Week of November 9 - November 15, 2010

Last week, GEM NYC was invited by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau to get the inside scoop on Miami's hidden gems, one-of-a-kind attractions and exciting events. As the holidays are right around the corner, we were ecstatic to speak with the tastemakers of our sister city because whether it’s Thanksgiving or Christmas – people will want a warm place to spend the holidays with friends and family this winter (flights are less than $500 roundtrip to MIA this week for either holiday period).

We will also be offering you this week our very FIRST giveaway – see below for more details and submission instructions!

Don’t forget to share some of your own GEM NYC finds, or if you’d like to drop us a line please do so at gem@ulmedia.net.

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MUSICA:

The first annual Miami Live Music Month is November 1-30, 2010. Every week in November, 25 lucky winners will have a chance to win a seat for themselves and a guest on the weekly “Rock the Bus Tour”. Winners get tickets to two live Miami music shows, a Rock the Bus ride to each show and swag bags with goody items. Don’t miss your chance to “Rock the Bus”!

Miami Live Music Month highlights Miami’s top live music venues, including Tobacco Road, Churchill’s Pub, Crescendo Jazz & Blues Lounge, Jazid, Transit Lounge, Bossa Nova Lounge, Hoy Como Ayer, The Clevelander and many other great venues. Music lovers can sample the hottest live bands playing rock, jazz, blues, R&B, Caribbean jams, Latin grooves, bossa nova and more. Miami’s multicultural vibe makes the city a perfect location for a growing live music scene.

On November 12-14, 2010, Miami Music Festival and its emerging artists’ conference takes center stage. The MMF will again feature acts in a wide variety of genres from Florida, around the U.S. and around the world, performing for the music industry, the press, the local community of music fans and visitors to Miami.

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MUSEUM:

Vizcaya Museum & Gardens was built by agricultural industrialist James Deering, who lived on the property from 1916 to 1925. Today, the extraordinary European-inspired estate and National Historic Landmark includes a house filled with art and furnishings, and 10 acres of gardens on Biscayne Bay.

Vizcaya’s collections are broad and diverse, including its National Historic Landmark Main House and Village outbuildings, its gardens with their architectural elements and statuary, and the array of art objects on display and integrated within the design of the Main House. Vizcaya’s patron and designers brought to the estate collections spanning 2,000 years, from North America, Europe, and Asia. In addition, today, we are pleased to feature an exceptional collection of orchids on display in the David A. Klein Orchidarium to the north of Vizcaya’s Main House. Open daily 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Adults $15, children (6-12) $6, children under 5 free. To plan your visit this winter click here.

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WELCOME GEM PETS:

Miami welcomes guests traveling with pets with an extraordinary array of offerings ranging from the basic necessities of comfortable beds and water bowls to spa treatments, doggie yoga, yappy hours, and other luxuries. You’ll see how three hotels below, beat out the rest of their competition with their laundry list of doggy amenities!

The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club: When it comes to guests’ four-legged friends, The Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club barks up a tall order. Among customized amenities that can be ordered in advance are a fluffy bed, special collars and leashes, elevated food and water bowls and favorite treats. A Pooch Pouch in-room dining menu, created specially by the resort’s culinary team, offers a long leash of dining options and includes a doggy bagel, teeth-cleaning dog bone and much more. For more information, visit www.fairmont.com/turnberryisle.

Mayfair Hotel & Spa welcomes pets up to 50 pounds with an in-room doggie bed, water bowl, treats and a special pet menu offered at the "Bark Bar & Grill." Offerings include Mutt Loaf, Shi Tzu Sushi and Bow-Wow Burger, with the number of calories and the health factor, rated by paw prints, indicated for each menu selection. For more information, visit www.mayfairhotelandspa.com.

EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY:

With its legendary nightlife driven by the fashion and entertainment industries, Miami is at the forefront of the culinary trend towards blending dining and entertainment experiences. It is extraordinary cuisine that takes center stage at white-hot spots like Tantra, Nikki Beach and Meat Market, and a more recent entry to the fray, Loftin’s at Casa Casuarina, in the mansion owned by the late fashion designer Gianni Versace. By the time diners are enjoying coconut crème brulee or guava cheesecake, the music begins to pick up and the cocktails flow with more regularity. Meanwhile, at B.E.D. diners recline on beds while supping on gourmet cuisine.

