Coe Visitor Center is must-stop site in Everglades

At right, a board listing daily activities for visitors at the center. Next, a ranger interprets a part of the park for visitors. Last, one of the many interactive wildlife displays in the Coe Visitor Center (Photos by Nancy Oben).

By NANCY OBEN
School of Communication
University of Miami


FLORIDA CITY, Fla.--- Heading to a national park can be a great time for people of all ages. There is so much to do in and around the park, but how can you get the inside scoop to make your visit great?

One of the easiest ways to make the most out of your visit is to utilize the visitor centers scattered around the parks.

Everglades National Park has four visitor centers, Flamingo, Shark Valley, Gulf Coast and Ernest Coe Visitor Center which is also the park headquarters.

Heading south down State Road 9336 passing the farmland, alligator farms and fruit stands, the Ernest Coe Visitor Center is a welcome sight for visitors, enticing them to venture forward to explore the east side of the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States.

“When I first came to the park and bypassed the visitor center,” said Everglades Interpretive Ranger Rick Rivero. “I didn’t have any idea what was going on [in the park] but when I came back, I figured out.”



The Coe Visitor Center is right at the mouth of the park’s south entrance and can be easily overlooked by visitors wanting to get in the entrance gate a little further down the road make the center your first stop. The rangers at the visitor center will be able to answer any questions you might have and help with planning your visit.

The visitor center also houses many educational exhibits, including some documenting the local wildlife. There is even an interactive element in the exhibit, where you can hear how a baby alligator calls his mom, or look through a telescope pretending to watch for native birds.

“I have visited a lot of national parks and this one will definitely be in the top five,” said Ohio resident Jodi Harrington. “I like the videos and interactive exhibits.”

Once you take a good look at the wildlife exhibits, be sure to visit the presentation area. Every month the presentation area is filled with artwork from artists, which change monthly. The exhibits span all mediums and look at the Everglades through an artist’s point of view.

The visitor center is also a great resource to plan your day’s visit. In the center, by the ranger desk, there are three interactive stations that help you plan your trip at the park. On the touch screens you can select the walking trials you would like to explore and the screen shows a picture which helps you know what you’re getting into.

The touch screens aren’t as popular as one would think however. There was no line for any touch screen. According to Visitor Center Volunteer Suzanne Roberts most visitors want to hear interpretations from an actual person, as opposed reading or viewing the content on the screen.

The rangers and park volunteers can be a valuable asset for park visitors. They not only hand you a map, like the front entrance does, but the rangers can also help you find the best trials for the season.

For example, for this time of year according to Rivero the best trails for nature watching are on the south side of SR 9336, the Royal Palm area especially, because of the water trickling down from the slough.

The rangers in addition to telling visitors about the best trails also lead guided walking trials. When you first get to the visitor center be sure to look at the activity sign outside by the main entrance. On the sign will be listed all the free things a visitor can experience throughout the park including events for children. There can also be a guided walking trail tour for people of all ages.

On this day in the park there was a small tour of Pa-hay-okee Overlook, which is an elevated boardwalk tour that looks over the expanse of the freshwater slough. On the trail, the park ranger went into detail about the decimation of the Everglades and what is being done to bring the lands back to a full and vibrant life.

Everglades National Park is a gorgeous area to visit and by utilizing the Coe Visitor center, as well as the others deeper in the park, your national park experience can be a fun, informative, and fulfilling visit.




If You Go:
Ernest Coe Visitor Center
40001 State Road 9336, Homestead, FL 33034-6733, 305-242-7700 .
Open 365 Days a year from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Directions to the Coe Visitor Center: Visitors coming from the Miami area and further north should take the Florida Turnpike (State Route 821) south until it ends merging with U.S. 1 at Florida City. Turn right at the first traffic light onto Palm Drive (State Road 9336 or SW 344th Street) and follow the signs to the park

Parking and admission to the Coe Visitor Center is free, and there are also restrooms available for the public.

