the
magazine of the students of
the university of miami
april 2012
WHY MIAMI IS GOING BIKE CRAZY
cool jobs & the alumni who social have them + How media can fall football preview 7 under the radar bars
help you get hired
4 shopping sites you need to know now
, Y HE T FEW LUR? S B A A L HS MBER T E M E N W R O O O T N T M AN TK W ’ U N O Y O ? DO YTHING D E M R I E EV ET
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P U N SIG
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18 years of experience
Uniforms Corporate Apparel Promotional & Show Appearance Give-aways Silkscreening Golf Tournaments Corporate Outings Sports Tournaments Parties Embroidery Caps and Hats
Find us on
12232 SW. 128th St. Miami, FL. 33186 305-254-2405 www.peacockembroidery.com
april 2012 IN THE MARGINS
THROUGH THE LENS
May/June Calendar
3 Insomniac
Breaking Into Social Media
6
UM Goes Social
7
Life Without Google
8 Digital Style
Social Start-Up
9
By Shelby Schoensee
By Sarah Bromley By Justin Borroto
By Alexandra Solano
By Nancy Oben
Photos By Kelly Smith and Raquel Zaldivar
fashion
Thread For Success
By Sarah Bromley, Gabrielle Mottaz and Jamie Shankman By Jonathan Borge and Ashley Brozic
AHEAD OF THE CURVE
in the loop
A Fresh Start
By Austen Gregerson
The main event
Miami’s Best Kept Secrets
10
Electric Savages
12 Keep Calm They Have Cool Jobs
By Melanie Davis and Rebecca Lattanzio By Rebecca Lattanzio
14
20 27
28
30
By Sarah Bromley and Lyssa Goldberg
Tour De Miami By Rachel Kliger
End Notes
Sexts From Last Night
34
Distraction
In the Margins
14
A freelance stylist, CEO, DJ and engineering entrepreneur remind us that there’s a bright future ahead.
40
20
2
Our fashion editors headed to the streets of Brickell to showcase the best in job-specific attire.
10 28
34
30
4
DISTRACTION CALENDAR
MAY
4 1
2
words_shelby schoensee. design_sophianna bishop.
3
24 25 26 27
THE BEACH BOYS
5
Celebrate the beginning of summer with a classic tribute to the season. Kick off your vacation with the Beach Boys at a concert located at the Hard Rock.
NEW EDITION
6
One of the biggest concerts this summer, New Edition should not be missed. Buy tickets now because they’re going quickly.
GREYNOLD’S PARK ANNUAL LOVE-IN
Return to the ’60s at the annual Love-In at Greynolds Park. Enjoy a costume contest, tie dye t-shirts, and ’60s music courtesy of Felix Cavaiere’s Rascals.
SPRING BALLET GALA
Dancers from the Arts Ballet Theater of Florida will perform a classical repertoire that will be sure to put a spring in your step.
SOUNDSCAPE CINEMA
Take in a free outdoor screening of one of the classics, “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off.”
22 21
18
20 19
CUBA NOSTALGIA
9 15 7
8
MIAMI BEERATHON
This event allows participants to access 26 different beers at 26 different bars and is called “the greatest day of your life” by many. After all, what’s not to love about a beerathon? Visit miamibeerathon.com for more information.
10 11 12 13 14
This festival celebrates Cuban culture and reflects on the island’s glory days. In its 14th year, enjoy authentic Cuban food, music and culture all weekend at the Fair Expo Center.
28 29
31
30
EUROPEAN FILM FESTIVAL This festival features the most extraordinary films from across Europe. Film enthusiasts, don’t miss this exciting opportunity at the Miami Beach Cinematheque.
16 17
JEWISH AMERICAN MONTH KICKOFF
A free lecture will be offered at the Jewish Museum of Florida on “The Jewish Impact and the Jewish Response.” Honor your cultural roots.
BRICKELL BAZAAR AND FRESH FARMER’S MARKET
If you love the farmer’s market at UM, wait until you see Brickell’s in the summer. Many different artisan and fresh food vendors will be present.
ATTENTION! Don’t forget it’s Mother’s Day. Show your mom how much you love her!
12
The Extra Issue
Distraction
3
Editor’s Letter The number 13 is usually associated with bad luck, but this 13th issue of Distraction proves that not all superstitions hold true. Thanks to the support of the entire UM community, I’m thrilled that the magazine is now a University of Miami fixture and will continue to serve as a guide to what’s best in the Magic City. The list of those to thank goes on, but this wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Lee J. Osiason and the Osiason Educational Foundation. He’s a beloved supporter of educational pursuits and his philanthropic spirit is one to admire. It takes an incredibly talented team to piece together any issue of Distraction, and I greatly appreciate the guidance of Dean Gregory Shepherd, Luis Herrera, Norm Parsons, Sam Terilli, Sigman Splichal, Bob Radziewicz, Jim Virga, Valory Greenman, Ivette Yee, Alyse Lancaster, The Miami Hurricane, Ibis Yearbook, WVUM, UMTV and our tireless adviser, Randy Stano. To my fellow ’Canes, thank you for voting! I’m always inspired by success stories, and our “Keep Calm, They Have Cool Jobs” feature is just that: a reminder that hard work pays off. The four alumni we profile just recently graduated and have each moved on to become entrepreneurs in their own right. Together they share the same go-getter spirit as the founders of Emerge Miami, one of the bicycle-obsessed groups included in our cover story, “Tour De Miami.” Needless to say, we chose stories that are sure to distract you. I hope you love this issue as much as we do. Enjoy your summer!
Jonathan Borge
ON THE COVER the
magazine of the students of
April 2012 Issue
the university of miami
april 2012
WHY MIAMI IS GOING BIKE CRAZY
cool jobs & tHe alumni wHo Have tHem + How social fall football preview 7 under tHe radar bars
media can Help you get Hired
TOUR DE MIAMI As the city becomes more infatuated with bicycles, the cover is meant to illustrates this growing scene. From Emerge Miami to Critical Mass to UM’s own UBike, there are plenty of bike-related events to attend. Though the cover’s central image is a bicycle, its bright colors and mix of typography represent Miami’s rich culture.
4 sHopping sites you need to know now
design and illustration_ivana cruz.
4
Distraction
In the Margins
Editor-in-Chief Executive Editor Art Director Assistant Art Director Photo Editor Assistant Photo Editor Copy Chief In the Margins Editor Ahead of the Curve Editor Fashion Editor Assistant Fashion Editor In the Loop Editor The Main Event Editor Web Editor Blog Editor Photo Blog Editor Business Manager PR Manager Social Media Manager Faculty Adviser
Jonathan Borge, @senorborge Ashley Brozic, @ashleybrozic Ivana Cruz, @ivanabcruz Sophianna Bishop, @sophieee1217 Raquel Zaldivar, @raqzal Kelly Smith, @kaysmith92 Nancy Oben, @nancyjoben Nancy Oben Rebecca Lattanzio, @beccalattanzio Sarah Bromley, @bromsstar Gabrielle Mottaz, @gemo9125 Rebecca Lattanzio Kelsey Pinault, @kelcface Rosa Orihuela, @rosaorihuela Christine Keeler, @kandyreynolds Devin Cordero, @devcordero Natasha Ramchandani Rachel Kliger, @kligs03 Justin Borroto, @justinborroto Randy Stano
Contributors Ela Apa, Photographer Natalie Baj, Copy Editor Zach Beeker, Photographer foursquare Andrea Chavez, Sales Representative Melanie Davis, Writer Our assistant art Andres Gaviria, Sales Representative director checks in to Lyssa Goldberg, Writer win badges. Austen Gregerson, Writer Jorge Hernandez, Photographer Alexander Jaramillo, Photographer Julian Jowise, Designer Heydi Maldonado, Sales Representative Bento Erin Meagher, Designer Cayla Nimmo, Photographer Andrew Pugliese, Photographer Daniela Reyes, Sales Representative Hot Tamale Shelby Schoensee, Writer Jamie Shankman, Designer Alexandra Solano, Writer Danielle Ungermann, Photographer Chelsea Wortham, Sales Representative Crunked Carla Zappala, Sales Representative
Twitter Our copy chief always makes sassy comments.
