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Today’s ballot entry: BEST BARTENDER

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Today’s ballot entry: BEST BAKERY

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Brooke Boles

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by Joanie Cox

In high school, Brooke Boles used to run around Houston in short shorts and go-go boots, earning herself the nickname Hot Pants. Today, the 29-year-old is living in Boca Raton and cashing in on that nickname with Hot Pants Cosmetics.

“I was always entrepreneurial,” says Boles, who founded Hot Pants five years ago and started a line of fashionable bandages called Boo-Boos while she was majoring in communications at Pepperdine University. “I could never do the corporate thing.”

Boles met her husband of five years on a business trip to Canada, and she soon worked with him on his Web site, Hedlux Apothecaries, which sells products to cosmetology schools. “Hot Pants is now featured in custom kits we distribute to cosmetology students, as well as to GBS stores,” Boles says.

One of the first products Boles developed was a highly pigmented, mineral eye shadow. “I wanted to create something where you could get more looks from less products,” she explains. The line has expanded to include lip glosses that conveniently light up so you can re-apply in the dark and a high-definition line called the HD Ready Collection.

After a few acting and modeling jobs, Boles was inspired to create the HD makeup line, which uses soft pigments to create the illusion of airbrushed skin. “I modeled for Chinese Laundry for a while and was on Encore! Encore! with Nathan Lane and Port Charles,” Boles says. “The makeup was always so heavy. I wanted to design products that give an airbrushed look without having to use a machine.”

While Boles mostly models for her own line now and is busy raising her 2-year-old daughter, Ava, she is often developing new products. But don’t expect a Hot Pants perfume to be one of them.

“Fragrance is probably something I won’t do,” Boles admits. “Celebrities have really dominated that market, and I still like the classic scents by Gucci and Michael Kors.”

AIR-CESSORIES
Bubble Beach Bags are a funky new way to tote towels and tanning oil to the beach. Parkland resident Vicky Cohen created the bag last summer. “I was in Puerto Rico and saw something made out of a bubbly material and got the idea for the beach bag,” Cohen recalls.

The bags, which are available in small and large and come in pink, black, silver and citron-green, can be deflated for storage. “It’s a bag you’re going to inflate and use all summer,” Cohen says. “It’s sort of like a raft. You can pack it and blow it up later.”

The PVC bags, which have a futuristic look, are currently being sold at South Florida boutiques such as Alene Too in Boca Raton, Amira Gift Boutique at Gansevoort South and the Raleigh Hotel Boutique. I first spotted the bags this past July at Red Carter’s runway show during Mercedes-Benz Miami Swim.

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Keeping the cost at $30 to $48 was also essential to Cohen, who intends her bags to have a mass-market appeal. “It’s a classic, fun bag that doesn’t cost $400,” Cohen says. “It’s the type of bag you can afford to own in four colors.”

With this summer’s “it” bag being the highly unaffordable Cosmic Blossom tote by Louis Vuitton (it costs from $1,230 to $1,480), it’s appealing to find a bag that won’t burst your bubble.

CROSS-COUNTRY SPREE
Fashion’s Night Out started last year in New York to encourage consumers to hit stores and support the fashion industry in this lackluster economy. The event will return to New York this week, it also will take place across the globe, with shopping events in Russia, China, Italy and Turkey. From 6 to 9:30 p.m. Friday, Fashion’s Night Out will host events throughout South Florida, with the biggest occurring at Aventura Mall.

In the mall’s Center Court, runway shows will feature fall clothing by sportswear brand J. Lindeberg (7 p.m.) and William Rast, the new denim line by Trace Ayala and Justin Timberlake (8 p.m.). The first 300 customers who present $100 or more in same-day receipts will receive a surprise gift. Shoe designer Steve Madden will appear from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at Nordstrom.

Betsey Johnson’s store will be turned into “Betsey’s Candyland,” where customers can sample candy and popcorn while shopping to live DJ music. At 6 p.m. in Macy’s, Nick Verreos, a contestant on Project Runway’s second season, will host a fall fashion show for men and women. Macy’s will offer shoppers “red carpet” perks such as services from makeup artists with Dior and Urban Decay, appearances by a Papi Underwear model and mini massages. More than 50 retailers, including Anthropologie, AX Armani Exchange, J. Crew, Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger, will offer perks while shopping that night. Stop by the mall’s concierge center to get a swag bag stuffed with a $10 Aventura Mall gift card and valet parking comps.

Contact Joanie Cox at jcox@citylinkmagazine.com.

Laura Wheelwright and James Frecheville star in Animal Kingdom.

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by John Thomason

What an opening scene: A blank-faced teenager sits on a sofa while a cheesy game show blares on the television, his mother sound asleep next to him. It’s seemingly a moment of typical middle-class ennui, a harmless introduction to a conventional world. That is, until the paramedics arrive, and it’s revealed the mother is dead from a heroin overdose. We’re just a minute into Animal Kingdom, and already David Michod, this Australian crime saga’s writer-director, has subverted our expectations. The audience may be shocked, but the boy, nicknamed J (James Frecheville), takes the news calmly, because for him, it is a conventional part of his world.