In order to get into the park there are some recreation fees. The price is $10 for a car parking pass and the pass is valid for seven consecutive days. It is only $5 if you go into the park on foot or by bicycle and that pass is also good for seven consecutive days. If you plan on coming to the park more than just one time, there is an annual pass option priced at only $25.

Visiting Biscayne National Park (by Nancy Oben) from Our National Parks on Vimeo.

Wiz Khalifa to perform free concert Friday on UC Patio

The “Black and Yellow” rapper is going to paint this campus green and orange on Friday to celebrate the end of classes.

Wiz Khalifa is coming to UM this Friday to perform on the UC Patio. The event will start at 8 p.m. opening with a collection of up-and-coming artists including John Payne, J Nics and Mayday. The main act, Wiz Khalifa, will perform around 10 p.m. The concert is for students and faculty only and is not open to the community.

The show is being co-sponsored by Hurricane Productions (HP) and Beta Theta Pi fraternity. HP approached Beta to help fundraise and promote the Wiz concert, and the fraternity jumped at the chance. The fundraising goal was huge for such a short period of time, two and a half months, but with car washes, events at My Yogurt Bliss and Gables Pizza and Salad and private donors, the fraternity raised its portion of the money.

“We’ve never done a concert before,” said senior Karum Basra, president of Beta Theta Pi. “We’ve always wanted to do one but it wasn’t feasible before.”

The rapper is known for his often quirky samplings and the way he changes up his rap styling. Khalifa is gaining major success with his single “Black and Yellow,” a song singing the praises of his hometown, Pittsburgh. His other hit, “Say Yeah,” is a major club jam, and samples the super catchy late 90s dance tune “Better Off Alone.”

“I’m pretty excited to see Wiz. I love his new song that has been all over the radio,” junior Lauren Toribio said. “And to see him on the last day of classes is a great kick-off to the end of the semester.”

The rapper, who has told the media that he has a $10,000-a-month marijuana habit, was recently arrested at East Carolina University for possession of the drug at his concert. There were rumors that he might not be coming to Miami, but Wiz is out on bail and has performed at other colleges since the arrest.

“This should be a very popular show, “said junior Kris Martin, the small venues chair for HP. “His song [‘Black and Yellow’] has blown up recently and will be something cool for the university, a current artist that the students can relate to.”

IF YOU GO

WHAT: Wiz Khalifa “After School Special” Concert, with performances by Wiz Khalifa, Mayday, Jnics, John Payan and The Politix
WHEN: Friday at 8 p.m.
WHERE: UC Patio
COST: Free, Cane Cards are required for entry

This article was written for the entertainment section of The Miami Hurricane, the University of Miami student newspaper. It was published on December 1, 2010.

Biscayne Park Offers Scenic Sites for Picnickers

By NANCY OBEN
School of Communication
University of Miami

HOMESTEAD, Fla.--- Looking to explore something out of the ordinary? Biscayne National Park is a great day trip for South Florida locals and tourists alike. So pack your picnic basket and head down south to Homestead, Fla. for an enjoyable picnic lunch.

Less than a one hour drive from the heart of Miami, Biscayne National Park’s Convoy Point is perfect for a picnic by the water. The park offers many picnic tables and charcoal grills for visitors to use. The tables are first-come, first-serve meaning no reservations can be made for either. These tables are located around Convoy Point, with the heaviest concentration by the Dante Fascell Visitor Center.

“We’ve never been here before,” said Julie Grabette, a Boynton Beach, Fla. resident, who came to the park with her sister and her golden retriever. “We just decided to check it out”

Many who visit the park use the grills and have a cookout with family and friends. There are numerous grills scattered all around Convoy Point. You can use the grills for an early morning meal before you explore the grounds or a late lunch after a day of water activities. Keep in mind that Convoy Point closes at 5:30 p.m.

Overlooking this water, this is just one of the many picnic tables available at Convoy Point. Next, this wildflower is just a sampling of what you can see on the one-quarter mile nature trail (Photos by Nancy Oben).