@nancyjoben: I wonder how many neon walk of shames happened on campus this Ultra weekend.
instagram Our photo editor loves this app.
dear distraction, the
magazine of the students of
the university of miami
february 2012
My favorite article was ‘Behaving Well at Starbucks.’ Now I know how to be healthy when I get my afternoon study snack.
-Ally Levy, sophomore
“The food pages were mouthwatering. I can’t wait to hit the town and try those restaurants.
-Lexi
schmidt, junior
dainty. Totes adored it.
-jacki coffey, SOPHOMORE
Bite In
The cover is such a turn-on.THE ThatMOST babe DELICIOUS We want with those lips ISSUEmade YOU'LL EVER READto me want to read more. know what you think -dennis the good, the campbell, bad and the freshman ugly. Send us an email The fashion spread at feedback. inspired me to throw distraction@ my own garden party. gmail.com The editorial was so
The Issue Thirteen, April 2012 Distraction is dubbed “The Extra Issue.” Students at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Fla. produced 6,500 copies of Distraction. City Graphics and NU-PRESS Miami printed the magazine on 8.5 x 11 inch, 70-pound coated text paper, with the cover being 80 pound gloss stock. The entire magazine is printed four-color and saddle stitch bound. Most text is nine-point Garamond with 1.8 points of leading set ragged with a combination of bold, medium and italic. All pages were designed using Adobe Creative Suite five software InDesign with photographs and artwork handled in PhotoShop and Illustrator.
ABOUT US
Dada
JOIN US
Distraction welcomes students from any major or school within the university to get involved with the publication. We always seek writers, photographers, designers, models, web editors, public relations representatives, advertising sales representatives and distribution workers. Please email editor-in-chief, Jonathan Borge (at j.borge@umiami.edu), with your areas of interest, preferred email address and phone number, and he will put you in touch with the appropriate editors. Thank you for your interest.
3841 NE 2nd Ave. Suite 103 786.363.9111 www.molteni.it
CONTACT US
Distraction is published twice a semester for the entire student body at the University of Miami, 5100 Brunson Dr., Wolfson Building, Coral Gables, Fla. 33146-2105. Questions or comments can be sent to the editor-in-chief by mail at P.O. Box 248127, Coral Gables, 33124-2105, by telephone at (305) 284-2265 or via email at j.borge@umiami. edu. All articles, photographs and illustrations are copyrighted by the University of Miami. For additional information, please visit distractionmagazine.com.
The Extra Issue
Distraction
5
BREAKING INTO
SOCIAL MEDIA words_sarah bromley. design_sophianna bishop.
The Miami Herald’s very own Deborah Acosta (@deborahacosta) shares her thoughts on social media in 140-characters or less. What social media trends and sites do you predict to become popular this summer? Instagram will become more popular now that it’s on Android. Banjo is cool & will totally creep you out. Highlight is really popular. What are your favorite social media platforms? Instagram is definitely my favorite. I need to check Instagram every day to make sure I’ve stayed up to date. It’s almost like a religion. Five iPhone apps you can’t live without? Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Cinemagram and Evernote. If you were a social media platform, which would you be and why? Probably Instagram because the way you meet people on Instagram…you don’t really judge them for who they are. You just friend people because you realize that you have similar interests.
6
Distraction
In the Margins
If you’re a devoted tweeter like each editor at Distraction, you’re probably familiar with John Jannuzzi, the accomplished 140-character social media wizard behind Lucky magazine’s tweets and the founder of the stylemeets-literature blog, Textbook. With over 15,000 online followers and plenty of internet savvy, the man has been mentioned by a number of acclaimed publications like New York, Women’s Wear Daily and Refinery29. We caught up with Jannuzzi to chat about his path to web greatness, the truths behind the professional social media world and how students can rely on platforms like Twitter to potentially land paying gigs. What does your job at Lucky entail? I am the lead on social media here but it’s a team effort, for sure. It’s very difficult for one person to manage all the feeds we have, so we have many members of the web team and some members of the print team help out on occasion. My job is really to make sure it’s all running properly and smoothly, come up with ideas on how we can maintain and leverage our voice, contribute to the website and manage our blogger network. What do people think you do as opposed to what you really do? People think I post pictures on Facebook and that’s pretty much it. And yes, we do post pictures, but it’s really about maintaining the identity of the brand, being an extension of the magazine and helping the readers out. So take that and multiply it across all our different platforms and that’s what I do. Sometimes it’s hard not to develop a multiple personality disorder. How do you find a balance between tweeting as yourself (@johnjannuzzi) and tweeting as Lucky (@luckymagazine)? Luckily for me, my own voice and the voice of the magazine are very different. As a brand, we’re approachable. We always have been
and our feeds have to reflect that. As an individual, I can share whatever opinions, moods or anecdotes I want and that’s what the whole point is. If I ever have to question something for the brand, I usually don’t bother posting it. On my own, anything goes. What are the boundaries you face when tweeting about your employer? At each job I’ve had, I’ve felt a strong loyalty towards my employer. I will defend them ‘till the end. That’s just part of the bargain in my book. A lot of people assume my passive aggressive tweets are all about work and that’s just wrong. Believe me, there is plenty more to be passive aggressive about beyond work. How should you approach a potential job or industry contact through Twitter? The best way to do it is to follow them and then, when you have something valuable to say, say it. Nothing is worse than tweeting for the sake of tweeting to somebody—it appears desperate and obvious. But just a warning, people will be hesitant to hire somebody off of Twitter. “There are no sick days in social media.” Is this true? This is the plight of every social media manager working for overtime. And yes, it’s kind of true, but nobody is perfect. It’s much easier when you have multiple people helping, which you often see on big customer service teams. Who are the people you suggest following on Twitter, for one reason or another off the top of my head? @RaySiegel for her humor, @EuanRellie for his wit and @ ATCodinha for her seemingly endlessbut-not-in-your-face thesaurus.
UM GOES
social
research_justin borroto. design_ashley brozic.
Distraction set out to discover which campus organizations are the most social media savvy. Check out what sites students are frequently using and hunt down each restaurant’s mayor for that special discount.
What Social Media Sites Are You On?
99% 72 40% %
24% 21% 33%
6%
13%
28%
22%
23%
4%
+
Foursquare mayors, check-in here
Who’s popular in the UM Twittersphere?
to receive 50 percent off of your orders.
5 The Oasis @univmiami
@hurricanesports
@umstick
@umiamisg
Market Square
Panda Express
@umcategory5
S
NEW
Salsarita’s Fresh Mango & Manny’s Cantina Marketplace @um_rathskeller
@hpmiami
@miamihurricane
@toppel
Tweeting Greeks Sebastian’s Cafe
AK A @miamitridelta
AE @umiami_aepi
@dlpofumiami ∆ ai
KK @deltakappakkg
@umpretties_akas
A @alphadeltapium
KA @umiamikappas
XA @lxa_Miami
Nikos
Flash Special The first 25 people to check in and buy a pizza between 3 and 7 p.m. receive a free 16-ounce smoothie!