Almost every cuisine under the sun can be found in Miami -- Cuban, Haitian, Vietnamese, Colombian, Peruvian, Thai, Japanese, Italian, German, Greek, Irish, Argentine, Russian, Indian, Honduran, Brazilian, Jamaican, the list goes on. In the mood for meat? Top-rated steakhouses like Christy's, BOURBON Steak, Kobe Club, Texas de Brazil, Manny’s Steaks the Palm and Capital Grille dot the dining landscape.

Feel like enjoying a cappuccino and watching rollerbladers whiz by? Alfresco cafes are a quintessential part of any Miami dining experience, from Ocean Drive's famed News Café (open 24/7) to Coconut Grove's legendary Greenstreet Café. An even more casual option is Dogma Grill, a hip hot dog stand that now offers creative concoctions in four Miami locations – á la NYC Papaya King Hot Dogs. Meanwhile, there's still a two-hour wait for a table most nights at Joe's Stone Crab, a Miami institution that opened its doors in 1913. Miami's culinary scene presents an ever-expanding cornucopia of delectable choices.

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ADVENTUROUS GEMS:

Evoking the essence of Miami with a mix of history, education and just plain fun, local tourist attractions offer much more than a break from the beach for families visiting Miami. Jungle Island, which relocated in 2003 to Watson Island in close proximity to resorts and cruise ship terminals, is a 18.6-acre theme park that is home to more than 3,000 exotic animals and 500 species of plants. Here, visitors enjoy animal stage shows, one-of-a-kind interactive aviaries, plant nurseries, jungle trails, a petting farm and educational exhibits, as well as world-famous parrot shows, a new Serpentarium and Jungle Theater, an Everglades Habitat and much more -- all nestled on a lush tropical island.

Nearby, the Miami Children's Museum features interactive exhibits, including a miniature supermarket, television news studio, cruise ship and a giant sandcastle slide. MCM is one of the ten largest children’s museums in the United States and destined to be one of the most successful. MCM and Target have collaborated to celebrate every month (every 3^rd Friday of the month, from 3PM to 9PM) with fun interactive activities and crafts, storytelling and much more! One can also explore hundreds of bilingual, interactive exhibits which are related to arts, culture, community and communication for FREE! To plan your visit, click here.

Families also enjoy spending time with the rest of the animal kingdom at Miami's acclaimed Metrozoo. One of the world's great zoos and the only one in the continental United States located in a subtropical climate, Metrozoo opened a new $35 million exhibit, Tropical America, in 2007. Larger than the average American zoo, the 27-acre exhibit features jaguars, anacondas, giant river otters, stingrays and more. The zoo is also home to the American Bankers Family Aviary Wings of Asia exhibit, with more than 300 birds representing 70 species of exotic, rare and endangered Asian birds in a large free flight area that feels like an Asiatic jungle. Another popular attraction at the zoo is Dr. Wilde's World, including a new Wild Earth Jeep Simulator where guests can take a virtual African safari. Unlike any other zoo in the U.S., Metrozoo incorporates an “Adopt an Animal” program for children, which invokes social responsibility and promotes wildlife preservation!

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GIVEAWAY:

GEM NYC would like to give a lucky traveler this week a full day VIP Go Miami “City-Pass” for a family of 4, for use by December 31^st, 2010! This great offering is worth a whopping $229.00 USD, courtesy of our friends at Smart Destinations. The VIP Pass may be used for one full day’s general admission to most attractions for 2 adults and 2 children (under 12 years old). To win, simply send your full name, email address and telephone number to gem@ulmedia.net or promotions@urbanlatino.com. The winner will be contacted on Monday, November 15^th via email and telephone.

*If any of you can visit Miami for the holidays to enjoy the warm weather – please share with us your stories and pictures!

Sincerely,

GEM

Week of November 1 - November 8, 2010

Hello GEM NYC followers, I hope you all had a great and safe HALLOWEEN. Before you get started discovering this week’s new GEMS I would like to remind you and encourage you to vote tomorrow, November 2nd!