Another thing to consider is that you do have to be careful with party decorations. Since Biscayne National Park is federally protected wildlife and historical preserve, balloons, streamers and hammocks are not allowed, to protect the natural landscape. The party can have music but it just cannot disturb the other guests’ experience at the park. Also if you’re going to have a large gathering, more than 20 people, then you will have to obtain a permit.

A great way to work off a lunch feast is to explore the grounds around the visitor center. Since the park is 95 percent water, there is shoreline everywhere in Convoy Point. If you want to explore the shore, take the small one-quarter mile walking trail that skirts the coast near the visitor center. The trail meanders around the harbor and has many informational signs to educate visitors about the park.

If you want to be more active on your day trip, the park has a variety of water activities, with fishing being one of the most popular.

“Not much is caught here, because it’s an estuary,” said Astrid Rybeck, a Biscayne National Park ranger. “Fish are too small [to be legally kept] but people fish anyway.

Fishing is permitted in many areas of Convoy Point, but it is not allowed everywhere. There is no fishing in the harbor and there is also no fishing by the picnic tables and the visitor center, due to the high concentration of visitors by these areas.

In order to fish you need to have a current Florida saltwater fishing license as well as follow all current Florida fishing regulations, including those on the size of the catch and the methods in which it was caught.

There is also a small, non-vehicle accessible, boat ramp near the main parking lot that is used mainly to drag small crafts into the water. The park offers two and four person paddle boats to rent as well as single and double canoes and kayaks.

The ramp is also used for many other small water craft like small sailboats and catamarans and even as a water entrance for windsurfers.

“I came here because I heard that this was a good place to windsurf,” said Caleb Brown, a Sarasota, Fla. resident. “As a first time visitor, I love this park; it’s great for a full day of windsurfing, and has ample spots to relax and have lunch.”

Windsurfing is an adventurous way to make the most out of your visit to Biscayne National Park. Below, nestled on the second floor of the visitor center, rocking chairs have a gorgeous view of the small harbor.


Before you leave the park after a long day of enjoying the outdoors, be sure to visit the visitor center. The center is great to take a break from the elements and is filled with some interesting history about the park. There is a variety of exhibits, including one about the wildlife in the park, as well as a theater, and a gallery.

After the last of your picnic is packed up and ready for transport, make one last trip to the visitor center. The National Park Service offers cancellation stamps at each of the national parks and, whether it’s your first stamp or your 300th , the stamp is a great souvenir to end a beautiful day trip.



If You Go:

Biscayne National Park, 9700 SW 328 Street, Homestead, Fla. 33033.

Visitor information: 305-230-727

Biscayne National Park can be accessed from both the Turnpike and U.S. 1.

From the Florida Turnpike: Take the Florida Turnpike south, to Exit 6 (Speedway Blvd.). Turn left from exit ramp and continue south to S.W. 328th Street (North Canal Drive). Turn left and continue to the end of the road. It is approximately five miles, and the entrance is on the left.

From U.S. 1: Drive south to Homestead. Turn left on SW 328th Street (North Canal Drive), and continue to the end of the road. It is approximately nine miles, and the entrance is on the left.

Website, http://www.nps.gov/bisc

Convoy Point opens its grounds at 7 a.m. and the gates close precisely at 5:30 p.m.

The Dante Fascell Visitor Center is open from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily

Canoes and Kayaks can be rented at the park: $16 for singles and $25 for doubles. Paddleboats are $30 for two passengers and $40 for four passengers. All fees are charged per hour and a half.

Parking is free and there are restrooms on the first floor of the visitor center, close to the picnic tables.

Visiting Biscayne National Park (by Nancy Oben) from Our National Parks on Vimeo.

Click on the video to view an audio slide show about picknicking at Biscayne National Park photographed and narrated by writer Nancy Oben.

Frost student Tori Tullier brings a “Little Bit of Home” to UM

Walking confidently in her wedges to stage right in the Gusman Concert Hall, senior Tori Tullier was ready to sit down at the piano and perform her song “Little Bit of Home” for the audience at the Bruce Hornsby Songwriting Competition, part of Festival Miami, on Oct. 27.