Jamba Juice The Extra Issue
Distraction
and receive 50% off!
7
life without words_alexandra solano. photo_raquel zaldivar. design_erin meagher.
In elementary school, I remember being taught the essential skills of searching for information on a search engine. I always found it to be a tedious task and thought it useless as I already knew the names and URLs of the only two websites I ever used. Little did I know that my life would eventually be dictated by these search engines; so much so that I would not be able to imagine my life without them. One of the most popular search engines, Google, logs approximately two billion searches a day. In fact, the search engine is so widely used that the word “google” has earned a spot in the dictionary as a verb meaning, “to search for something on the Internet.” 300 million people at any given hour use the website to filter through the continuously growing online world for the pages they need. Admittedly, I myself constantly turn to Google to receive immediate answers on any questions I have throughout the day. Going a week without Google would probably mean setting off absolute chaos and confusion, so I set out to confirm this myself. By the first day, I already felt withdrawal. I kept forgetting simple website URLs and found my information elsewhere. I was finishing a paper for class during the week and an error message appeared on my computer. Fighting the urge to go to Google and search for directions on how to deal with the situation, I had to open up the untouched computer program manual for Microsoft Word. Fortunately, I was able to find the solution and also learned how to avoid the problem in the future. I then had to work on a group project for one of my classes. As my group members searched away on their laptops, I scoured the UM library database to find written documents and book sources. Though my research methods felt primitive and took me a much longer time, I think I found more accurate information than my team. My most encumbering test came in searching for directions on how to get to a concert at The Culture Room in Fort Lauderdale. Fort Lauderdale is far and I usually would have used Google for directions. However, since I had subjected myself to this tortuous experiment of not using Google, I embarked on a journey
8
Distraction
In the Margins
GOOGLE MAP-LESS. Sophomore Alexandra Solano looks for directions on a real map instead of the electronic Google Map while spending a week without using Google. to Fort Lauderdale using the only highway I knew of, I-95, and let my sense of direction take charge. I followed the signs, got off on a few wrong exits, found myself driving aimlessly in Overtown, went through a Checker’s drive-thru just to ask for directions and eventually arrived at the concert venue thirty minutes late. I suffered many more challenges throughout the week that once and for all proved how addicted I am to Google. With Google, every task I take up is oversimplified, to the
point where I miss crucial opportunities to learn beyond what I inquire in the search engine box. My week without Google was chaotic, no doubt, and it caused me a lot of confusion to say the least. But even then, it challenged me to think outside the box and think of different ways to solve problems. In the end, my week without the site was more entertaining and rewarding than just another click on Google.
IT’S GOING LIVE. Rate The Nite launched in March after hosting a launch party at Sandbar in Coconut Grove.
Social start-up words_nancy oben. photo_raquel zaldivar and andrew pugliese. design_erin meagher.
Students are trying their luck with IDs and each other every night in the Grove. South Beach is teeming with UM kids dancing away at Amnesia and LIV. Ever wonder how these bars and clubs rate against each other? Two UM juniors made that curiosity a reality. Brendan Manley and Lulu Keszler created ratethenight.com, a website where students can rate parties and venues and add pictures from these events. The first idea for the site came to Manley last summer. He thought of a fun concept where students can share where they’ve gotten lucky. “I didn’t think it was enough for the site, so I said let’s add a rating [system] for venues,”
Keszler said. Manley added, “the purpose of our site is to give people a chance to exchange information.” Freshman Danielle Morabito said she learned about Rate The Nite from a friend who attended the launch party. “I thought it sounded like a great idea so I went and found the website and decided that I would give it a try,” Morabito said. “It’s fun and I just snap pictures at different places.” Since its launch, the site now has over 400 users. Manley and Keszler stressed that the site is made for students and the content is driven entirely by the users. The pair said a user thought
that Ultra Music Festival should be added to the site and now, it’s the most popular event amassing a ton of photos of UM students clad in neon and fanny packs. They’ve also been using social media sites like Twitter and Facebook to spread the word of the new site. “I don’t see a difference between Facebook and Twitter and word of mouth,” Manley said. “It’s the modern word of mouth.” Rate The Nite has also been seen on campus. They’ve been handing out slices of pizza and Rate The Nite merchandise to entice students to like the site on Facebook and join. The site also had a launch party in March at Sandbar complete with free beer, shot glasses and a beer pong tournament. Junior Brittany Bass attended the launch and said the site’s presence in the Grove made her curious to check it out. “I think this is a great idea for students to rate hot spots like the Grove and South Beach,” Bass said. Manley and Keszler said that they hope to eventually expand to other schools and UM is the test to see if this site will be a popular option for students. “We love UM,” Manley said. “We thought why not share our idea. If they give us the thumbs-up, then we’ll go with it.”
For More Information SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS. Juniors Brendan Manley and Lulu Keszler launched their website in March. Since then, the site has gained over 400 users.
ratethenite.com @RateTheNite Facebook.com/RateTheNite The Extra Issue
Distraction
9
miami’s
best kept secret
hot spots you won’t
see on tv In the Magic City, there is no lack of nightlife. Tourists and locals flock to LIV and Cameo to be a part of the spectacle that is the Miami club scene. But with a population surpassing two million, it is guaranteed that the streets are sprinkled with bars and lounges unheard of to the average Miamian. Distraction sifted through these underground hot spots to find the ones most worthy of a UM student’s Friday night.
10 Distraction In the Margins
words_melanie davis and rebecca lattanzio. photos_raquel zaldivar. design_jamie shankman.
THE FILLING STATION
HOY COMO AYER THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF BEER
The Filling Station is your classic hole-in-the-wall burger joint in Brickell. The restaurant offers a variety of burgers, sandwiches, salads and craft beers. In 2010, The Filling Station expanded and added the Garage Bar. “We’re just a local downtown bar and there aren’t too many of those,” said Mike Hernandez, a bartender at the restaurant. Unlike other burger venues, The Filling Station substitutes traditional fries with tasty tater tots. And if that isn’t enough to entice you, become a member of their beer mug club. $75 a year gets you unlimited beer in your own personal mug, which they keep stored for you with a key.
95 SE SECOND ST., Miami 786-425-1990 thefillingstation miami.com
Hoy Como Ayer is an authentic Cuban bar located right on Calle Ocho in Little Havana. Formerly known as Café Nostalgia, this bar has live music, wood-paneled walls teeming with pictures of Cuban music icons and most importantly, lots of dancing. “Every night has different music and a different local artist,” said Fabio Diaz, owner of Hoy Como Ayer. Latin artists such as Malena Burke, a Cuban singer, and the Latin funk band Spam Allstars have all graced the stage at Hoy Como Ayer. Their Thursday night party, Fuacata (slang for ‘pow’), features a mix of classic Cuban music with modern DJ sound effects.
2212 EIGHT St., MIAMI 305-541-2631 hoycomoayer.us
The DRB describes itself as a “fully autonomous nation landlocked in downtown 255 NE 14th St., MIAMI Miami.” Beer lovers rejoice. This bar offers over 500 types of beer from 60 countries. 305-372-4161 You can keep track as you drink your way around the world with the DRB passport drbmiami.com that is stamped and updated every time you drink from a new place. Aside from their massive beer collection, DRB also has wine and an equally international food menu including hummus, fish and chips and arepas.