Born into a family of armed robbers, drug abusers and roughnecks ruling the Darwinian underworld of Melbourne, J had remained cloistered from his familial environment until his mother’s abrupt demise. He is soon thrust back into his siblings’ nefarious dealings, spearheaded by his older brothers Pope (a volatile Ben Mendelsohn) and Barry (Joel Edgerton), the latter trying to kick the crime game and play the stock market. When one of the clan is murdered in a sneak attack by undercover police officers, the family’s kingdom begins to crumble, and J’s involvement with his brothers’ brutality becomes ever more pervasive.

Michod creates an atmosphere of menace around every corner, public and private, and death is unceremonious and constant. Inspired by his research into Australia’s underground crime culture, Michod has crafted a cynical milieu as inescapable as it is terrifying, where loyalty trumps morality and violence is the only means of survival.

Mendelsohn, Edgerton and Guy Pearce (cast as the requisite heroic apple in a batch of rotten cops) unjustly draw top billing, but this is Frecheville’s movie, a debut performance of sullen features, downcast eyes and marvelous emotional constriction that recall the empty-canvas models famously employed by the great French director Robert Bresson.

Animal Kingdom will open Friday, Sept. 10 at Regal South Beach, Sunrise Gateway in Fort Lauderdale and Regal Shadowood in Boca Raton. Contact John Thomason at jpthomason@tribune.com.

Valentina Ramos

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by Colleen Dougher

The first thing a viewer may notice about Valentina Ramos’ paintings of flowers and animals are the incredibly intricate and swirly designs within them. But don’t ask her how many hours she spends on each work. She doesn’t know. “It’s difficult to tell how long an entire piece takes, because usually, I’m working on several pieces at the same time,” she says. “Sometimes, I have to switch between projects to get a new perspective.”

Ramos is clearly a multitasker. Her biggest challenge, she says, has been to create an entire series on a supertight deadline, as she did last year when she painted 30 6-inch-by-six-inch canvases in two months for a show at Rex Art Framing in Miami. She did this while juggling a move and her freelance work.

Eight years ago, Ramos relocated to South Florida from Venezuela, where she earned a degree in graphic design. “Four years ago, I found what I thought was my own style and I started to feel more confident as an artist,” she says. Ramos now divides her time between freelance commissions — such as creating Web site headers, blog templates and background patterns — and painting, drawing and printing her own artistic creations.

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Ramos’ works begin with black ink. Sometimes, she creates her ink-and-acrylic images on canvases. Other times, she draws an image on watercolor paper and then scans it onto her computer and digitally colors it with an illustrator program. All her work is done in her home studio, which has a big window that offers a great view of the rainy days that inspire her. “I know this is going to sound funny because I live in Miami, but I absolutely love rainy days,” she says. “ I love to be in my studio working and listening to the rain. … And if a thunderstorm is near, even better.”

Her studio is small, but so are her works. Because of the intricate details, Ramos generally works on canvases no larger than 1-foot-by-1-foot. Soon, though, she will take on a few that are double that size. “I think it’s going to be a great challenge,” she says.

While Ramos has exhibited at venues such as Windisch-Hunt Fine Art Gallery, Bear and Bird Gallery and Focaccia Rustica restaurant, she sells most of her original artworks and prints through her Etsy shop and other online venues that carry her work. Recently, Urban Outfitters selected her prints of “Susie the Bird” and “The Elephant” for inclusion in its online print shop.

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In addition to galleries of her digital drawings and paintings, her Web site, Valentinadesign.com, now offers pillows, napkins, place mats, fabrics and iPhone cases featuring her art. “Those are part of the next chapter of my life,” she explains. “I’m working right now on my commercial art to be used in everyday items. My goal and dream is to license my patterns, design and artwork to be used in different products.”

As she puts it in one of the inspirational phrases that appears in some of her art works, “She believed she could, so she did.”

“I believe I’m a positive girl, but I still I have tons of doubtful moments,” Ramos admits. “In order to keep focused, positive and inspired, I decide to surround myself with tons of inspirational images. I think life will be a lot better if people can see the bright side and act accordingly.”

“I can’t wait to have a whole line of fabrics, wallpaper and stationeries with my patterns and design,” she adds. “I guess right now, ‘She believed she could so she did’ can be my mantra to focus and reach my goal.”

Contact Colleen Dougher at cdougher@citylinkmagazine.com.

Model Danyell Marie Sluss at Davie Ale House. Photo by Beth Black.

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The 2010 NFL season begins Thursday night, when the New Orleans Saints welcome the Minnesota Vikings to the Superdome. The Miami Dolphins will open their season against the Bills Sunday in Buffalo, and those sons of bitches who call themselves the New York Jets will host the Baltimore Ravens Monday night. (We don’t really have anything against the Jets — we just wanted to make a couple of Yankee heads explode. Sorry.)

