eNewsletter

Award-winning photographer Dana Buckley recently released her second fine art photography book, Living Desert. In the photography book, she documents her travels to some of the nation’s most undiscovered terrain and captured plant life, including cactuses, agaves, aloes and shrubs, that has thrived in the most rugged conditions where life is a struggle and beauty is even harder won. To pre-purchase a book or for more information, call (954) 262-0255 or
Museumstore@moafl.org.

During this panel discussion, artist Fabian De La Flor, Maria Lina and Carlos Llerena Aguirre will explain how ancient cultures and traditions from the region have influenced modern artists from the Andes. Reservations are required. Please RSVP to Kelly Medlin at kmedlin@moafl.org or (954) 262-0227.

Laffing Matterz at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts combines the best of dinner theater with the hilarity of topical satire in a one of a kind evening that everyone will enjoy. Laffing Matterz at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts hilariously takes on every subject from the latest scandal, social media, current events and everything in between, after you’ve savored a meal that surpasses any dinner theater fare you’ve experienced before.

Dancing a fine line between high art and high camp, The Trocks delight audiences with parodies of classical ballet that blend carefully-studied postures with over-the-top gestures and powerhouse technique. These dance superstars are so amusing and thought-provoking, the Sydney Star Observer says, “The Trocks are a guaranteed hoot for people who know nothing of ballet, and an absolute must for those who think they know the originals.”

Join All Together Now (ATN), the museum’s dynamic group of young adults interested in art and design, in a Multicultural Mixology session in celebration of the Museum’s upcoming exhibition Wari: Lords of Ancient Peru. Local bartenders will craft cocktails inspired by South American cultures. RSVP in advance to participate in sampling these tasty treats. Sponsored by Pisco Porton. Free for ATN members and Museum members; $10 for non-members. Reservations are required. kmedlin@moafl.org or (954) 262-0227.

Come and enjoy live music by Jeff Egan and his Jazz Trio while you enjoy lunch in the café. The special will be the ever-popular tri-color pasta with grilled chicken. Also be sure to check out the latest books and gifts in the Museum store.

Chris Raschka and Bob Staake are talented, award-winning artists in their own right and will incorporate drawing/painting demonstrations into their presentation. In Raschka’s latest book, Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle, learning to ride a bike is one of the most important milestones of childhood. No one captures the emotional ups and downs of the experience better than Raschka, who won the 2012 Caldecott Medal for A Ball for Daisy. Using very few words and lots of expressive pictures, Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bicycle is a picture book that not only shows kids how to learn to ride, but captures what it feels like to fall … get up … fall again … and finally “by luck, grace, and determination,” ride a bicycle!

In Staake’s latest Bluebird, readers will be captivated as they follow the journey of a bluebird as he develops a friendship with a young boy and ultimately risks his life to save the boy from harm. Staake has been working on this book for 10 years, and he believes it is the story he was born to write. This event is sponsored by Random House Unplugs. Random House is committed to helping schools, libraries and bookstores nationwide UNPLUG and read during Screen Free Week to raise awareness about the importance of balancing screen time against other developmentally important tasks, like reading. To pre-purchase books or for more information, contact (954) 262-0255 or Museumstore@moafl.org.

Michael Rosen’s award-winning read-aloud romp comes to life on stage. A brave young family goes on an adventure to find a bear. Through tall grass, a cold river and swampy mud, they have fun and overcome their fears — and they do it together! Enjoy the full Family Fun experience! Each show includes free pre-show art activities by Young At Art Children’s Museum and free face painting for all children! Plus, complimentary post-show snacks for the entire family from Whole Foods.

If you believe life has a grudge against you, if you have ever wondered “How am I supposed to survive this?” — this is how. Augusten Burroughs is the number one New York Times bestselling author of A Wolf at the Table, Possible Side Effects, Magical Thinking, Dry, Running with Scissors, and Sellevision. This is a ticketed event. You will receive a free ticket with the purchase of the book ($15). Additional tickets may be purchased for $5 each. You must pre-purchase your book from Books & Books at Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale to enter the signing line. Books and tickets can be purchased by calling (954) 262-0255 or Museumstore@moafl.org.

The first Sunday of the month, Riverwalk becomes a soulful hot spot, which thrives with the sound of jazz music. Downtown Fort Lauderdale patrons and visitors can dance or relax to live performances and enjoy the scenic views. The Sunday Jazz Brunch offers a free day of concerts, unique vendors and local delicacies along the stunning New River. Everyone is invited to celebrate the culture, including well-behaved, leashed pets. Guests can bring chairs, blankets and picnic baskets to enjoy a full day along the New River.