For students looking for a bar with top of the line cocktails, try The Broken Shaker. This laidback pop-up lounge is located inside the Indian Creek Hotel, a small art deco inspired spot on the beach. Professional mixologists and Broken Shaker founders Elad Zvi and Gabriel Orta take pride in their cocktail craftsmanship and have collected over 35 different types of glassware to add to their presentation and library of cocktail-related books. “Everything is served fresh with local ingredients,” Orta said. “We change our cocktail menu every week.” Be sure to get there quickly though because Broken Shaker is only open through June.
2727 Indian Creek DrIVE, MIAMI BEACH 305-531-2727 indiancreekhotel.com
THE STAGE
The Stage in the Design District seems to have found the perfect balance between the popularity that brings out great acts and the underground reputation that makes it unknown territory. Known for its live art, music and film, this spot offers a great alternative to the other beer-heavy bars that made our list. It’s a rehearsal space for local artists during the day and hosts DJs and jazz musicians at night.
170 NE 38th St., MIAMI 305-576-9577 THESTAGEMIAMI.COM
BLACKBIRD ORDINARY
Blackbird Ordinary opened late last year (taking the place of what was once Transit Lounge) and is now known for its array of bird-inspired cocktails, including the Mourning Dove and the Ibis. This dark space feels like an old tavern or pub and is perfect for a night of drinking, dancing and maybe even some board games.
729 SW FIRST Ave., MIAMI 305.671.3307 BLACKBIRDORDINARY. COM
Miami Beach’s new underground bar, which opened in December of last year, has a speakeasy style that’s hard to find. The entrance is behind an unmarked door in an alley located behind Barton G. Don’t expect to see a lot of press about Foxhole because they rely on word-of-mouth to attract their crowd. Foxhole’s first level has an arcade area with coin-operated games and a pool table. The second floor is a little more private, with a lounge area and cases of vintage guns. This is the perfect place for visitors who intend to stay out late since it stays open until five in the morning.
1426A 14th Court, Miami Beach 305-534-3511 Foxholebar.com
THE BROKEN SHAKER
FOXHOLE
The Extra Issue
Distraction 11
electric savages 27 YEARS OF WMC Welcome to the age of the DJ. No, not the one who performed at your sister’s wedding, but the one that can sell out LIV on a Saturday with tickets going for $200 a pop. The same DJ that decides seven of the ten songs on today’s Top 40 countdown and whose set is introduced by the likes of Madonna and Nicki Minaj. With electronic music taking the industry by storm, it’s no wonder that Avicii, Calvin Harris, David Guetta and Laidback Luke, among others, are constantly talked about. Pan to Winter Music Conference (WMC). The original meeting started 27 years ago for industry folk and fans alike to exchange, share and discuss the electronic music they love. WMC was once the home of Ultra Music Festival (UMF) until a breach of contract on behalf of UMF led to a very public split in 2011. Despite the breakup, WMC continues to be the father of all electronic music festivals and since 2010 has attracted over 2,000,000 visitors and over 1,000 DJ performances each year. WMC is the brainchild of DJ Bill Kelly who got his start in music at the tail end of the disco scene. He began the conference in response to what he believed to be the sub-par dance music conferences of the ’80s. WMC first opened its doors in 1985 at a Fort Lauderdale venue with a mere 50 guests. Around four or five years later,
DBT’s MUSIC
the DJs began coming down to join and in 2000 the conference really began to take off. “A lot of people started to come down here for the parties,” Kelly said. “Our name started to get out as a party conference which brought a huge consumer base and it just steam rolled from there.” Today, WMC parties consist of hotel pool soirees and events at clubs with up to 10 DJs performing per night. This year, venues included The Clevelander, The Shelbourne South Beach, Space, Mansion, Nikki Beach, Club 50 at the Viceroy, Mekka and the Surfcomber. On top of the party performances, WMC offers dozens of industry panels for musicians, producers and label executives to network and share inspiration. According to Kelly, the conference catches everyone’s attention but garners an older crowd in comparison to UMF. “This is an international event now,” Kelly said. “It’s not just locals anymore. And with the media attention that Miami gets and the celebrity status it has, it’s just natural to do it down here. Even if [people] don’t have anything to do with the dance music industry, they come down to be a part of this.” Events like WMC have made the DJ the world’s new rock star. It has given them a platform of their own to showcase original
- Get DBT’s latest music on SoundCloudebook.com/dbtnation - Upcoming performances: Fri., Apr. 27 at East Carolina University and Sat., Apr. 28 at James Madison University - Twitter, @DBTnation
12 Distraction Ahead In the Margins of the Curve
tracks and has made them the deciding factor between venues each night. “Because the technology is so advanced now and there are so many new mediums and portals like live streaming sites, the DJ has become more popular than ever,” Kelly said. “Everyone is a DJ. That’s literally what has happened.” Kelly credits DJ popularity to production ability. “The only way to stand out now is to be really, really great or to produce your own tracks,” Kelly said. “The reason new DJs like Skrillex are becoming so popular is because they produce.” Young DJs today have taken the need for this talent to heart. Since becoming involved in the electronic music scene in college, DBT DJ and University of Miami student Nathan Nabatoff has worked relentlessly to brand himself and connect with some of the world’s finest DJs. “I started playing fraternity and sorority events as a joke,” Nabatoff said. “These house parties started turning into crazy concerts with people coming up and asking, ‘what’s your DJ name?’ And since high school I’ve always said I was the CEO of DBT because I’m always doing big things no matter what.”
Dr. Zide Mooni
A.P.,OMD,DNBHE.BAMS
MAHIMA
TM
for life
Ancient healing for modern times.....
words_rebecca lattanzio. photos_raquel zaldivar and kelly smith. design_jamie shankman. Fast forward through a few cheap pieces of DJ equipment, a lot of networking and the addition of a trademark orange and green ski hat, and DBT has already performed at Vice, Mansion, Treehouse, Eve, Nikki Beach, Louis Bar-Lounge and Josephine (in Washington, D.C.). Electronic Music events like WMC and Ultra are the light at the end of the musical tunnel for DJs like Nabatoff looking to promote their music. DBT, accompanied by a posse of local fans, attended Laidback Luke’s WMC pool party at the National hotel this year decked out in DBT gear. “Towards the end of [Laidback Luke’s] set I gave him a DBT shirt,” Nabatoff said. “He’s the coolest guy. He didn’t just stick it under the DJ booth. He held it up in front of the crowd and all the cameras, which was awesome to promote the name.” Industry driven events like WMC also offer opportunities for Nabatoff and other up-and-coming DJs to connect with the other professionals that make a show like Laidback Luke’s possible. “The idea of WMC is phenomenal because you have VJs, lights, sound. Every aspect of electronic dance music is there,” Nabatoff said. “You can make major improvements
at these types of events just simply through collaboration.” For Travis Duncan, better known as Jadeau, these collaborations are key for musicians. Jadeau, a self-proclaimed “electro-acoustic alternative soul” musician and recent graduate of UM, played the drums at WMC this year alongside DJ Bill Kelly at Nikki Beach. “WMC is responsible for what today’s DJ is and for putting the DJ on a pedestal that holds them to the highest level of performance and venue,” Jadeau said. Jadeau knows the importance of the DJ for his own career as well. Artists today can’t ignore what WMC has created. “The great thing with the DJ revolution is that if I get one song that intrigues millions of people, that song can be played all over the world at the same time,” Jadeau said. “Wherever the sun is shining my music can be playing if all the DJs are my friends. And it’s the same for other musicians as well; even other DJs.” WMC has made the persona of the DJ an unstoppable force whose collaborations spark some of today’s most highly downloaded songs and whose image has made turntables and headphones the new status symbol.
