Category: Community

Posted on

What to eat when transitioning with hormone therapy

While a person is assigned a sex at birth of male or female, a person’s gender identity refers to their inner sense of being male, female, both, or possessing no gender at all. Gender expression refers to the outward appearance of gender demonstrated through name, pronouns, clothing, haircut, voice, and more.

Transgender people have a gender identity and/or gender expression that differs from their sex designated at birth. Some transgender people may seek to medically transition with hormone therapy, which is typically used to produce physical changes that help align their body with their gender identity.

Feminizing hormone therapy involves taking medicine to block the hormone testosterone, as well as taking the hormone estrogen. Masculinizing hormone therapy involves taking the hormone testosterone. Hormone therapy may be taken as injections, pills, gels, sprays, or patches. Not all transgender people will choose to be on hormone therapy, but for those who do, the speed and magnitude of the changes will differ from person to person.

Physical Changes with Hormone Therapy

Transitioning with hormone therapy is often referred to as a “second puberty,” given the many physical changes that occur, such as changes in hair growth, skin oiliness, body size and shape, and the sound of one’s voice. These are normal and expected effects, especially during the first few years. Weight gain is a common side effect of both masculinizing and feminizing hormone therapy due to changes in body composition and appetite—this could be a few pounds for some or much more for others.

Hormone therapy also affects body composition, or the amount of fat and muscle someone has. Masculinizing hormone therapy tends to increase muscle and decrease fat, while feminizing hormone therapy tends to have the opposite effect.

Body shape may also change with hormone therapy, which to some is an important part of their gender expression. This is due to changes in where fat is located in the body.

Masculinizing hormone therapy tends to decrease body fat in the hips and buttocks, while the reverse often occurs with feminizing hormone therapy.

Hormone therapy may also impact other aspects of health where nutrition can play an important role, such as cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and bone mineral density.

Healthy Eating Guidelines

People undergoing hormone therapy may wonder if they should change their diet or if certain foods might affect hormone levels. They also may wonder if there are beneficial foods that can “kick-start” their transition.

The same healthy eating guidelines apply for cisgender (or non-transgender) people and transgender people alike. In other words, there is no special diet to follow when starting on hormone therapy, though calorie needs may change slightly. A healthy eating pattern can help ensure you are meeting your nutrient needs, promote overall health and well-being, and reduce the risk of many chronic diseases. Food and nutrition can also be a form of self-care during a time of rapid physical and emotional changes.

The 2020-2025 “Dietary Guidelines for Americans” recommends choosing a healthy eating routine, including the following:

  • Vegetables with an emphasis on a colorful variety, including dark green, red, and orange; beans, peas, and lentils; starchy vegetables; and other vegetables
  • Fruits, especially whole fruit
  • Grains, with at least half being whole grains
  • A variety of protein foods, such as lean meats, poultry, eggs, and seafood, as well as plant-based proteins such as beans, peas, lentils, nuts, and seeds
  • Low-fat or fat-free dairy such as milk, yogurt, and cheese or lactose-free versions of dairy products

“Dietary Guidelines for Americans” also recommends limiting daily intakes of added sugars, saturated fat, sodium, and alcohol.

Posted on

Rocking out with the Smokin’ Aces

“The ringleader of craziness” is how The Smokin’ Aces lead singer Lou Falco (who goes by “FALCO”) describes himself. “I’m the one with the bald head, goatee, and black nail polish.”

Originally from Valley Stream, N.Y., FALCO, 55, came to South Florida in 2000, moved away six years later, and returned in 2010 after sojourns to Texas and Georgia. He now lives in Deerfield Beach.

Singing since the age of 13, FALCO’s inspirations include Kiss, the original Van Halen with David Lee Roth, and Ronnie James Dio, a heavy metal singer who sang with a number of bands, including Black Sabbath.

The name “The Smokin’ Aces” was inspired by Joe Carnahan’s 2006 action film of the same name. “I thought it was cool,” FALCO says.