Voting is a fundamental right and when we make our voices heard, we can keep moving our nation forward, building a fairer, stronger, and just more America…

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COMEDY

NEW YORK COMEDY FESTIVAL
Featuring Gabriel Iglesias Known as the "fluffy" comic in the Hawaiian shirt, comedian Gabriel Iglesias says he gets his material from things that happen every day. His comedy style - telling stories with characters and sound effects that bring all of his personal issues to life - has entertained audiences on numerous televisions shows and in comedy clubs all over the country. Thursday, 11/4. Town Hall, 123 West 43rd Street.

For more information call (212) 840-2824 or visit www.the-townhall-nyc.org. 8 p.m. Tickets, $46.50.

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EXHIBITION

BORIMIX PUERTO RICO FEST 2010 OPENING NIGHT: VEUVE CUCARACHA
Veuve Cucaracha is an exhibition that seeks to honor through contemporary art, the tremendous literary legacy of Pura Belpré (circa 1899-1982) through specific pieces dwelling on the timeless love story between Perez the Mouse and Martina the Roach. The selected work will include a broad cross-section of Puerto Rican, Latino and a diversity of other New York artists. Curated by Miguel Trelles.

Friday, 11/5. Society of the Educational Arts, Inc. (SEA), 107 Suffolk Street, 2nd Floor, New York, NY. For more information call (212) 529-1545 or visit www.sea-ny.org. 6 p.m.

SHATTERED GLASS: RETHINKING THE MUSEO DE ARTE CARILLO-GIL COLLECTION
Through the study of recent Mexican, Latino, and Latin American art and Mexican high modernist masterpieces in the collection of the Carrillo Gil Museum of Art, the curatorial team reexamined a series of important pieces to reveal how bodies and ruins, placed together, relate to an established colonial narrative, making it possible to reassess the significance of images of violence in contemporary Mexican art and rewrite some of that narrative. Extremely brutal images, such as José Clemente Orozco's landscapes of New York, were frequently designed as a commentary on metropolitan modernity. They form the core of the curatorial focus of the exhibition, which, along with the catalogue essays, will present these concepts from four vantage points, each represented by a section in the exhibition.

Exhibition opening, Saturday, 11/6. Americas Society, 680 Park Avenue, New York, NY. For more information call (212) 249-8950 or visit www.americas-society.org. 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.

*IMAGE CREDIT: León Ferrari, Apocalípsis, 1988, Collection of Museo Arte Carrillo Gil

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FAMILY ACTIVITIES

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS CELEBRATION AT THE AMERICAN INDIAN
COMMUNITY HOUSE
Celebrate El Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with fun activities for the entire family. There will be workshops for children and adults from 12 Noon to 5 p.m., candle light procession with Aztec dancers at 6 p.m., and music and refreshments at 7 p.m.

Tuesday, 11/2. The American Indian Community House, 11 Broadway, 2nd Floor, New York, NY.
For more information call (212) 598-0100 or visit www.aich.org.




GALLERY TOURS AT EL MUSEO DEL BARRIO
Hear the stories behind El Museo’s history, far-reaching permanent collection, and exciting temporary exhibitions on display. The gallery tour will be led by El Museo's artist educators. Every Saturday in November. El Museo del Barrio, 1230 Fifth Avenue (at 104th Street) New York, NY. For more information call (212) 831-7272 or visit www.elmuseo.org . Gallery tours begin at 3:00 p.m. Admission to all gallery tours is FREE with museum admission. All tours meet at the entrance of the galleries five minutes prior to start time.

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FOOD

BUDDY VALASTRO: THE CAKE BOSS IN THE BAKIN’ WITH THE BOSS TOUR
TLC’s “Cake Boss” will share the stories behind his hit TV series and his colorful Italian family, answers audience questions, and give a live demonstration of the techniques that have made him one of the most successful and renowned cake artists in the nation. Buddy will even invite audience members to join the fun on stage. Wednesday, 11/3. Town Hall, 123 West 43rd Street. For more information call (212) 840-2824 or visit www.the-townhall-nyc.org. 8 p.m. Tickets, $59.50, $49.50 and $39.50.