JADEAU’s MUSIC
- Get Jadeau’s latest single, “Lonely Valentine,” on Spotify - Look out for his upcoming studio album “Dolo Valentino” - Facebook.com/jadeaumaze - Twitter, @JadeauMusic
Pure BLISS in a bottle
• Supports a stress free and happy life • Helps brighten the mood • Helps to calm the nervous system • Allows the body to recharge from burnout • Helps promote positivity and harmony within us
www.mahimaforlife.com Phone orders: call 1.888.334.7034
Or visit our Mahima Wellness Center located at 10651 SW 88 ST Suite 201 Miami Florida 33176 These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
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134513715 2947N56 213si4921 9472o83 2M24398 8832N69 214I2497i 2392A39 827402c photos_ kelly smith and raquel zadivar. design_sophianna bishop.
Miami. We could argue that it’s the real city that never sleeps. From Coconut Grove to Brickell to South Beach, the city is flooded with visitors hoping to say they’ve partied in Miami. Here’s a look into the city’s nightlife “Through The Lens” of Distraction. 20 Distraction Through The Lens
SATURDAY 1 1 :23 A.M. SOUTH BEACH
Lamborghinis are among some of the hundred thousand dollar cars seen on South Beach. The Extra Issue
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FRIDAY 11:42 P.M.
SOUTH BEACH
A woman in gold peep-toe booties pauses by a fire hydrant as she walks from club to club.
THURSDAY 12:06 a.M. COCONUT GROVE
UM students watch an ambulance blare down the street in Coconut Grove. Taken through the corner of a shop window, the photograph gives the illusion that the boys are standing in the middle of the sidewalk, but it’s a reflection.
16 Distraction Through The Lens
SATURDAY 3:23 A.M. SOUTH BEACH
A man lights up a cigarette as he browses the window of a cigar shop on Washington Avenue.
FRIDAY 2:37 a.M. SOUTH BEACH
A local showgirl takes a break outside Club Madonna, one of the many clubs in South Beach that include dancers as part of their entertainment.
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SATURDAY 4:12 A.M. SOUTH BEACH
Taxis breeze by a parked classic Cadillac on Collins Avenue. The contrast between classic and modern represents the Art Deco District’s signature style. 16 Distraction Through The Lens 18
M.
SATURDAY 5:06 A.M. SOUTH BEACH
A woman with bright red hair, cream pumps and a navy blue skater dress stands out from other clubgoers as she strolls down Washington Avenue with her suitcase. The Extra Issue
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stylist_sarah bromley. styling assistants_gabrielle mottaz and jamie shankman. beauty_brianna bickford. photo_ela apa. photo assistant_melanie kleiner. models_nicholas penny and alexandra raveling. design_jamie shankman.
20 Distraction Fashion Fashion
TEACHER IN TRAINING On Nick: Shirt, Publish. Shoe Gallery. Vest, Ralph Lauren. Shoe Gallery. Bowtie, Lanvin. The Webster Miami. Pants, Commune. Shoe Gallery. Shoes, Billy Kirk. Shoe Gallery. Belt, Model’s Own.
thread for success
Prepare for the summer of your dreams with all the right style necessities. From subtle yet quirky accessories to bold peplum volume, you’ll win the fashion race before the first day on the job. Ready, set, promotion. The Extra Issue
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GRAD STUDENT On Alexandra: Blazer, Sweet Rain. The Closet Boutique. Shirt, Piko. The Dressing Room. Hat, Model’s Own. 18K Gold Necklaces, Jeux De Vie Designs; jdvdesigns.com. Bag, Tory Burch. Joanna Paige Boutique. Bracelet, Mercedes Salazar. Joanna Paige Boutique.
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CAMPAIGN ASSISTANT On Alexandra: Shirt, Elison Apparel. The Dressing Room. Shirt, Milau. LF Stores. Skirt, Vintage. Fly Boutique. Belt, Lilla. Joanna Paige Boutique. Headband, Deepa Gurnani. Joanna Paige Boutique. Bracelets, Jewels by Dunn. Shoes, Jeffrey Campbell. LF Stores.
WALL STREET BUFF On Nick: Pants, Model’s Own. Shirt, Simon Spurr. The Webster Miami. Blazer, AMI. The Webster Miami. Tie, Yves Saint Laurent. The Webster Miami. Shoes, Del Toro Shoes. The Extra Issue
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FUTURE CURATOR On Alexandra: Earrings, Model’s Own. Necklace, Vintage. Fly Boutique. T-Shirt, Vintage. Fly Boutique. Pants, Saloni. The Webster Miami. Bracelets, Jewels by Dunn.
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FASHION BLOGGER On Alexandra: Dress, Love. LF Stores. Skirt, Carven. The Webster Miami. Pants, H&M. Shoes, Sam Edelman. Joanna Paige Boutique. Belt, Lilla. Joanna Paige Boutique. Necklace, Model’s Own. Sunglasses, Vintage. LF Stores.
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PR INTERN On Alexandra: Dress, Soler. The Webster Miami. Shirt, Vintage. Fly Boutique. Shoes, Jeffrey Campbell. Joanna Paige Boutique. Belt, Lilla. Joanna Paige Boutique. Bag, Deepa Gurnani. Joanna Paige Boutique. Necklace, Vintage. Fly Boutique. Earrings, Model’s Own.
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DIGITALSTYLE
The Best of Miami’s Online Shopping Scene
design_sophianna bishop.
UNKNWN
It’s obvious that this Aventura Mall shop is curated by one of Miami’s most fashionable men: LeBron James. Guys, check out the selection of A.P.C. jackets and jeans, Nike kicks and Billionaire Boys Club T-shirts. Ladies, the printed Phillip Lim trousers and Jeremy Scott tees are waiting for you. The webstore launched just a few weeks ago and we’re already in love. 19501 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 305-937-2103. unknwn.com – Jonathan Borge
The Webster Miami
Both Pharell Williams and Drake have stepped foot inside this Miami Beach luxury boutique, where you’ll find $1,520 Balmain boots, $255 Rag & Bone cardigans and hard-to-find items like Trussardi umbrellas and Pantone iPhone cases. The spotlight has lately shifted to the store’s website, which offers free shipping for orders over $500 and updates on the team’s most recent high-end-meets-low-end collaboration with Target (due May 6). No wonder GQ named this Collins Avenue gem one of the best 25 men’s stores in America.1220 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-674-7899. thewebstermiami.com – Jonathan Borge
BASE
ALBUM RELEASE APRIL 2012
If you’re in need of a rose-gold Nixon watch, a KidRobot monkey or the “Pacha Ibiza Chillout Classics” album, check out Base. Here, gadgets and accessories reign supreme and include neon headphones, unicorn trophies and Andy Warhol photographs. The site greets you with a, “Hello! Some very cool member of the Tribe sent you here to buy them some very hip goodies,” but visit the South Beach locale for an expanded selection and some serious sartorial goodness. 939 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, 305-531-4982. Baseworld.com – Jonathan Borge The Rabbit Hole’s website is like a time capsule. Voted best secondhand thrift store by the Miami New Times, the store offers authentic pieces from the past at moderate prices; a vintage Lanvin frock costs a mere $67. But if you’re not quite ready to delve into the world of Peter Pan collared bed coats circa 1970, the shop also offers modern clothes like Italian lambskin biker jackets and authentic Junk Food tees. Had Alice fallen into this rabbit hole, she may have never left. 17032 West Dixie Highway, 305-705-2343. Shoprabbithole.com – Ashley Brozic
The Rabbit Hole
www.mevsmurphy.com The Extra Issue
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a fresh
start With spring practice already in full swing, the team has their eyes set on the fall. words_austen gregerson. photo_zach beeker. design_julian jowise.