NCAA Football began its season last week, marking the return to the field of, among many other teams, the Florida Gators (without the self-canonized Tim Tebow), the University of Miami Hurricanes (without its entire offensive line in jail) and the Florida Seminoles (without the hope of ever enjoying life as Florida Gators).

Obviously, we’re partial to the Dolphins and Gators around here, but that doesn’t mean we can’t raise a glass with those people who favor our opponents. Heck, we’ve even been known to date and marry people who don’t bleed orange, blue and teal. So without reservation, we’ve included among the following list of football-friendly sports bars and restaurants venues that welcome fans of teams such as the Seminoles, Jets, Giants, Eagles and Cowboys. Each of these venues has rolled out some fairly spectacular drink specials for football season, so if you soon find yourself in need of clinking pints of beer with supporters of your team’s biggest rivals, you’ll only need to consult this list. Unless, of course, you’re looking to drink with Patriots fans. You want to party with those buzzards, you’re on your own.

BOKAMPER’S SPORTS BAR AND GRILL
Kim Bokamper played for the Miami Dolphins from 1977 to 1985, but in the years since he retired from the NFL, the former linebacker has become better-known as a sportscaster for WFOR-Channel 4 and WQAM 560-AM and for lending his name to this mega-sports bar, which features more than 50 televisions among its indoor and outdoor dining areas.
Location: 1280 S. Pine Island Road, Fort Lauderdale, 954-533-7152, Bokampers.com
Specials: $2.50 drafts of Miller Lite, Coors Light, Yuengling and Bud Light; five-for-$10 buckets of Coors Light and Miller Lite; and four-for-$10 buckets of Sam Adams
Home team: Miami Dolphins

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BRU’S ROOM
Named for another retired Dolphins linebacker, this time Bob “Bru” Brudzinski, Bru’s Room is a popular gathering spot for sports fans. During football season, the Pompano Beach and Coral Springs locations play host to Florida Gators and Ohio State Buckeyes fan clubs, respectively.
Locations: 235 S. Federal Highway, Pompano Beach, 954-785-2227; 1000 N. University Drive, Coral Springs, 954-656-8041; 35 N.E. Second Ave., Delray Beach, 561-276-3663; 123 N.E. 20th Ave., Suite 21, Deerfield Beach, 954-420-5959; 5460 W. Hillsboro Blvd., Coconut Creek, 954-571-6999; and 1333 N. Congress Ave., Boynton Beach, 561-739-9332; 9060 Commercial Blvd., Sunrise, 954-746-9696; Brusroom.com
Specials: Five-for-$12.50 domestic buckets and five-for-$17.50 import buckets
Home teams: Miami Dolphins, Florida Gators (Pompano Beach), Ohio State Buckeyes (Coral Springs)

BUFFALO’S SOUTHWEST CAFÉ
Part of a five-state chain, Buffalo’s is a family-friendly outpost for fans of all NFL and NCAA teams. The menu offers burgers, plenty of fried fare and Mexican-influenced cuisine such as a spicy salmon entrée and a tortilla chicken pasta.
Location: 5761 Coral Ridge Drive, Coral Springs, 954-757-4500, Buffaloscafe.com
Specials: $2 domestic bottles; $2 domestic drafts; and two-for-one well drinks, wines and margaritas
Home team: None

CAPONE’S FLICKER LITE PIZZA
Hollywood may be best known for its large flock of Canadian snowbirds, but at Capone’s, the world begins and ends in Chicago. This long-running venue on the Intracoastal specializes in Chicago-style pizza, seafood and Italian fare. Naturally, the Bears are Capone’s team of choice.
Location: 1014 N. Ocean Drive, Hollywood, 954-922-4232, Caponesflickerlite.com
Specials: Five-for-$10 buckets of Bud, Bud Light, Coors and Miller; five-for-$12 buckets of Heineken
Home team: Chicago Bears

CHAMPPS AMERICANA
A sports-friendly chain restaurant with locations as far north as Minnesota, where it originated, and as far west as Colorado, Champps offers unusual burgers (including a huevos burger topped with a fried egg and jalapeño bacon) and television screens seemingly everywhere you look.
Location: 6401 N. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale, 954-491-9335, Champps.com
Specials: $2.60 Miller Lite and Coors Light drafts; $3.50 Negra Modelo drafts; $4 Skyy Vodka bombs; $5 Jose Cuervo margaritas; five-for-$11 buckets of Polar; five-for-$13 buckets of Corona and Corona Light; and five-for-$13 buckets of Negra Modelo
Home teams: New York Jets, New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers

DAVIE ALE HOUSE
A screen pass away from the Dolphins training camp, Davie Ale House is the ideal place to get into a debate about whether or not all that marijuana and yoga has made Ricky Williams a better player.
Location: 2080 S. University Drive, Davie, 954-236-0062, Millersalehouse.com
Specials: $1 drink of the day; $6 pitchers; $7.95 buckets; and roughly 30 liquor specials
Home team: Miami Dolphins