Hear stories about Old Fort Lauderdale and the early pioneers, learn about Henry Flagler and the Florida East Coast Railroad and visit some of the oldest buildings in the city. Tours begin at 2:30 PM in the lobby area of the New River Inn, one of the first hotels built in Fort Lauderdale. Tours take place on the first Sunday of the month through May immediately following the Sunday Jazz Brunch. Tours are open to the public and free of charge, but donations to the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society are greatly appreciated. For more information contact Ellen Ferrelli at (954) 463-4431 (ext. 12) or email education@fortlauderdalehistorycenter.org.

Historic Stranahan House Museum and Water Taxi offer an hour-long tour that includes a visit inside Stranahan House and a boat ride on the New River. You will be fascinated by the tales of spirits. Come along! Reservations needed. Cost is $25 per person and reservations are a must. Also available as a private event for a group of 10 or more people. Call (954) 524-4736.

This concert will feature two of South Florida’s most popular jazz divas: Wendy Pedersen and Paulette Dozier. Well-known to South Florida jazz audiences, the jazz divas will perform with a quartet from the Gold Coast Jazz Society Band, led by trumpeter Steve Ahern. This electrifying evening of jazz will feature jazz standards that you, the audience, have selected in advance. Join us for this season-ending performance of a great evening of jazz favorites.

Nova Southeastern University’s College of Osteopathic Medicine will provide an overview of the development of the art of observation curriculum and how this format has been used with NSU students on medical outreach in Peru. This event is complimentary to all Museum members and NSU Students with ID, $15 for non-members. Reservations are required. Please RSVP to Adrienne Chadwick at achadwick@moafl.org.

Brazilian Voices brings to the stage yet another show and a new experience. Featuring keyboard player/arranger Jorge L. Sosa, DJ Erick Paredes, Latin Grammy® Award Winner Nestor Torres and 40 female voices mixed with soothing lounge beats, the group will highlight popular Brazilian music, Bossa Nova and Samba with original arrangements in a relaxing yet upbeat atmosphere. You can’t miss this one-time concert with Brazilian Voices!

Arts Ballet Theatre of Florida, under the direction of Ballet Master Vladimir Issaev, ends its season with a classical repertoire that only high-quality dancers can perform. The repertoire includes the most famous classical Pas de Deux and neo-classical pieces by Vladimir Issaev and guest choreographers and international dancers.

Florida’s Singing Sons Boychoir continues its grand tradition of performances in Parker Playhouse with this feast of music from different countries and eras with a special emphasis on American music. Come hear our young men ages 8-18 raise their voices in spirit and in song. In this concert, the battles of war and love contrast and intersect to create new ways of understanding, all through the voices of our Singing Sons. Music styles from pop to classical to doo-wop are featured with something for everyone at this family-friendly performance. You’ll leave with a glad heart and smile on your face.

Gretchen Gettemy Thompson came to Fort Lauderdale more than 50 years ago as a reporter, and met Virginia Shuman Young, who was serving as the first woman on the Broward County School Board. Much later, Virginia asked Gretchen to manage her campaign for Fort Lauderdale City Commissioner. Virginia would become the first and only woman mayor in city history. Together they wrote Mangroves, Roots of Fort Lauderdale, the history of the pioneer Shuman and Young families, the proceeds of which built the replica of the first Fort Lauderdale School House, which today sits at the Fort Lauderdale Historical Society’s History Center.

Enjoy Songwriter’s Showcase every second Monday of the month in the intimate setting of the Abdo New River Room at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts. Songwriter’s Showcase founder Chrystal Hartigan brings local, national and international singer/songwriters together in South Florida to perform songs from the past and the present, as well as the possible hits of tomorrow. There’s also an open mic session for those who want to try out their musical chops in front of an audience. Harken back to the days of 1960s Greenwich Village coffeehouses and bring your friends to Songwriter’s Showcase. There is a $10 cover charge payable at the door and cash bar will be available.

Please join the Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale this month as we continue our film series in conjunction with our newest exhibition, Wari: Pre-Inca Lords of Peru. The Museum will be featuring films in our Horvitz Auditorium documenting the unique Peruvian culture, with special screenings of exciting, Wari-based motion pictures on the Peruvian people and their extraordinary history. Free and open to the public. To RSVP, contact Kelly Medlin at kmedlin@moafl.org or (954) 262-0227.

Become inspired with an energetic performance by Bolivia Mágica Ballet Folklórico, a non-profit organization founded in 1992. Currently under the direction of Maria E. Velázquez, this creative team works to preserve and diffuse the spirit of Bolivia and the rich cultural heritage of the Andean Region through dance, music and folklore. Please RSVP to Kelly Medlin at kmedlin@moafl.org or (954) 262-0227.

This monthly series is hosted by Stephanie Miskew, certified sommelier and wine educator. The guest chef of the month pairs perfect flavors with fine wines making these tastings the talk of the town. Cost is $35 per person. Reservations are required and seating is limited.