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LEARN

PIENSA DIGITAL
El Diario La Prensa, New York’s Spanish Language newspaper is hosting its’ 1st Annual “Piensa Digital” FREE seminar offering (3) levels of online learning tracks from beginner, intermediate, and accelerated, led by experienced professionals in the digital field. Join El Diario La Prensa and sponsors STAPLES and HP at this full day of learning and hands-on experience with topics ranging from” how to troubleshoot basic computer issues” to paying your bills on-line. All instructors are bi-lingual.

Saturday, 11/6. Hostos Community College, 500 Grand Concourse, Bronx, NY. To register for this event call (212) 807-4625. Once you are confirmed for this event, registration will begin at 10 a.m. on 11/6., classes begin at 11 a.m. through 4 p.m. FREE.

Week of October 26 - November 1, 2010

Event

Procter & Gamble has opened a pop-up store in New York City as part of its Have You Tried This Yet? campaign. The pop-up store will be open now until October 31 at 101 West 57th Street (near 6th Avenue). The Pop-Up will be open Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. and Saturday – Sunday, 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. It will offer free demonstrations and product samples from brands such as Tide, Bounty, Pringles, Charmin, Febreze, Covergirl and Olay, allowing consumers to experience the products first-hand and see what's new.

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Skincare

Recently, skincare companies like Orlane, Perricone MD and Natura Bisee have begun tapping into a new market with regimens formulated for the 25-year-old age group.Too old for acne treatments designed for hormonal teenage skin and too young for full-blown anti-aging treatments, women in their twenties have long been neglected of products that meet their specific skincare needs. Around age 25, the production of substances like hyaluronic acid and collagen, substances crucial for young-looking skin, decreases. The initially hidden effects of these changes emerge five or ten years later as wrinkles on the skin’s surface.Orlane, Paris spearheaded the trend earlier this year with a three-step regimen called Anagenese 25+, including:

• Morning Recovery Concentrate First Time-Fighting Serum ($100)

• First Time-Fighting Care Eye Contour ($85)

• First Time-Fighting Care ($100)

Formulated specifically for women from 25 to 35, Anagenese 25+ postpones the onset of aging using pro-growth factors and crinopexy technology while providing instant, visible improvements to the skin’s luminosity and tone. Available at www.bloomingdales.com

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Running

Marathon season is now in full swing! GEM is pumped about running, especially after watching the recent Chicago Marathon; the Nike Women’s Marathon; and excited about the upcoming New York City Marathon. We decided to break out our kicks and see what else we need for a good run. Whether it’s the great outdoors or the health club treadmill, don’t forget these accessories the next time you lace up your shoes and head out the door.

Zico Coconut Water:
Staying hydrated is a basic rule of thumb when engaging in exercise. Rather than water, refill your bottle with Zico’s 100% coconut water. It contains 5 essential electrolytes, allowing your body to re-hydrate faster by replacing lost minerals. It is available at a variety of organic-based grocery stores including Whole Foods and the Fresh Market.

MiCoach Stride Sensor:
Take control, set goals, and become your own life coach with the help of Adidas miCoach. Simply clip the sensor to your laces and monitor pace, distance and stride rate. Use it in conjunction with Adidas’s other electronic products for the ultimate running experience. The miCoach is $50 and may be purchased at www.adidas.com.


New iPod Nano:
Apple has just introduced “a new way to nano” with colorful, mini iPod Nano’s. Half the size of the original Nano and even easier to play, this new music player has been completely redesigned with Multi-Touch — the same technology that makes iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch so high-tech! Just clip this cute colorful iPod anywhere and you can run to your favorite tunes with ease. To purchase visit any www.applestore.com.


Nike Swift Y-back Women’s Sports Bra:
Its gym class meets chemistry lab with Nike’s new design being the fashionable result. The Dri-FIT fabric offers ventilation by wicking excess sweat away from the body and bringing it to the fabric’s surface, where it then evaporates. This leaves the runner feeling dry and comfortable with the support needed to cross the finish line. Available at www.Nike.com.


