find world-class arts and cultural activities here.

Get updates and buy tickets on the Art Basel website, including a combination ticket for Art Basel and Design Miami.

A Quick Miami Beach History Lesson  

I live in South Beach, a section of Miami Beach. I want The Three Tomatoes readers to know more about Miami Beach because the city is becoming a popular home to the tech, real estate, fashion, finance, and entertainment industries. Time Out magazine just completed a feature story, written by  Ashley Brozic about the development of Miami Beach so I want to give you a quick excerpt of what they reported.

“Miami Beach is divided into three sections: North Beach, Mid Beach and South Beach. South Beach starts at South Pointe Park at the tip of the island and extends all the way up to 23rd Street, right before you get to the One Hotel. At the southernmost tip, you’ve got Government Cut, which divides SoBe from Fisher Island.

“There are 107 years of history in South Beach including the the largest concentration of Art Deco buildings in the world (thanks to the hard work and effort of the Miami Design Preservation League). The best part? You can freely scope the interiors, as many of the city’s best restaurants, boutique hotels and resorts are housed within them.

“Our story starts with a coconut farm—or the attempt to open one, at least. In 1870, the Lum family bought up a slim sandbar with wild mangroves for 25 cents and plans to grow palm trees. They weren’t very successful, so their plantation ended up in the hands of John Collins. He eventually amassed five miles of land along where his namesake street now runs and was able to make a good living off of his coconuts and exotic fruits.”  

Read the full article with or fascinating history here. https://www.timeout.com/miami/south-beach

Diana Ross Makes Miami Her New Home   

We just got word that Diana Ross bought a $15.5 million waterfront contemporary home on the famous Miami Venetian Islands. Her new 5,800 square foot home is not too far from: Sylvester Stallone, Madonna, Julio Iglesias, Cher, Tommy Hilfiger, LeBron James, Matt Damon, Jennifer Lopez, Shakira, Dwayne Wade, Oprah Winfrey, Shaquille O’Neill, Pitbull, and Ricky Martin. Diana’s new home was built five years ago, sits on one-quarter of an acre and features five bedrooms and five bathrooms.

It may be a coincidence, but Diana released her feel-good single “Turn Up the Sunshine” earlier this year. That could have been a sign of things to come.

Diana ‘s new home has a double-height great room that looks out to an infinity-edge pool. It also has a sleek open-plan kitchen and bedrooms with private baths. The primary bedroom features a wall of glass that slides open to a private balcony, a spa-style bath and a fitted walk-in closet larger than most studio apartments in South Beach.

There are white terrazzo floors throughout the house, which is controlled by state-of-the-art smart home technology, and numerous walls of glass that peel open to patios and terraces for the indoor-outdoor lifestyle. There is also a vast rooftop terrace which provides a 360-degree cross-bay views of the Miami skyline.

Diana, welcome  to Miami.