DUFFY’S SPORTS GRILL
Duffy’s claims to be the official sports grill of the Miami Dolphins, Florida Panthers and Florida Marlins. It makes good on that designation by offering one of the longest lists of football-season drink and food specials in South Florida.
Location: Multiple locations throughout South Florida
Specials: The following are served every day during football season: $5.99 Arizona poppers; $5.99 Pittsburgh pierogies; $7.99 Raider Nation beef soft tacos; $7.99 New England jumbo fried clams; $8 Jose Cuervo Gold margaritas; $8 Buffalo Bloody Mary (a Bloody Mary mixed with Duffy’s wing sauce); $8 Kickin’ Kooler (Smirnoff vodka, Red Stag bourbon, Amaretto, pineapple juice, orange juice and grenadine); $8 South Beach Iced Tea (Absolut, Tanqueray, Cruzan rum, Jose Cuervo, sour mix and Pepsi); and $8 Dolphins Finatics Punch (Parrot Bay coconut rum, blue curaçao and pineapple juice). The following only are available Saturday, Sunday and Monday: $3.50 Coors Light, Bud, Bud Light and Miller Lite 34-ounce drafts; five-for-$10 buckets of Coors Light, Miller Lite, Bud, Bud Light and Bud Select; and five-for-$15 buckets of Amstel Light, Corona and Heineken.
Home team: Miami Dolphins; a Washington Redskins fan club meets at the Boca Raton location

GALUPPI’S RESTAURANT
If you’re planning to get married during the next five months and happen to be a fan of the Florida State Seminoles, you have our sympathies. You also could do much worse than to hold your wedding reception at Galuppi’s, which is one of two game-watching headquarters for the Seminole Club of Broward County. (The other is Sportszone 84 Bar and Grill; see page 22.)
Location: 1103 N. Federal Highway, Pompano Beach, 954-785-0226, Galuppis.com
Specials: Five-for-$5.99 buckets of Coors Light, Miller Lite and Miller Genuine Draft 64 during NFL games; five-for-$10 domestic buckets during Florida State Seminoles games
Home team: Florida State Seminoles

GATSBY’S DAVIE
This slick meet market and upscale pool hall serves an inexpensive Jack and Coke during football games, which is reason enough to recommend it. The attractive wait staff and patrons are another.
Location: 1805 S. University Drive, David, 954-476-0063, Gatsbysfl.com
Specials: $3.50 Jack and Cokes; five-for-$10 domestic buckets; and five-for-$15 import buckets
Home team: Miami Dolphins

LANDLUBBER’S RAW BAR AND GRILL
The bartender who answered the phone at this long-running raw bar had to take several deep breaths as she ran down for us the exhaustive list of specials Landlubber’s offers during football season. The venue welcomes fans of all NFL and NCAA teams, though it attracts a large contingent of Oakland Raiders fans, who not surprisingly have commanded their own room here.
Location: 1851 N. Pine Island Road, Plantation, 954-473-2884, Landlubbersrawbar.com
Specials: $1 Icehouse and Budweiser Select drafts; $1.50 Pabst Blue Ribbon drafts; $2.50 shots of UV Vodka; $3 Newcastle 16-ounce drafts; $3.25 Heineken 16-ounce cans; $6.95 domestic pitchers; five-for-$8 buckets of Miller; five-for-$10 buckets of Miller Lite; the Tower, a pitcher and a half of domestic beer for $9.99; and a Tower with 20 chicken wings for $18.99
Home team: Oakland Raiders

PARROT LOUNGE
Celebrating its 40th anniversary Oct. 14-16, this sports bar a block removed from Fort Lauderdale beach heavily favors two teams from Pennsylvania.
Location: 911 Sunrise Lane, Fort Lauderdale, 954-563-1493,
Parrotlounge.com
Specials: Five-for-$12 domestic buckets and five-for-$17 import buckets
Home teams: Philadelphia Eagles and Pennsylvania State Nittany Lions

QUARTERDECK
Often-crowded during football games, this casual restaurant and sports bar offers daily specials to go along with a menu that features a number of seafood entrées, burgers and fried appetizers.
Locations: 12370 W. Sunrise Blvd., Plantation, 954-423-4197; 1541 Cordova Road, Fort Lauderdale, 954-524-6163; 2933 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, 954-525-2010; 3155 S. University Drive, Davie, 954-452-7676; 3280 Old Boynton Road, Boynton Beach, 561-374-9113; Quarterdeckrestaurants.com
Specials: Two-for-one domestic and import drafts and bottles, from noon to 5 p.m. Saturdays and all hours of operation Sundays
Home teams: None