LOOKING FORWARD. Sophomore linebacker James Gaines pauses to rest during the team’s scrimmage on March 30. He finished the fall 2011 season with eight starts.
28 Distraction InInthe theMargins Loop
Football isn’t played in the spring. Fall is its domain and forever should it stay. Spring football may be euphemistic for “not football,” but try telling that to an 18-year-old in shoulder pads on a hot Miami day. This past winter brought an end to a season of confusion for the University of Miami football squad and what lies ahead is still unknown in terms of the NCAA and its sanctions. But those issues are not for spring, when the past is shelved and futures hold bright. Junior Stephen Morris’ skills as a quarterback may be remembered by most ‘Canes, but his full potential is yet to be seen. He’s the one expected to play consistently without falling to old habits surely seen in the previous season. Senior running back Mike James agrees and watches film from last year’s games after each practice to avoid the same mistakes. “It was difficult. We made a lot of mistakes, on my behalf I did, but those are things we need to correct to move forward,” James said. “You have time to get over it. The mental part of last year is really gone for me. It’s a matter of working on this year’s mental.” And what better time than spring? While there isn’t a shift between the four seasons in south Florida, there’s definitely one in the football world. Since 2006, the Hurricanes have had three different head coaches, four different offensive coordinators and six defensive coordinators – most with middling successes in their tenures, some of them downright bad. This upcoming season brings consistency at the top of the coaching hierarchy with head coach Al Golden
HIghlights for next fall Hometown support: We all know that the Hurricanes are the team of Miami, but this season’s recruiting class hits closer to home than ever. Miami pulled in 33 recruits this year, the third largest class in the country, and 26 of them are from Florida. A little over half of these Florida natives are from the “State of Miami” as well, which stretches up to Palm Beach County.
TOUCHDOWN. Freshman linebacker Thurston Armbrister makes a catch during the scrimmage on March 24. He was a highly touted prospect for the fall 2011 class. bringing back both Jedd Fisch and Mark D’Onofrio to lead strong halves of the team. It may be a chance for schemes and vocabularies to be perfected instead of implemented on a turnstile-basis. “We have unfinished business,” Fisch said. “Nobody wants to go through transition years. Last year was a transition year and the idea here is that the commitment Golden made to me is similar to what I made back to him.” The start of the 2012 season has brought possibilities of more flux to the program’s coaching staff. Fisch was brought up as a candidate to come back to the NFL as an offensive coordinator earlier in the year. Both the Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks considered the possibility of bringing him on board. “It’s a great offseason for me to be in the second year,” Fisch said. “I was one year with the [University of] Minnesota, one year with the Seattle Seahawks, and when you have those one year stints every offseason is a tough one. It’s fun to watch the offense grow. That’s what we’re doing now.” Though the team doesn’t have an incumbent quarterback and has lost roughly half of the starters, there’s hope that those with more experience can quickly fix some of the errors from past seasons.
“Mental discipline is always something we’re working on and I think we finally got a grasp of it,” Morris said. “We’ve got leaders on this team and our job is to enforce it. We come prepared every day whether it’s a good one or bad.” It’s clear by his demeanor and rhetoric that Morris knows he is among these eager leaders. “You don’t really learn it. It’s something you have to get thrown into,” Morris said. “Just getting the experience and taking the game to another point.” The junior quarterback has spent the spring coaching from the sidelines and recovering from back surgery. It’s this fresh perspective that has turned the focus towards tomorrow. “Me and coach Fisch are on the sidelines a lot during practices,” Morris said. “He’ll ask me if I saw something and I’ll end up finishing his sentence before he can. Just making sure that me and coach Fisch have a great relationship will help me call plays better and see the same things to attack the same weaknesses in a defense.” So gone are the days of high and failed expectations, troubling rumors and chaos that have defined the program lately. Things are being tweaked and polished, not overhauled entirely. What lies ahead now begins to take shape.
Tracy Howard: The big name in Miami’s 2012 recruiting class. Rivals.com named the 5’11,” 175-pound heavyweight the number one cornerback and 13th overall player in his class. The three-year starter from Miramar High School chose Miami over both the University of Florida and Florida State University. Howard’s talent doesn’t stand alone either; ESPN ranked UM’s 2012 recruiting class the eighth best in the nation.
Stephen Morris: If all goes as planned and junior Stephen Morris is healthy come fall, Hurricane fans will finally get to see what Morris is really capable of. After sitting on the sidelines his freshmen year and switching out with Jacory Harris last season, the weight is on his shoulders.
UM vs. Notre Dame: On Oct. 6, the longtime rivals will meet again at Soldier Field Stadium in Chicago. The teams haven’t met since 1990 when the Fighting Irish defeated the ‘Canes 29-20.
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KEEP CALM
COOL JOBS THEY HAVE
As of March, the national unemployment rate was 8.2 percent and graduates still struggled to find a job. And although we’re not sure if the recession is here to stay or gone for now, let these four ’Canes prove that hard work pays off. words_sarah bromley and lyssa goldberg. photos_raquel zaldivar. design_sophianna bishop.
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Whether you call her a DJ or a digital marketing pro, UM alumna Jen Mozenter has experienced all facets of the music industry - from behind the desk to underneath the stage lights. Currently working for Columbia Records (Sony Music Entertainment) with the digital marketing and promotions team, Mozenter’s role as an industry insider began at the Frost School of Music through her involvement with the school’s own record label, Cane Records. As president of the label, she built a knowledge base solid enough to land her multiple internships with Sony and success with her DJ group, The Jane Doze. Before graduating from UM in 2009, Mozenter worked her way up the Columbia Records ladder and eventually became a Sony Music College Marketing Representative, where she fronted online and Miami market visibility for artists among all Sony Music labels and later landed a full time gig. But it was her longtime hobby that turned into a passion and is now a fun side job. “I became interested in creating mash-ups in college but never thought of it as more than a hobby,” Mozenter said. After meeting NYU graduate Claire Schlissel, the two music lovers decided to create a female DJ mash-up duo now dubbed The Jane Doze. “In the beginning, our goal was just to create
jen
MOZENTER Member of The Jane Doze
something to send to our friends and post online,” Mozenter said. “We never expected it to catch on the way it did.” The Jane Doze’s sexy logo and catchy slogan, “antlers up,” resonates with today’s growing electronic dance music fan base. Their first few releases garnered about 40,000 downloads, 686,000 SoundCloud hits, over 2,000,000 YouTube and Vimeo hits, celebrity mentions from Katy Perry and Pete Wentz and a performance spot next to Diplo and A-Trak at this year’s SXSW conference. “I’m a big believer in a work/life balance. Be dedicated to your work, but have a side hustle,” Mozenter said. “Being a part of the music business program at UM has been a huge asset to my career.” On a recent trip to spin at the Grammy kickoff party with Erykah Badu and Spinderella, Mozenter had a moment of bliss: “I had to look around the room and literally turn to Claire and ask, ‘how did this happen?’” - Sarah Bromley The Extra Issue
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Dena Giannini graduated from UM in 2010 with her sights set on the highly competitive fashion industry. Giannini doesn’t fit the stereotype of fashion socialite yet since graduation has become the wardrobe assistant on Andy Cohen’s Bravo TV show, “Watch What Happens Live!” and has worked with a plethora of editors and stylists at major titles and brands like Glamour, Entertainment Weekly, Vogue, TeenVogue, W, InStyle, Rolling Stone, Maxim, Victoria’s Secret, Anthropologie, Ralph Lauren and Neiman Marcus. So how did she break the mold and find success? Giannini was born with visual expression in her blood. Her mother was a theatre fanatic and professional triple threat and her father was in the radio and music industry. She began her UM career as a broadcast journalism major but realized that the on-screen world wasn’t for her after an insightful internship with MTV co-founder Les Garland. Fashion became the obvious choice. Giannini’s passion for the craft runs deep: “I always loved how fashion incorporates art, design and new and interesting things to create a story.” During her sophomore year, Giannini made the bold decision to transfer to the Miami International University of Art and Design (MIUAD). At the school, Giannini took advantage of every opportunity presented to her and volunteered at fashion shows, assisted the producer of Miami Fashion Week and absorbed as much as possible.