“When she started playing, I got tears in my eyes,” said senior Meghan Gunning, a fellow Frost School of Music student. “It was just really cool to see my best friend up there doing what she loves.”

Singing second to last out of the 12 performers, Tullier waited at the side of the theater with her fellow competitors to hear the results. The contest was judged by songwriters Bruce Hornby, Lamont Dozier and music industry executive Chris Palmer, and a portion of the final score was determined by an audience text message vote.

Fortunately for her, 10 was her lucky number that night. Tullier won first place in the songwriting competition, granting her the opportunity to open for the Dozier concert the following night.

“I honestly wasn’t even nervous because I didn’t think I had a shot at winning,” Tullier said. “Once they called my name it kind of took me a second to stand up and think ‘Oh I am supposed to go on stage now.’ However once I got up there, I just couldn’t stop smiling.”

Tullier was just one of more than 60 students that entered the annual competition run by Category 5 Music Publishing. Her composition entry, “Little Bit of Home,” was written this past summer, when she was an A&R intern for Warner Music Nashville in Tennessee.

“Her song was a mix between country and pop,” audience member Jessica Weiss said. “It sounded like something that should already be on the radio.”

“It’s about going home to Maryland,” Tullier said. “And kind of missing some of those summers that I had in high school when life was more carefree. It was important for me to touch on every aspect, such as the smell of salt in the Chesapeake Bay and also bushels of blue crabs; both of those images immediately bring me back to Annapolis.”

Here at UM, Tullier is honing her songwriting skills as a media writing and productions major in the Frost School of Music. This major involves a combination of songwriting as well as writing music for more commercial genres, like advertising and film scores.

Some of her influences include Carole King, James Taylor and Simon & Garfunkel. This past summer she also became enamored with country musicians Alison Krauss & Union Station.
According to her good friend and fellow contestant Ben Goldsmith, one of Tullier’s strongest songwriting qualities is her ability to write great hooks, both melodically and lyrically, that can easily get stuck in a listener’s head.

“Her lyrics are very visual,” Goldsmith said. “I often feel like I am seeing a music video in my head while Tori is playing. Her lyrics have an incredible amount of detail pertaining to the senses, so the listener truly feels like they actually experiencing what the song is about.”

Tullier has been busy this year composing songs for “Lanza” a musical in collaboration by the Frost Music School and veteran music producer Phil Ramone that chronicles Mario Lanza’s life. She has also been performing at showcases, including one earlier this semester at the Wesley Coffee House, an event on campus.

“There is nothing I love more than the feeling of writing a song that you know is the best one yet,” Tullier said. “Something that is important to remember about being a songwriter is that you are the communicator; you have to write and be the voice for the people who can’t…in my opinion there is no greater satisfaction.”

This article was written for the entertainment section of The Miami Hurricane, the University of Miami student newspaper. It was published on November 17, 2010.

Hurricane bookshelf: “College Cooking”

Midterms are in full swing this semester. You’ve had your third night of frozen pizza for dinner and you say to yourself, ‘I’m only doing this because they were on sale’, but you know the real reason- you have no idea what you’re doing in the kitchen.

The cookbook “College Cooking: Feed Yourself and Your Friends” was written to solve this sort of problem and to help clueless college students learn how to cook. Sisters Megan and Jill Carle wrote this cookbook, intending it to be user friendly with over 60 familiar recipes like tuna noodle casserole and chicken tetrazzini.

The Carle Sisters are not new to the cookbook scene, but this is their first foray into college cooking. They have two other cookbooks, “Teen Cooks” and “Teen Cooks Dessert.” The sisters wrote this cookbook while they were undergrads at the University of Arizona, Tucson and now they continue their studies in the University’s graduate program.

Since this is their third cookbook, they definitely have figured out how to create a user-friendly format. The recipes are simple, clear and include lots of pictures. Most recipes include at least a small picture inset into the page but there are also some full page photos.