Deuce Brand Pink Ribbon Watch:
The ultimate must-have for every work-out, this water-proof watch will withstand the most strenuous of activities, rain or shine. Not to mention, the pink band will add a dash of pizzazz to even the dreariest of mornings. Deuce Brand Pink Ribbon Watches cost $20.00 each and 10% of each watch goes directly to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. The watches can be purchased online at www.deucebrand.com and at various retailers around the country.

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Kicks

Bringing the “Heat” this season is an all new LeBron James signature shoe. The LEBRON 8 uses the best of Max Air 360 and Flywire technology to create a solid performance shoe.
The LEBRON 8 is classically crafted and modeled after the shell of a dress shoe.Functional detailing in the perimeter of the outsole provides flexibility while representing LeBron’s personal inspiration points. Deep cut forefoot flex grooves provide an optimal range of motion. Lightweight multidirectional herringbone pattern specifically designed for LeBron’s first step and his quick cuts.

The lion on the front-side of the tongue represents LeBron’s ravenous nature – like that of a hunter on the basketball court. The tongue-back label is a nod to bespoke off court attire, and highlights the crafted nature of the LEBRON 8 made specifically for Mr. LeBron James. The numbers 828 represent the 82 regular season games and the 28 playoff games.

The height differential between the collar and heel has increased, which results in better lock down and more Achilles flexion.

The structural TPU injected frame around Flywire technology, delivers ergonomic zonally-designed support, for lightweight lockdown only where needed.

The Swoosh design was moved back on the LEBRON 8 towards the rear of the shoe, ending on unique spoiler loop, to symbolize LeBron’s speed on court.

Midsole compression molded Phylon interface works in concert with Max Air 360 cushioning to help guide through the footstrike and further enhance the ride.

Max Air 360 unit was designed for ultimate cushioning and impact protection.

The alternating formation of the laces eye row was created for better fit, with a top eyelet to provide enhanced lockdown through dual pull design, shaped like the number 8.

The fully integrated, seamless mesh innersleeve provides breathability and comfort.

Outsole geometry combined with X Flex design decouples the heel to displace force and pressure.

For more info visit www.Nike.com

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Shopping

With Halloween just around the corner, if you don’t have your costume together visit www.FlirtCatalog.com for an array of fun and flirty costumes, from popular styles like French Maid and Cop, to intricate, high-end get-ups like Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” look. One of this year’s most popular collections is the “Adult Tea Party,” which offers a selection of costumes inspired by the hit film “Alice in Wonderland!”

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Day of the Dead

Mexico celebrates the Day of the Dead on November 1st and the 2nd. The tradition suggests the belief that between October 31st and the day of the celebration, the souls of the dearly departed roam the earth to enjoy the pleasures they had in their earthly life. The holiday is meant to honor those who have passed, and celebrate their life.

As a result of the mixing of cultures and their Catholic and Mayan antecedents, the days of the dead are a time of great family togetherness in which the whole family take part and everyone is involved.

Throughout the state of Quintana Roo, “Hanal Pixan” -as the Day of the Dead is known within the Mayan tradition- is one of the most significant traditions, due to all the preparations involved: the building of beautiful altars, adorned with palm crosses, candles, drinks, pictures and the “deceased’s” favorite food comes to life. During “Hanal Pixan”, people pray and sing, sweep the yards and paint the walls to receive the dead with full honors.

Gastronomically, “Hanal Pixan” is a celebration that bursts with flavor. Large portions of the best dishes are prepared, with the idea that the souls enjoy earthly pleasures such as food. Proof of this is the Mucbipollo, from the Mayan “Pib” which means “buried” and is a tamale or corn cake stuffed with chicken, sauce, broth and spices, cooked in a hole in the ground and covered with banana leaves. All the food is arranged on the altars for the souls to have their feast. The belief dictates that the offered food looses its flavor and nutrients by the next day.

Day of the dead was declared in 2003 as a World’s Cultural Heritage Site by UNESCO, due to the importance it has on Mexican indigenous communities’ everyday lives regarding the different dimensions and perceptions of death.