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SHUCK-N-DIVE CAJUN CAFÉ
A New Orleans-style eatery that serves a mean bowl of gumbo, oyster and catfish po’ boys and, somewhat incongruously, the best buffalo burger we’ve had in South Florida, Shuck-N-Dive is, of course, an ideal place to watch the Saints and Tigers play. Those teams go best with the Louisiana-brewed Abita beer, but Shuck-N-Dive offers a discount on a more-familiar brand during Monday Night Football games.
Location: 650 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, 954-462-0088
Specials: $2 Bud drafts during Monday Night Football
Home teams: New Orleans Saints and Louisiana State Tigers

SPORTSZONE 84 BAR AND GRILL
With a television in every booth, 22 big-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi, this relatively new entry on the Fort Lauderdale sports-bar scene is not the place to go for an evening of quiet contemplation. The large menu offers a bounty of fried finger foods, burgers, hot and cold sandwiches, and sports-bar-friendly entrées such as fajitas and baby-back ribs.
Location: 2440 W. State Road 84, Fort Lauderdale, 954-734-2424, Sportszone84.com
Specials: $1 drafts; $10 domestic buckets; $19 pitcher and wings
Home teams: Dallas Cowboys and Florida State Seminoles

John Mayer

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by Jake Cline and Joanie Cox

SATURDAY 11: JOHN MAYER
John Mayer seems to have no trouble putting his foot in his mouth — flash back to the Jessica Simpson/sexual napalm remarks and the bizarre comments he made about his junk being “sort of like a white supremacist.” His recent rant regarding the Huffington Post, however, at least was entertaining. On Aug. 26, Mayer tweeted a response to a Huffington Post piece that suggested Mayer and his ex-girlfriend Jennifer Aniston had gotten back together. “Huffington Post, this is reporting?” Mayer wrote. “How do you pay your writers now, in Silly Bandz? Do you meet your sources in a malt shoppe? This is equal parts fabricated, cobbled together and misleading.” Given Mayer’s endless ride on the tabloid carousel, it’s easy to forget that he’s a solid blues guitarist who has written clever pieces for Esquire and recorded several Grammy-winning songs and albums. Owl City, which has nothing to do with Florida Atlantic University, will open tonight’s show.
Location: Cruzan Amphitheatre, 601-7 Sansbury’s Way, West Palm Beach
Time: 7 p.m.
Cost: $48.10-$84.50
Contact: 561-795-8883 or Livenation.com

SATURDAY 11: CRYSTAL CASTLES
Few contemporary bands are as anti-iPod as Crystal Castles, which is to say that only at the risk of lasting hearing damage would you ever want to listen to this duo’s music through headphones. High-pitched, robotic and glitchy, a typical Crystal Castles song sounds as if it had been recorded under extreme conditions, say while its creators, Ethan Kath and the appropriately named Alice Glass, were trapped in an underground ice cave with no hope of survival. You don’t get close to this music so much as attempt to escape it, which has proven near impossible since the band released its second self-titled album this past May. The music press has gone gaga over the album, with Pitchfork not surprisingly leading the way, describing Crystal Castles as “a singular act who rarely sound like anyone other than themselves.” For once, we can’t disagree.
Location: Grand Central, 697 N. Miami Ave., Miami
Time: 10 p.m.
Cost: $25
Contact: 305-377-2277 or Grandcentralmiami.com

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SATURDAY 11: DAVIE PRO RODEO
Troy Weekley, one of three brothers from Davie who have been working with the rodeo for 21 years, promotes his event much like John Wayne might have. He doesn’t issue fluffy press releases or schedule pointless celebrity appearances typical of an event in South Florida. “This is about big, bad bulls and cowboys,” Weekley says. During tonight’s championship bull-riding event, more than 30 cowboys will attempt to stay atop some mighty powerful, buckin’ sirloins. The evening will begin with a patriotic 9/11 memorial and a tribute to local policemen and firefighters.
Location: Bergeron Rodeo Grounds, 4271 Davie Road, Davie
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Cost: $15
Contact: 954-680-8005 or Davieprorodeo.com

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SUNDAY 12: FALL FOR THE ARTS FESTIVAL
Since free is pretty much in everybody’s budget these days, the Fall for the Arts Festival may be a cool way to spend a Sunday. Two stages will feature performances by eight acts, including Bahamas Junkanoo Revue, Japanese drumming group Fushu Daiko, Latin funk band Ozomatli and Rebirth Brass Band. This last is a marching band from New Orleans known for mixing spiritual, traditional and original tunes with trombones, trumpets and tubas. The event will resemble a cultural buffet, with more than 30 food options, such as Jefe’s Original Fish Taco and Burgers, and treats from the Feverish Ice Cream truck. Tickets for upcoming shows at the Adrienne Arsht Center will be for sale, minus the usual service charges.
Location: Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, 1300 Biscayne Blvd., Miami
Time: Noon-6 p.m.
Cost: Free
Contact: 305-949-6722 or Arshtcenter.org