The recipes are great staples to add to your culinary repertoire. The baked penne pasta with Italian sausage is a great recipe for anyone who is new to cooking. These dishes aren’t gourmet but they are tasty, the directions are easy to follow and the sidebar about making your own sausage is very informative. The chicken tetrazzini was not a quick meal but very delicious. There was also a sidebar about making the dish vegetarian which is perfect if you’re having a dinner party and inviting vegetarian friends.

The only problem with the recipes is that there are no estimates for how long it will take to complete a dish. The main problem with college cooking is that students are always in a time crunch. They need to know if the dish will take 10 minutes to prepare or 110. For example, since there is no time estimate for the chicken tetrazzini it ended up taking a lot longer than originally planned and was finished in around an hour, which is an eternity for a busy college student.

The book also has menus for some popular college parties like Cinco de Mayo and a toga party. The menus are great ideas but that is it — ideas. No one in college has themed dinner parties; if students have any type of dinner party at all it will probably be pasta or some sort of potluck, not an extravagant Mexican fiesta complete with tres leches cake.

Aside from the menus, the book is organized in categories, like avoiding the freshman 15, cheap eats and impressing your date. Normally one uses a cookbook recipe for a special occasion or a special dinner. The impress-your-date section, with recipes like crab cakes with roasted red pepper sauce and shrimp in coconut milk, is a great alternative to a fancy dinner on South Beach. The recipes sound fancy but they are actually a lot easier than they sound. Both your date and you will be impressed with what you accomplished.

After you’ve milled over the recipes and their fun themed sections go back to the introduction you might have skipped. The kitchen basics section is more helpful than you think. The Carle sisters go over basic kitchen techniques and pantry staples. They also talk about price, like buying the store brand cooking spray because it works just as well as the name brands. The price aspect is great for anyone, not just college students. The fact that dried herbs are cheaper than fresh and just as flavorful maybe common sense to some but to a college student that has never cooked before that realization will save them a ton of money in the long run.

The sisters also talk about kitchen techniques including breaking asparagus instead of cutting and other techniques that your mom does but never thought to tell you, so it’s no wonder your pasta sauce doesn’t taste the same.

This book is definitely worth the money if you’re living off-campus. It’s pretty inexpensive and is packed full of useful information for a student living on their own for the first time. If you’re still in the dorms this is not the best book for you, most recipes require a real kitchen, not just a microwave and mini-fridge. Besides, we all know the only reason most people go into the Mahoney/Pearson kitchens is to make chocolate chip cookies anyway.

So grab your spatula and the casserole dish that still has the price sticker on it, put down the party pizza and start cooking. Your taste buds and your waistline will thank you.

This article was written for the entertainment section of The Miami Hurricane, the University of Miami student newspaper. It was published on November 10, 2010.

Uncle Kracker cranks beats Thursday

Heading for yet another Thursday night at ‘Cudas and Tavern? Then try something a little out of the ordinary this week. Uncle Kracker is coming to South Florida this Thursday for an intimate concert at Round Up Country Western Nightclub, which will be sure to “make you smile.”

Uncle Kracker is touring to promote his new album “Happy Hour- The South River Road Sessions.” This CD is a six-song follow-up to his 2009 CD “Happy Hour.”

On this album Uncle Kracker reinterprets some of the songs on “Happy Hour,” including the country version of “Smile,” a top-five country hit, and his new single “Good to be Me,” featuring his good friend Kid Rock.

“I would describe Uncle Kracker’s music as pop-rock, [more] than anything else,” junior Asha Agrawal said. “I like that it is laid back, but still upbeat.”

“Happy Hour” and his new follow-up album both feature country-influenced pop-rock ballads and showcase his talents as a songwriter. These are perfect songs to sway to with a drink in your hand when he performs on the Round Up stage, a private setting that holds a maximum of 1,000 people.

“I have never been to a concert at Round Up before,” junior Genevieve Stack said. “But I think that Uncle Kracker would be a great first act to see.”

If you haven’t heard of Uncle Kracker’s new material, he has definitely changed from his eight-year stint as Kid Rock’s DJ in his Twisted Brown Trucker Band. “Happy Hour” is his second solo album and the first he has put out in five years. The songwriter waited to find just the right sound for his sophomore album.