Additionally, the singer performs with the band Wicked Maraya. They toured Europe and the Americas, releasing five CDs including their latest one titled “Chapters,” released in 2023 by Massacre Records and characterized by moody, emotional layers, heavy grooves, and big, melodic vocals. Two months later, the CD hit No. 2 on the U.S. metal CD charts.

The band played their first live show in 25 years last March at Piper’s Pub in Pompano Beach and will be playing around South Florida this August.

The Smokin’ Aces—composed of Rafael Sa on bass, Johnny Ace on drums, Jose Pantoja on guitar, and Al Stone on keyboard—is known for putting on a good show and playing every party and fun genre of music, including rock, pop, punk, dance, disco, country, and funk.

Stone, 50, and FALCO have been making music together since 2000, meeting in the party and cover band Funkette at Murphy’s Law Irish Pub, a former landmark bar on Las Olas Boulevard. It was also a landmark time for Stone, who met his wife there while playing.

“Kismet,” Stone says, “An arrow and a beam of light hit me.”

A Plantation resident, Stone is 99.9% self-taught. He learned to play on his Casio keyboard by listening to Bruce Springsteen’s 1984 song, “Dancing in the Dark,” and Van Halen’s “Jump,” which he plays to this day.

“The current incarnation of The Smokin’ Aces is one of the best groups I’ve played with,” Stone says. “There’s nothing we won’t try and nothing we don’t excel at.”

He compares the band’s efforts to a snowplow, saying they clear the way for the audience to have a good time.

While he appreciates both Judas Priest and heavy metal, Stone likes to keep the band’s repertoire diverse and occasionally throws in something out of left field, such as a Harry Styles or Steely Dan tune.

“I’m the odd one out,” Stone confesses, admitting to a preference for melodic music, including the Beach Boys, Chicago, and Canadian singer-songwriter Gino Vannelli.

“Music allows us to navigate different emotions the crowd is feeling,” he says. “If they want to party and let loose and need a shot of adrenaline, we play louder, more rocking music. But, there’s a time to mellow out as well.”

With eclectic tastes, Stone listens to different musical genres. Feeling nostalgic, he’ll play some ’80s music; if he’s in a sentimental mood, he’ll put on Janes Taylor. He enjoys the Little River Band and the Eagles and gladly says he’s a huge Ambrosia fan.

“I’m the chameleon of the group,” he jokes. “I even listen to Miles Davis and Latin jazz.”

Among his musical influences, Stone says he’d most like to meet Michael McDonald, keyboardist for the Doobie Brothers, and his early inspiration, the Doors’ Ray Manzarek.

Stone is thankful to be part of the group and thankful to bring joy to his fans. “We genuinely have a good time on stage,” he says. “So as a result, the crowd has a good time.”

FALCO agrees. “If the audience is dancing and having fun, that’s what it’s all about,” he says.

Their 20-year career has been “amazing,” FALCO says.

Also a realtor with his partner, Lori Paolillo of Realty100, Rock And Roll Realtors, and a 911 emergency communications dispatcher at Coral Springs Police Department, FALCO got his start in Florida in 2000 by walking into Murphy’s Law, getting up on stage, and wowing the crowd.

“I had to learn 150 songs in three weeks,” he remembers. Twenty-five years later, he is still going strong.

“We know how to cater to the crowd; we’re practical, not pretentious,” FALCO says.

“We listen to our fans and fill our venues,” he says. “We throw everything against the wall and see what sticks.”

They cover a wide variety of bands such as Italian rock band Måneskin, Limp Bizkit, The Cure, Matchbox 20, and Kid Rock, as well as the Weekend, Marc Anthony, and Ricky Martin.

Locally, the band plays at Biergarten Boca Raton, Cagney’s House of Rock in Davie, Piper’s Pub in Pompano Beach, and Sharkey’s Bar and Grill in Coral Springs, where they will perform on July 26.

“We’re honored and thankful ‘our crowd’ follows us, comes out for us, supports us, and parties with us,” FALCO says. “We owe it all to our crowd.”

A fan writing on their Facebook page says, “The Smokin’ Aces play their a**es off—every set, every show.”