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TUESDAY 14: JENNY MCCARTHY
UPDATED: McCarthy’s appearance has been rescheduled for Friday, Oct. 15.
In the late 1990s, former Playmate Jenny McCarthy took a comedic look at dating as the host of the MTV series Singled Out. Now, the 37-year-old mom and autism activist has penned a book titled Love, Lust and Faking It: The Naked Truth About Sex, Lies, and True Romance. McCarthy tonight will host a Q&A cocktail party and sign copies of her tongue-in-cheek tome, in which she discourses on first love, fantasies, breakups and the psychology of dating. Considering she was romantically linked to Jim Carrey for five years, she should have plenty of hilarious material to offer.
Location: Epic Hotel 270, Biscayne Boulevard Way, Miami
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Cost: Receive a ticket to the event by purchasing a copy of Love, Lust and Faking It at Books and Books for $24.99.
Contact: 305-424-5226 or Booksandbooks.com

Note: To ward off ballot-stuffers, we ask that you vote only once per category and include your full name with your vote. Anonymous votes will not be counted.

Today’s ballot entry: BEST TWITTER FEED

Have a favorite? Let us know.

“Betty” by Coma Girl

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by Colleen Dougher

In addition to the scores of new art shows and fairs taking place in the coming months, several annual and monthly events also will return. Here are some of the most-significant ones.

ANNUAL EVENTS

Stitch Rock
Noon-6 p.m. Oct. 2 in the gymnasium at Old School Square, 51 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach, Rockthestitch.com
House of Sweets owner Amanda Linton whips up indie art fairs like she whips up cupcakes. In 2007, she lured 45 crafters to Old School Square for Stitch Rock, and on Oct. 2, she’ll hold her fourth such event but in a bigger space with 70 vendors culled from the 250 who applied. In addition to local craft-show regulars such Our Lady of Perpetual Pickles and Chloe the Hot Dog and Friends, the fair will include objects made from duct tape by Treasured Tape, illustrations by Danny Brito, cute blobs by Downtown Monsters, and for those people who enjoy lathering up with Guinness or Sam Adams, soap by the Beer Soap Co. The fair will give free swag bags to the first 100 attendees and free parking for all in a nearby garage.

Florida Atlantic University Fine Arts Festival
10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 9-10 in the Visual Arts Center and Schmidt Center Gallery at Florida Atlantic University, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, 561-297-3870, Fau.edu/VAAH
This two-day fundraiser for the university’s Visual Art and Art History departments will feature art and design works that start at $10 by students, faculty and alumni, as well as food, drinks, theater, music studio and gallery tours and 10 short artist talks each day. The event is part of the 10 to the Power of 10 funding initiative to secure 10,000 donations of $10 to compensate for state budget shortfalls that FAU officials say have left the university’s art department with critical needs.

10X10
5-10 p.m. Nov. 20 at Lake Worth Storage, 4166 S. Military Trail,
Lake Worth, Artsiteprojects.org
This one-night exhibition, curated by Kara Walker-Tome of Showtel, takes place in vacant storage spaces. Visitors travel through a maze of storage units to find site-specific installations.

Art Basel Miami Beach
Dec. 2-5, at Miami Beach Convention Center, 1901 Convention Center Drive, 305-673-7311, Artbaselmiamibeach.com
This sister event of the prestigious Art Basel in Switzerland will feature an international selection of more than 250 leading art galleries presenting works by more than 2,000 artists. The show brings the international art world to Miami, where gallerists and artists take full advantage of the opportunity by presenting their own art shows, satellite fairs, anti-fairs and projects such as Primary Flight, at which street artists paint the walls of Wynwood. In early December, empty buildings become makeshift galleries as artists and those who represent them vie for the attention of international press, collectors and gallery owners.

Art Miami
11 a.m.-7 p.m. Dec. 1-4, and 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Dec. 5 at Art Miami Pavilion, between Northeast 32nd Street and Northeast 31st Street on Midtown Boulevard, Miami, 561-626-9943, Art-miami.com
This showcase of contemporary art from 100 international galleries and institutions has been taking place annually for 21 years. Once held every January at the Miami Beach Convention Center, the fair is now held the week of Art Basel in a 100,000-square-foot pavilion in Midtown Miami. Last year, the fair included works by 2,500 artists from 17 countries, and drew 6,500 collectors and 36,000 visitors. Art Miami will begin Nov. 30 with a VIP preview party to benefit Lotus House Women’s Shelter and continue through Dec. 5.

Retro-indie Market
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Feb. 12 at Boynton Woman’s Club, 1010 S. Federal Highway, Boynton Beach, 561-635-8086, Retroindie.com
This collaboration between Stitch Rock’s Amanda Linton and House of Vintage’s Michelle Parparian will feature 60 booths of handmade items and vintage clothing and accessories. Admission is $5 and the first 100 attendees will receive free swag.

Lake Worth Street Painting Festival
Feb. 26 and 27, downtown Lake Worth, 561-582-4401, Streetpaintingfestivalinc.org
This weekend fest, now in its 17th year, attracts hundreds of artists who create chalk works on the streets while bands perform in the nearby cultural plaza and pubs and restaurants along Lake Avenue. By Sunday afternoon, downtown Lake Worth has been transformed into a street gallery, and even the chalk-covered artists look like works of art.