Round Up night club likes to bring up-and-coming artists to their stage and most of their shows are from September to March or April.

Paul Gumus, a manager at the club, said that it is all about timing and hopes that Uncle Kracker will bring in some new patrons to the country-western entertainment venue.

“So far we’ve had a good response,” Gumus said. “And we will have a good show on Thursday.”

If you Go:

WHAT: Uncle Kracker, performing at Round Up Country Western Nightclub

WHEN: Nov. 11. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the concert begins at 9 p.m.

WHERE: 9020 W. State Road 84, Davie (SW Corner of Pine Island Road and Interstate 595)

COST: Tickets are $20 in advance (Roundupcountry.com) and $25 at the door

This article was written for the entertainment section of The Miami Hurricane, the University of Miami student newspaper. It was published on November 7, 2010.

South Florida's a Little More Country Than That

Instead of yet another South Beach night, think outside the box. Put on some cowboy boots and head on down to a honky-tonk for an interesting night on the town.

South Florida is not just the home for house music, but also an unexpected venue for country music. From Round Up nightclub in Davie, to outdoor all-day concerts, the Miami area has a lot to offer country music fans.

Distraction profiles some of the best country places around the Miami area, so grab you ten-gallon hat and start exploring.

Round Up Night Club

"Well let me start by saying I hate country with a passion," junior Alicia Beekman said. "The only time I've ever been to Round Up was for a friend's birthday but it was the best time ever."

Located in Davie, about 45 minutes north of campus, Round Up is the top country western club in South Florida. Round Up features line dancing to country music as well as special events like concerts and a mechanical bull.

On weekends, the nightclub is 18 and over. Most students make the trip to Round Up on Fridays for Ladies Night, when girls drink free until 2 a.m. with a $5 dollar cover charge.

Be sure to approach the door with caution because this club is very strict on IDs. The cover charge for those under 21 is $15 and that includes one non-alcoholic beverage. If you get there early around 8 p.m., you can attend the beginner line dance class. If that's not your style, just get on the dance floor with the regulars.

"I loved getting up and dancing because I had no idea was was going on, but it was so cool to watch everyone that did," Beekman said.

Round Up also holds concerts featuring up-and-coming country artists. Some of their approaching club dates include Jake Owen on Oct. 28, Uncle Kracker on Nov. 11, and Easton Corbin on Dec. 9. Past concerts have included stars like Gloriana, Rodney Atkins and Chris Young. All of the concerts are on Thursdays and the tickets range in prise from $15 to $20. Tickets can be bought the day of or online at Roundupnightclub.com

"Concerts are awesome [at Round Up] because they are more intimate," fifth year architecture student Mellisa Walton said. "You are right there and everyone is just singing along having a good time and drinking beer. You just really feel the music playing and you get into it."

Outdoor Country Concerts

All of those nights at Round Up will prepare you for outdoor country concerts, which are in a world of their own compared to other concert events.

"The tailgate is a majority of the concert," junior Mark Khoury said. "They are very elaborate; lots of beer drinking and people walking around interacting. I usually go with a group of five or six, but for tailgates the bigger the group of people the more fun it is."

Most Country concerts are held at the Cruzan amphitheater in West Palm Beach. The drive is about an hour and a half without traffic, making the concert more of an adventure and escape from the bright lights and techno of Miami.

Be sure ti purchase lawn seats. These are usually cheapest and put you in the heart of the action. You can bring in blankets and low lawn chairs, as well as food in a gallon-sized, clear plastic bag and one sealed water bottle per person.

"For an ideal concert you would get there about two to three hours before the concert starts," Khoury said. "You would bring a grill with hamburgers and set up a little tent for yourself and go with around 10 or 15 people."

Ticket prices range from $20 to $40 for lawn seats, with the lower level fixed seating being extra. There are also special packs of four lawn tickets for as low as $75.

