This is your chance to check out over 30 unique art venues during Art Basel. 

By Marguerite Gil
Columnist

By now if you haven’t purchased some works of art at Art Basel, don’t feel left out, neither have most of us. But if you have not involved yourselves in the extensive partying in conjunction with the festival, well, that’s unforgivable. More so since a large number of events are free and waiting for your attendance. Many artists, gallery owners, restaurants, clubs and even developers are setting up makeshift spaces all around the Magic City and promoting known and lesser know sculptors and painters in the hopes of making a sale or two, exchanging business cards with potential condo clients, and just being part of the whole celebration.

Artist Richard Boprae, whose architectural installations will grace the walls of a hot, new restaurant and lounge slated to open in 2005 called Karu and Y, will give guests a sneak preview of his work in progress when he holds an open house on December 4^th from 8 p.m. to midnight in his studio at 2534 N. Miami Avenue #1A in the Wynwood section of town. What!!! You haven’t visited Wynwood, the latest arts district in N.W. Miami? Well, this is your chance to check out over 30 unique art venues during Art Basel.

Ah…the Holidays Are Finally Here!

Now with Thanksgiving behind us, the official start of the 2004 holiday season is in full swing. With the holidays comes the same old sayings, ad nauseum, such as “Another year gone by, where did the time go” or, “I can’t believe that it’s that time of year again, it seems like just yesterday that (you fill in the blank)” or, “get those cards, letters and fruitcakes out early” etc., etc. Well, being the grinch that I am, I’ve got my own thoughts about the holidays and I’ve set some of those to music. (Sung to the tune of “Deck the Halls.”)

Here we go with days of folly,

Fa la la la la, la la la laaaaa,

Start the search for trucks and dollies,

Fa la la la la, la la la laaaaa,

Raid the stores with hostile shoppers,

Fa la la, la la la, la la laaaaaaaaaa,

Push and shove the tiny boppers,

Fa la la la la, la la, la la.

Find the ribbons and the wrappings,

Fa la la la la, la la la laaaaa,

Every year the same old crappings,

Fa la la la la, la la la laaaaa,

Pulling out the Yule time spirits,

Fa la la, la la la, la la laaaaaaaaaa,

Gets real hard unless you beer-it,

Fa la la la la, la la, la la.

Now’s the time to get those cards out,

Fa la la la la, la la la laaaaa,

Sending cheers to folks, I know not,

Fa la la la la, la la la laaaaa,

Maxing out the credit card lines,

Fa la la, la la la, la la laaaaa,

When the bank warns that I’m behind,

Fa la la la la, la la, la la.

Malls are not meant, for the weakened,

Fa la la la la, la la, la laaaaa,

All my bones are loudly creaking,

Fa la la la la, la la, la laaaaa,

But I’ll strive to make the finish,

Fa la la, la la la, la la la,

Then rush home and taste the Guinness

Fa la la la la, hic-cup, la la, la la.

Shopping, schelping, shmoozing, snoozing,

Fa la la la la, la la, la laaaaa,

Thankfully there’s all the boozing,

Fa la la la la, la la, la laaaaa,

Makes the season good for living

Fa la la, la la la, la la laaaaaa,

Damn it all, it’s worthwhile giving,

Fa la la la la, la la, la laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Send your Miami Shores, Upper East Side, Design District, Downtown Miami and Brickell events information to megs@gate.net.