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Showtel
Spring 2011, Hotel Biba, 320 Belvedere Road, West Palm Beach,
Artsiteprojects.org
At this show, artists transform as many as two dozen hotel rooms into installations featuring performance art, sculpture, sound and video. It began as a two-day event with artists from Palm Beach County, but the 2010 Showtel added a third day and drew proposals from all over Florida, and even one from Minnesota. Artists had 48 hours to transform their rooms into installations. In one room, Jackie Tufford, the fanciful Miss Pincushion, attempted to sew with giant needles and spools of thread to demonstrate pure frustration.

Art Rock
Noon-6 p.m. Saturday, May 7 at Armory Art Center, 1700 Parker Ave., West Palm Beach, Artrockrocks.com
After making Stitch Rock a sought-after showcase for indie artists and crafters, Amanda Linton this past May launched Art Rock, a fair presenting indie crafts, lowbrow art, food, live painting and sewing, and fashion. She’ll do it all again May 7.

MONTHLY EVENTS

Art at Storks
First Monday of the month unless it’s a holiday (in which case it’s the Monday before), Storks Bakery, 2505 N.E. 15th Ave., Wilton Manors, Artsunitedonline.org
Each month, Storks and ArtsUnited present an art show in the bakery. Maurizio Battifora’s paintings are currently on exhibit.

Art Nouveau
Third Wednesday of every month at the Lounge, 517 Clematis St., West Palm Beach, Artnouveauevents.com
Last year, painter Teresa Korber created Art Nouveau Events, which hosts monthly one-night art parties at the Lounge. The shows are popular among artists who love the themes, party atmosphere and exposure. Works include acrylics, spray-painting, photography, glass-blowing, live body-painting, jewelry and food created around themes such as love, Willy Wonka, carnivals, deadly sins and tattoos. The theme for this month’s show (Sept. 15) is AlterEGO, and next month’s (Oct. 13) is Confessions. A bonus show, titled Inferno, will be held 7-10 p.m. Oct. 21 at the Armory Art Center in West Palm Beach to allow room for the fire-breathers who will perform on the patio. Korber will celebrate Art Nouveau’s first year by presenting the Palm Beach Art and Music Festival, an art-meets-music bash Nov. 6 at West Palm Beach’s Meyer Amphitheatre. Visit Palmbeachartandmusicfestival.com.

Fat Village Arts District Walk
7-11 p.m. on the fourth Saturday of every month between Northwest Fourth and Northwest Sixth streets, a block west of Andrews Avenue in Fort Lauderdale, Facebook.com/Fatvillageartsdistrict
Art galleries and studios, theater projects and music studios all hold open houses in this neighborhood, which is home to Blackbooks, Alfred Phillips Art Studio, Gallery 101, the Art of Alex, Francisco Sheuat Art Studio and others.

Lincoln Road Art Walk
7 p.m. on the first Saturday of every month at ArtCenter/South Florida, 800, 810 and 924 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach, 305-674-8278, Artcentersf.org
Visit more than 30 artists in this center, which provides subsidized studio space to artists such as Natasha Duwin, Adriana Carvalho, David Zalben, Wendy Coad, Franklin Sinanan and Brandon Opalka.

Second Saturday
7-10 p.m. in Miami’s Wynwood Art District and the Design District
Tour open studios and galleries in Wynwood, home to the Bakehouse Art Complex, Hardcore Art, Dot Fifty-One, Butter Gallery and Harold Golen; and the Design District, which is home to Spinello Gallery, Locust Project, Wolfgang Roth and Partners Fine Art.

With a Side of Art
One Tuesday a month at Howley’s, 4700 S. Dixie Highway, West Palm Beach, 561-833-5691, Withasideofart.blogspot.com
Amanda Linton curates these monthly art shows in a 1950s-style diner. Themes have included hot rods, rockabilly chicks, summertime, huggable art and the sea.

ARTSY FUNDRAISERS

Art/Heart
9 p.m.-2 a.m. Oct. 15 at Stage 84, 9118 W. State Road 84, Davie,
Artheartreachinreachout.org
This fundraiser for His House Children’s Home, which is having difficulty meeting the needs of orphaned and displaced Haitian children, will feature art by Katya Neptune, Alexis Colbert, Kris Starry, Luzalma Gonzalez, Coma Girl and Rachel DeJohn; live screen-printing by Lowell Donofrio; live art by Mo Brenner; and music by Jason Hansen, Jennie Mahood and DJ Sensitive Side.

A Little Naughty
7 p.m. Oct. 16 at Gallery 101, 501 N. Andrews Ave., Fort Lauderdale, 954-530-2723, Artsunitedonline.org
This multidiscipline fundraiser with erotic art, provocative performances and an auction will benefit programs at Arts-United, a nonprofit organization dedicated to presenting a positive message about the gay and lesbian community.