If you want to attend one of the biggest country events in South Florida, then you have to go to 99.9 WKIS Kiss Country's 26th annual Chili Cook Off.

The event, housed in Pembroke Pines, is an all-day outdoor concert featuring some of the most popular country artists. The Cook Off is typically in January but a date for the 2011 event had not been set. Last year's concert featured Montgomery Gentry, Sara Evans and Zac Brown Band.

"I feel like anyone who appreciates country music is a certain of person and the just seem to love life," junior Lindsay Moore said. "The atmosphere [at the Chili Cook Off] was so great because everyone was just so happy. Everyone is nice to everyone; it's a fun time no matter what."

South Florida is a great place for any country fan to enjoy a country concert, Because of the warm weather, the area is perfect for outdoor concerts in the winter and it's easy to get addicted to the feel good vibes of country music.

You can relax outside and catch some of your favorite bands at the Chili Cook Off or line-dance your stress away at Round Up nightclub.

And as Blake Shelton sings, "It's all about tonight/ Good times and the music and laughing and grooving to the band."




This article was written for the Fall 2010 issue of Distraction Magazine. This issue was released on October 27, 2010.

Canefest 2010

Freshmen waited anxiously at the door in their orientation groups waiting for Canefest to begin. Some students didn’t even know what they were doing there but once the doors opened the groups shuffled in through the second floor. Some students whizzed past the overrun club sports tables of volleyball and lacrosse and breezed by the tables of the various ministries here on campus, these students were here for one thing—the free stuff.

What most students don’t realize when they are stuffing their bags with pins and other goodies, is that Canefest is a large event that takes scores of planning.

“A committee of 10 people, overseen by a Chair and an advisor, meets once a week for the entire summer in order to plan Canefest,” said junior Ashley Taggart, Canefest chair. “People apply to be on the Canefest Committee and are chosen by the Chair.”

Logistically, the event is a large undertaking. There is room for only 140 organizations in the Bank United Center and the spots are assigned on a first come first serve basis. Once the spots fill up the organizations who signed up late get placed on a standby list. On the day of the event the standby organizations wait in a line and hope that a table opens up. According to Taggart, all of the organizations, both registered and standby, got placed at a table this year.

Registered organizations are then placed on the floor in color groups, in accordance with how they are registered with C.O.S.O., and each group contains many organization categories.

In addition to the logistics, graphic design for promotional materials is a large part of Canefest. Senior Ken Garcia and junior Coral Milican designed the 2010 logo and t-shirt using Adobe Illustrator to create the graphic of two silhouettes throwing up the U. After trying to create the silhouettes in illustrator, Garcia and Milican had a friend take a picture of them throwing up the U and that picture became the basis for the design.

“Seeing our logo, that featured ourselves, appear on everything from the plaques, VIP parking passes, coffee mugs for the sponsors, the gift bags, the email signatures was awesome,” said Milican. “But it really doesn’t compare to the feeling of awe that overcame me on day of show when Bob Diccicco, our t-shirt guy and sponsor, delivered the boxes of white tshirts and I could see it everywhere.”

Canefest is not just the culmination of orientation week but also the culmination of a summer of planning for the Canefest committee. This year’s successful Canefest kick started a great fall semester here at The U.


This story was written for the 2011 Ibis Yearbook, the yearbook will be printed and distributed in the Fall 2011 semester.

How to 'GTL' in the 'MIA'

Looking to get away from the normal everyday South Beach vacation? Then heat up your tanning bed, start poofing your hair and hit South Beach “Jersey Shore” style.

The cast of “Jersey Shore” took Miami Beach for season two of the popular reality show on MTV and was filmed in early 2010. The taping features many Miami Beach restaurants and entertainment venues. Now that the finale has aired and the second season is complete, it is the perfect time to spend a weekend on the shore- the Miami shore that is.

Kick off your “Jersey Shore” weekend by staying in the same hotel the cast did while filming. The Metropole Hotel South Beach is right in the middle of the action on Collins Avenue. The hotel offers one and two-bedroom suites and boasts a residential feel with their private courtyard. Just be aware that the hotel is run with a long-stay focus and during peak seasons, there could be minimum stay requirements.