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dena
GIANNINI Freelance Stylist
She then applied her new understanding of the fashion industry at a summer internship with TeenVogue in New York City, where she worked under the influential editors Taylor Tomassi Hill and Sarah Frances Kuhn. In the city, Giannini connected with freelance stylists and began to assist them on the side. The rest was history. After spending an extra semester at TeenVogue, Giannini returned to UM to complete her bachelor’s degree with an emphasis in visual journalism and art. “Learning about composition, lighting, graphic design and layouts really strengthened my eye and made me a better stylist,” Giannini said. “You have to know how to balance things and how to self-start so that you can make projects happen and maximize every project’s potential,” Giannini said. To her, the keys to creating a meaningful career are to work with people you enjoy, learn from experience and constantly challenge yourself. “It’s always crazy busy,” Giannini said. “I travel a lot, work the longest days imaginable and I absolutely love it.” - Sarah Bromley
David Lekach dreams big. As CEO of Dream Water, the company behind the namesake zero-calorie drink that helps people fall asleep, Lekach has made an effort to find a much-needed solution for the 70 million Americans who suffer from sleep depravation. “We have taken a unique approach in helping give this consumer segment the right product in the right moment,” Lekach said. In 2009 Lekach jumped on the Dream Water bandwagon after hearing about the concept from his business partner, Vincent Porpiglia. Porpiglia developed the concept when he was tossing in bed one night. Together with Porpiglia, Lekach helped bring a concept in the clouds down to earth. They turned Dream Water into a marketable product by reducing its size to a simple 2.5 ounce shot, revamping the packaging and creating all-natural flavors like Snoozeberry and Lullaby Lemon. “After a thorough review of potential launch strategies, we ultimately set out to put the city that never sleeps to sleep,” Lekach said. Dream Water became a reality when it launched in December 2009 and was placed on the shelves of Duane Reade pharmacy locations in New York City. It can now be found in stores across the country. Lekach finds value in this “unique and relevant product.” “Everyone thinks that to be healthy you need
to exercise and eat right. However, proper sleep is the fundamental building block of any wellness initiative,” Lekach said. Lekach graduated from UM in 2005 with both a law degree and a master’s in business administration and then worked as an investment banker and managing partner in a Miami law firm. “The amount of legal work I’ve been able to handle myself or oversee in an efficient manner has allowed us to commit as much capital as possible towards sales, marketing and distribution activities,” he said. Many of the skills Lekach uses each day at Dream Water were learned at the law, finance and management classes he took at UM. Lekach says that being an “optimistic pessimist” has helped him be successful. “It’s easy to see the good in a situation [or] opportunity, but I end up focusing on the negatives to make sure we work through them properly,” Lekach said. Being the CEO of Dream Water and making the company what it is today has come with many sacrifices, but Lekach still encourages other students to follow their dreams if they’re ready for the commitment. “If you think you have a great idea, something that makes you want to wake up and work on every day, then come up with an initial plan of how you can turn that idea into reality and do everything you possibly can to see it through,” Lekach said.
kevin
MICHAEL
david
LEKACH CEO of Dream Water
Managing Partner at Invizio
When Kevin V. Michael graduated from UM’s College of Engineering in 2007, he didn’t know that he would one day start up his own business. After working for Motorola and Citigroup for four years, Michael realized that working for large corporations didn’t satisfy his entrepreneurial drive. He sought out to make it on his own and is now the co-founder and managing partner of Invizio, a firm that offers information technology support for small businesses that don’t have their own full-time IT employees. “We function as a virtual IT department helping them in their day-to-day technology challenges,” Michael said. Michael has inspired local companies to think virtually and has created Cloud-based servers so that a day in the office can be completed far from it. During a lecture at the University of Dallas, where he pursued his master’s in business administration, Michael learned about subscription-based service models and laid the foundation for Invizio. Looking for some venture that he could start to grow, he connected his IT background with his new experiences in business. The company was launched in 2008 during the brunt of the economic downturn, but Michael and his staff quickly adapted by designing a-la-carte IT services for
cash-strapped businesses. “IT is one of those areas that businesses will cut back on in tough times, so we had to tailor our service offerings,” Michael said. Invizio has since grown to include a core team of three employees and seven to eight contractors for on-site support. Michael has had many role models along the way and can’t overstate their importance. “Other UM alumni that I knew, instead of pursuing a career in corporate America, had decided to be entrepreneurs and start their own companies,” Michael said. “I had inspiration from people like that.” It was during his time at UM as president of the National Society of Black Engineers that Michael learned to be a leader, realizing that communication and interpersonal skills are integral to success. “When you’re placed in a position of student leadership, it makes you realize how important other skills are besides the technical skills that you develop as an engineering major,” Michael said. To Michael, immersing yourself in as many different experiences as possible will help you go far. And in fact, it’s his outgoing and personable nature that awarded him a spot in Legacy magazine and The Miami Herald’s “40 Under 40 Leaders of Today and Tomorrow” list. The Extra Issue
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Tour de Miami words_ rachel kliger. photo_cayla nimmo, kelly smith and raquel zaldivar. design_ivana cruz.
With gas prices expected to surpass $4 this summer, it’s no wonder hundreds of Miamians have pulled out their bikes and taken to the streets. With the pedals under their feet, Miamians both young and old are enjoying the (bike) ride.