Local artists, performers, storytellers, and vendors share their talents and display their craftsmanship during this three-hour monthly festival. In partnership with ArtServe, Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale, Broward College, Broward County Library, Historic Stranahan House Museum, Fort Lauderdale History Center, Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale, Broward Center for the Performing Arts and Riverwalk A&E District.

Festival Yachad will feature more than 500 dancers on stage with local groups and invited companies from Mexico, Brazil, Canada, Panama and Israel, performing to Israeli folk dance music, with colorful costumes, amazing scenery and spectacular lighting effects. This year Festival Yachad reaches 17 years and the gala performance theme is Numbers. Each dance is choreographed to portray a different number that is relevant to a rich Jewish heritage.

Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale hosts the fourth annual Riverwalk Burger Battle™ presented by Publix Aprons Catering and Cooking School under the stars along the Riverwalk at Huizenga Plaza. This sizzling event promises to pit 16 top burger joints and restaurants against one another as they show off their creative juices and grilling skills to over 1,000 guests along the scenic New River. This 21 and over event will be held rain or shine. The event will bring together burger aficionados for an evening of gourmet burger creations, cocktails, beers and fun, while raising funds to support Riverwalk Fort Lauderdale’s mission of building and nurturing a vibrant community connected by the New River.

Learn about Fort Lauderdale’s founding through a visit to this enchanting beautifully preserved home. Learn about the birth of this community through the lives of two extraordinary people and the homestead they created, which to this day serves as an enduring legacy for historic preservation.

By the time early settler Hugh Taylor Birch purchased the Bonnet House site in 1895, the grounds had already witnessed 4,000 years of Florida history. A shell midden left by the Tequesta people indicates that human activity on the site dates back to 2,000 B.C. while further archeological evidence suggests that the grounds were one of the first sites of Spanish contact with the New World. This eclectic house with its unique art-inspired rooms and magnificent gardens is a must-see for anyone visiting the area. Bonnet House is closed on Mondays.

Home to a permanent collection of more than 6,000 works, Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale
collections include significant pieces by the American painter William Glackens, by the artists of the Northern European CoBrA Movement and by contemporary Cuban artists. There’s also always something new and different at the Museum. Exhibitions span time and genre – from the recent Warhol and Cars: American Icons to its current Wari: Pre-Inca Lords of Peru and Foto Fort Lauderdale, an exciting new series of high-caliber photographic exhibitions that give photography a permanent, year-round home at the Museum.

Experience the fascinating history and culture of Fort Lauderdale firsthand. Right in the heart of Downtown, you can tour the History Museum in the 1905 New River Inn, Broward’s oldest hotel building; visit our 1899 Replica Schoolhouse, see the 1907 King-Cromartie House, explore the archives at the Hoch Heritage Center and much more. A must-see for anyone visiting Fort Lauderdale. Fort Lauderdale Historical Society, 231 SW 2nd Avenue, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301. For more information call (954) 463-4431 Ext. 12 or email education@flhc.org.

This exhibition allows guests to take a quick look at Florida East Coast passenger service in Fort Lauderdale and investigates the importance of the passenger station to the growth of the town. For most of its inhabited history, the New River has been difficult to access. Tropical foliage and the Everglades made traveling south over land slow and tedious. When the first Florida East Coast train arrived at the north bank of the New River in 1896, Fort Lauderdale finally had a reliable, efficient connection to the rest of the country. For nearly 50 years, Fort Lauderdale’s FEC Passenger Station—once situated directly across from the New River Inn—welcomed tens of thousands of people to Fort Lauderdale.

The Riverwalk A&E District’s/B Ocean Fort Lauderdale’s “Let’s B Cultured!” package combines Fort Lauderdale’s amazing cultural opportunities with a magnificent stay at one of the city’s best hotels. The package offers a savings of more than $70 over buying the features a la carte. Available from Feb. 1 – June 30, 2013, the package is based on a double occupancy, 2-night minimum stay and includes: 3-day/2-night stay in a captivating oceanfront guestroom at B Ocean Fort Lauderdale, based on double occupancy; $30 wine card at B’stro on the Beach at B Ocean Fort Lauderdale; Riverwalk A&E District art kit (coloring pencils); admission for 2 to Bonnet House Museum & Gardens; admission for 2 to Museum of Art | Fort Lauderdale; 2 Water Taxi tickets; and the opportunity to upgrade to the Club Level experience at Broward Center for the Performing Arts for one of many Broadway shows, concerts or dance performances. Package rates start at $219 per room, per night excluding taxes and service charges. A special rate of $33 per child will be added for children (ages 4 to 18) staying with their parents in the same guestroom; maximum occupancy of four guests per room. Reservations are subject to availability; some restrictions may apply.

ArtsCalendar.com is the leading online resource for art and cultural information for Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. ArtsCalendar.com offers the largest database of South Florida Arts and Cultural events, as well as additional listings of classes and workshops, auditions, call to artists and more.