Ribbons for the Children
6-8:30 p.m. Dec. 3 at Museum of Art, 1 E. Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale, 954-525-5500, Artsunitedonline.org
Twenty-five ArtsUnited artists will offer their interpretation of the red AIDS awareness ribbon. These images will be reproduced on note cards and auctioned to raise money for Children’s Diagnostic and Treatment Center in Fort Lauderdale. The event raises more than $15,000 annually for the center. Admission is $25-$35. Red tie requested.

Contact Colleen Dougher at cdougher@citylinkmagazine.com.

Sweet Bronco

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by Colleen Dougher

Sometimes, life is grand. We accomplish our goals, are in happy relationships and love our jobs. Other times, life is complicated and takes a tremendous amount of effort not to become overwhelmed. That’s when we dream of running away from all that’s keeping us down. Like the Talking Heads song “Psycho Killer” suggests for those people who are tense and nervous and can’t relax, “Run, run, run, run, run, run, run away.” This week, we present five songs from South Florida musicians who have explored the theme of running away.

Sweet Bronco’s “Run” is an energetic, urgent tune in which frontman Chris Horgan sings, “There’s a hurricane coming tonight/It’s comin’, it’s comin’/And it’s gonna take the power and light/It’s comin’, it’s comin’ on/ … It’s a one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight life/You can run if you want but you won’t make it out in time.” Horgan wrote the song before moving back to Florida from California. “I have a long history of escapism, and it’s a theme present throughout our upcoming Morning Night LP,” he says. “Usually, the songs deal with escape from some overwhelming apocalyptic force. In ‘Run,’ it’s a hurricane.” Horgan says he thought about Hurricane Wilma as he wrote the song. “Our power stayed out for almost a month, and I was playing piano every night by candlelight or in total darkness,” he recalls. “There was a certain peace and acceptance that came over everyone. It gave me a kind of faith that is always present when I write songs.” The song, he adds, is also about people blaming South Florida for their problems and thinking they can escape those problems by running away. “But if that’s what you think,” he concludes, “there is no escape.” To hear “Run,” visit Myspace.com/sweetbronco. Sweet Bronco will perform 11 p.m. Friday, Sept 17 at Dada in Delray Beach.

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People can’t run away from all their problems, but they can run from the law. In “Runnin’ From the Law,” Fort Lauderdale hip-hop artist Protoman raps about Palm Beach pain clinics, OxyContin, women, booze, unpaid child support accusations, cops and riding a mountain bike down I-95 with a boom box bound to the frame with bungee cords. The song addresses stereotypes. “I wanted to make a song that was different, nondefensive, open and poking fun at oneself,” Protoman explains. “When you hear the song, you envision a sort of rebel who likes his drugs, women, booze and hip-hop. All of those vices are proudly consumed while running from the law.” To hear the song, which features Protoman’s smooth yet rapidly delivered rapping over a funky, jazzy beat from South Florida producer Numonics, visit Myspace.com/protoman.

“I want to know the truth, I want to know the reason/You’re still staying in my room, when your heart is in your car/And your foot down, down to the floor … again,” Diane Ward sings softly on “Down to the Floor.” The song, with lyrics by Brian Franklin, concerns things left unsaid and the gap those unspoken words create between people. Sometimes, the song argues, it’s easier to run than to confront one’s feelings. “This was an attempt to write the world’s saddest breakup song: a slow-motion parting between two people who have moved on at different speeds, with one waking up to the fact they’ve lost, and ready to confront it,” Franklin says. To hear the song, which will appear on an album Ward plans to release next year, visit Dianeward.com.

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B-Liminal’s reggae tune “Running Away,” also focuses on resolving one’s problems rather than looking for an escape route. As Bryce Rutkowski sings, “Why are you running, running away?/The truth is behind your eyes, so don’t be afraid to try it/Why are you running, running away?” Written during a difficult time in Rutkowski’s life, “Running Away” insists true answers to problems come from within. “We sometimes look everywhere except the obvious for solutions,” the songwriter says. “The longer we run away from our problems, the heavier they get. … There are so many times things don’t go our way or as planned. This is where faith and confidence get us through the moments of fear or uncertainty. So this song is a reminder of a higher state of consciousness that exists within all of us and will get us where we need or want to be.” To hear “Running Away,” from B-Liminal’s 2009 album, Shore Culture, visit Myspace.com/b-liminal.

While running from problems may not always be advisable, there is a time to flee from things that aren’t working out. “Picture Frame” seems to be about breaking free from what keeps and defines us. “I can’t see life, outside the frame and the glass, is where I sit contained,” Danny Luis sings. “I cannot explain why this needs to change, but it needs to change.” Luis also sings that he is “tired of being contained” and considers whether there is freedom “beyond the lines” and in “words and dreams and things you cannot see.” If there is, then that might be a good destination for all the people running from love, truth, hurricanes, South Florida and the law. To hear “Picture Frame,” visit Myspace.com/Dannyluismusic.

Contact Colleen Dougher at cdougher@citylinkmagazine.com.