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M 36 Distraction Main Event
Make room for Miami’s two-wheel culture. Since 2005, UM alumni Jacob Coker, Patrick Walsh and Sara Yousuf have organized Emerge Miami, one of several rapidly growing bicycling groups devoted to creating the Miami of tomorrow. “While we are not specifically a bicycle group, we’ve found that these rides are excellent ways to communicate, network, socialize and support local businesses and raise awareness to diverse issues and ideas,” said Adam Schachner, an Emerge Miami activist. Like Schachner, these activists are not just bicycling-devotees. Behind each ride, there’s a growing sense of pride in creating a community of forward-thinking leaders, each wanting to see a safe, clean and progressive city. “We want to help people become engaged in civic and social issues, and therefore welcome all manner of suggestion for participation, promotion and organizing,” Schachner said. It’s no secret Miami communities vary drastically, from the forbidden areas in the Grove to the fashionable streets of South Beach. With rising gas and public transportation costs, bicycles seem like the most efficient approach to connecting the Miami community. Emerge Miami hopes to prove this by hosting events that bring the community together. Beach cleanups, gender-related workshops and city crawls are events that have frequently filled their calendars. Of course, there’s a creative element behind each event organized. On March “These rides 17, the group hosted the Beer Snob Pub Crawl, an eight-mile bike are excellent Bicycle trek along South Beach and downtown ways to that cancels out the perils of drinking exercise and green activity. communicate, with Participating bars included South network, Beach veterans like Zeke’s Roadhouse socialize, on Lincoln Road and mainland like Wood Tavern and support local newcomers The Filling Station. Highly anticipated businesses and crawls like this demonstrate a sense raise awareness of communal gathering and provide great support for local businesses. “I to diverse issues ride my bike daily as a way of cheap and ideas.” transportation, so I thought why not meet some people with the same mind set and have a beer or two,” said Peter Myers, a retired accountant who participated in this pub crawl for the first time. Similar to Emerge Miami, Critical Mass has also caught the attention of hundreds of Miamians. The event is held on the last Friday of every month (in cities across the world) as bikers take over Biscayne Boulevard through downtown and neighboring communities. “It’s a
community-oriented event getting people to feel comfortable riding with traffic,” Schachner said. So what was the initial reason for bicyclists to peddle up and down US-1 while achieving philanthropic goals with every mile? Could it be the high unemployment rates combined with the high costs of maintaining a car? Or is it simply an environmental factor? Schachner believes there are multiple influences helping the bike scene grow. “While environmental causes and gas prices could be contributing to peoples’ decisions to use bicycles for their daily commutes, I do not think these are exclusive connections,” Schachner said. “Bike culture is a great way to socialize [and] Miami is a beautiful town with perfect yearround weather for outdoors activities. I think people choose to be on their bikes here because the environment is great for it.” While peddling through Miami traffic is challenging, it has united many cyclists in the bike scene who together have become politically involved. Both Critical Mass and Emerge Miami are now difficult not to notice, especially as cities and communities have added lanes and bikefriendly paths near major streets. Even UM has become more involved and was recently named bicycle friendly by the League of American Bicyclists. As of late, the bike scene in general has brought in a cultural wave never before seen. Miamians are experimenting with alternative modes of transportation, and entire subcommunities have sprouted. To sophomore Justine Fenner, having a bike has helped her get around both UM and Miami. “I have a basket so I often ride it to get groceries and shop at Sunset,” Fenner said. “Since I’m not from Florida, I feel like my bike has given me a feeling of being at home. I can easily get where I need to go without any complications in this foreign city.” Sophomore Chelsea Gobes shares similar thoughts. “I travel a lot around Miami, mainly from Coral Gables to Brickell and then all over Brickell,” Gobes said. “One day I passed by a campus bike sale and thought, why not? Since then, I’ve saved a ton of money and found it much quicker to get across town than waiting for the metro.” While UM students also frequent these bike crawls and events, the founders of Emerge Miami have led the progressive movement. Several “Emergers” are a part of the City of Miami’s Bicycle Action Committee and the Miami-Dade County Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee. These groups of volunteers, appointed officials and municipal
BIKE CRAWL. The Beer Snob Bicycle Pub Crawl on St. Patrick’s Day is one of the many themed bike rides planned each month.
scenic trails Commodore Trail
Not ready to join the hundreds of bicyclists down Biscayne Boulevard? Check out these three bike trails for a ride of leisure.
Old cutler Trail
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representatives develop plans for improving conditions for bicyclists to promote roadway safety and responsibility. Emergers have also been certified by the League of American Bicyclists to teach workshops that provide roadway safety instructions for those interested in developing responsible bicycling skills. Miami has a reputation for “I ride my dangerous streets and aggressive bike daily as a drivers so bicyclists have always had take these things into consideration way of cheap to when they ride. transportation, Emerge Miami’s events have so I thought why no official organizers and are intended to be races. They not meet some never are simply leisurely celebrations people with the of bicycles. Emerge intentionally without a hierarchy or same mind set functions specified leadership – there are no and have a beer managers or presidents – ensuring or two.” that all volunteers and participants are provided with a completely free environment to express their personal issues and thoughts regarding their community. In Miami, it’s easy to get lost in the glamour of million-dollar cars on Lincoln Road and Collins Ave., but the old fashioned two-wheeler is now all the rage. “I love my pink bike with [the] beige basket,” Gobes said. “It has some personality to it and I would never trade it in for a BMW. Well…probably never.” Whether it’s for a weekly exercise, a cheap way to get to work, or an extensive political activist escapade, Miami’s bike scene is an unstoppable force hitting the city hard.
Want to join in? CRITICAL MASS The last Friday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at Government Center in downtown. 111 NW First St., Miami; themiamibikescene.com. MIAMI BEACH COMMUNITY RIDE Meet at the Miami Beach Bicycle Center on the second Saturday of each month. 601 Fifth St., Miami Beach. bikemiamibeach.com SPRING PEDALS Held on May 20 at 11 a.m. RSVP 305603-8067. themiamibikescene.com
38 Distraction Main Event
WEEKLY BICYCLE HAPPY HOUR Every Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Wood Tavern in Wynwood. 50 percent off for anyone who arrived on a bike. 2531 NW Second Ave., Miami. miamibikescene.com
NIGHT RIDE. Cyclists stop at The Filling Station after riding in Critical Mass, a bike ride that takes place the last Friday of every month.
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The Extra Issue
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distraction of the issue
sexts from
last night 02/14/2012. 1:06 a.m. Wanna hang out? I’m studying, but you can come over and give me a blow job. 01/28/2012. 3:42 a.m. I want to ram my natural prolongation into your submarine ridge, baby.
09/17/2011. 9:27 a.m. Please spoon me and not in the snuggly way.
12/23/2011. 10:45 p.m. I’m a pirate because I want your booty.
04/01/2012. 2:45 a.m. Can I FaceTime naked with you?
03/21/2012. 1:15 a.m. Listen, baby as u know I be old fashioned. I want to bang u in the (_Y_). 1:24 a.m. You’re crazy. 1:25 a.m. Crazy for that ass. 40 Distraction End Notes
design_ivana cruz. illustration_ivana cruz. Inspired by Texts From Last Night, Distraction asked students to submit the dirtiest, raunchiest and most over-the-top sexts they’ve ever sent or received. The result? A compilation of pita ramming, Tootsie Rolls and X-rated texts.
11/11/2011. 2:28 a.m. I want to ram my pita into your hummus. 01/13/2012. 4:07 p.m. Sex! Now! 04/05/2012. 7:52 p.m. Richter can wait unless you want to meet me on the fifth floor. Stacks? 03/30/2012. 10:31 a.m. I want to titty f*** you so bad that I’ll be the stingray and you’re Steve Irwin. 02/18/2012. 1:33 a.m. It may not be Halloween but I still want your Tootsie Roll.
01/24/2012. 5:14 a.m. I want to make out with you. 5:16. a.m. Who is this? 08/05/2011. 3:41 p.m. 8===D~~~(.)(.)
sports
D JOIN THE TEAM
nightlife
fashion
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jonathan borge, editor-in-chief, j.borge@umiami.edu raquel zaldivar, photo editor, r.zaldivar@umiami.edu ivana cruz, art director, i.cruz3@umiami.edu