Once you arrive at the Metropole Hotel South Beach the first order of business is to tan, otherwise known as the “T” in the popular phrase GTL (“gym, tan, laundry”). The weather is great in Miami, even at this time of year with an average high of around 85 degrees. South Beach is a great beach to enjoy; there are white sands and plenty of action for people watching.

After you are done lounging on the beach, be sure to visit The Big Pink restaurant. Located within walking distance from the beach on Collins Avenue, The Big Pink was featured on the show when some of the female castmates went to the restaurant to scheme. The girls dined on huge portions of great food and you will too. The price is also great. Eating out on South Beach can be expensive but you can get out of there for under $20 if you’re careful. Try the TV dinner special, it’s a meal that comes in a stainless steel six compartment tray for $14.95 and the selection changes daily.

Once you’re stuffed from lunch, take an afternoon nap by the hotel’s courtyard and then go out for an afternoon treat. The Lecca Lecca Gelato Caffé is a must-see for the “Jersey Shore” fan. This gelato shop is where the cast worked and the black logo with the brightly colored circles in a cone is a recognizable symbol for any fan. Many “Jersey Shore” viewers remember the café most as the location of Pauly D’s rant about his hair.

“My boss seems to think that my hair is gonna fall off and go into the ice cream,” cast member Pauly D said in episode two. “This hair ain’t movin’ my dude. 150 m.p.h on the highway on a street bike… it doesn’t move! What makes you think it’s gonna move in a gelato shop?”

After Pauly D’s rant the shop was a constant on this season of “Jersey Shore.” Order a cup of Gelato and you can even buy the signature t-shirt, so you can wear what the cast mates wore during their shifts scooping gelato.

Late at night is when the show, and South Beach, really comes alive. South Beach is known for its great nightclubs and the cast frequented almost all of them, although two stood out on the season.

The cast talks about the nightclub B.E.D. frequently on the show, which stands for Entertaining.Dining. Dance the night away with the show’s signature fist pump move or lounge in one of the club’s signature beds while sipping cocktails. B.E.D. has also been named one of the 100 Best Night Clubs and Bars by Absolut Vodka and Technomic Inc., coming in at No. 79, so you know you will have a great time at this entertainment venue.

The cast can also be found at Klutch during the course of the season. Klutch is an open air club and guests can reserve tables with a small cocktail minimum, instead of a huge bottle minimum. Here, servers will make cocktails tableside, including mojitos and other Miami staples.

The “Jersey Shore” cast may have left Miami, but that doesn’t mean that you have to stop fist pumping. From Ronnie’s three-way kiss at Klutch to the everyday work antics at Lecca Lecca Gelato Caffe, South Beach is full of memories for fans. Visiting South Beach “Jersey Shore” style will guarantee you to have a great day-vacation for visitors and locals alike.

If You Go:

Lodging:
Metropole Hotel
635 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
Tel 305-672-0009
Fax 305-672-0700
www.metropolesouthbeach.com

Dining:
Lecca Lecca Gelato Caffé
1051 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
Tel 305-534-7002
Open 7 days a week
www.leccaleccagelatocaffe.com

The Big Pink
157 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, Florida 33139
Tel 305-532-4700
Hours of Operation: opens at 8 a.m. closes 12 a.m. Sun-Wed, 2 a.m. Thu, 5 a.m. Fri-Sat
Free Delivery 9 a.m. to 12 a.m. (1a.m. Fri & Sat)
www.mylesrestaurantgroup.com

Nightlife:

B.E.D
929 Washington Ave. Miami Beach, FL 33139
Tel 305-532-9070
Email: info@bedmiami.com
www.bedmiami.com

Klutch
136 Collins Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
Tel 305-531-4643
Fax 305-531-4645
Email: info@klutchmiami.com
www. klutchmiami.com

This article was written for the entertainment section of The Miami Hurricane, the University of Miami student newspaper. It was published on October 25, 2010.