Find The Smokin’ Aces on Facebook at www.facebook.com/TheSmokinAces. They will be at Sharkey’s Bar & Grill, 10365 Royal Palm Blvd., Coral Springs, on Friday, July 26. For more information, visit sharkeysfl.com or call (954) 341-9990. Wicked Maraya will perform around South Florida in mid-August. For more information, visit www.wickedmaraya.com.

Posted on

Shane Duncan Band S.D.B.—going the extra country mile

It’s been full speed ahead for the Shane Duncan Band (S.D.B.) for the past 15 years, and contrary to its 2014 hit, “Life’s Snooze Bar,” the band hasn’t hit the snooze bar once. The five members include singer and guitarist Shane Duncan, 46, lead singer Tiffany Rosario, 40, lead guitarist Dave Scully, 51, drummer Bryce Kretz, 27, and bass guitarist Hernan Motley Rodriguez, 44.

Formerly known as South Florida’s “premiere party band,” the homegrown South Florida band is known for its wide variety of musical genres, including country, rock, top 40, pop, disco, dance, and Latin.

Duncan says what sets S.D.B. apart from other bands is its ability to capture the audience from the get-go. In addition, the band performs all songs live with no backing tracks or studio enhancements.

“We love seeing everyone on the dance floor having a good time,” says Duncan by phone from Knoxville, TN, where he and Rosario (a couple) went for a mini-vacation. “Come Friday night, people want to cut loose, have a drink, have a good time, and dance, no matter what’s going on in their life.”

S.D.B.’s repertoire ranges from Toby Keith’s “Get Your Drink On,” to Mily Cyrus’s “Party in the USA,” to Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer.” The group has written and performed songs for a 2024 film, “The Rocket Club: Across the Cosmos,” and TV, including the History Channel’s “It’s How You Get There” theme song, the Cooking Channel, Velocity Channel, and Fox Business Channel.

They performed at the Super Bowl XLVI Wounded Warrior event with former Bears quarterback Jim McMahon in 2015 and at a pre-party for the American Country Music Awards in Las Vegas in 2012.

“We’re proud of our accomplishments,” says Duncan. “The producers for ‘The Rocket Club’ flew us out to Hawaii for a week, and as unsigned musicians, our music is available on all digital jukeboxes.”

Duncan began playing drums in clubs at the age of 11. His father and some neighbors had a band, and he began jamming with them and going to their rehearsals.

Early influences included 1980s pop, rock, and country music as well as country artists like Ronnie Milsap and Merle Haggard. Later, he listened to Journey, Bryan Adams, Whitney Houston, and Def Leopard.

A highlight for Duncan was meeting his musical hero, Brent Mason, a 14-time Grammy Award winner, when Mason played guitar on one of Duncan’s original LPs, titled “Shane Duncan,” in Nashville more than a decade ago.

“I think we’re doing pretty well,” says Duncan, noting that the band has accomplished all the goals they set out to achieve—good musicianship, good singers, good song list, good sound system, good lighting system, and putting together a great package. They’ve toured and been on the road, and now they’re looking forward to being the best local band and sleeping in their own beds.

S.D.B. plays private events, city events, and weddings. It also has headlined aboard cruise ships on the Royal Caribbean and Norwegian cruise lines, was voted “Best Band on a Barge” in the Seminole Hard Rock Winter Fest Boat Parade in 2018, and opened for Charlie Daniels, Joe Diffie, Mark Wills, Clay Walker, Josh Turner, and Blake Shelton.

Lead singer Rosario has been singing since the age of 2 and always knew she wanted to be a professional singer. Growing up with a big Italian family, she said they would sit around the piano in her grandmother’s music room and sing 1950s tunes.

Rosario learned Frank Sinatra, Connie Francis, Ella Fitzgerald, Natalie and Nat King Cole, and Doo-Wop. “Singing comes naturally to me,” she says, noting that she never took a lesson and is self-taught.

Later, as an adult, she listened to ’80s rock (“all the way”) and admires lead singer Steve Perry of Journey (“my all-time favorite”). She opened for singers Wynona Judd, LeAnn Rimes, and Willie Nelson at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.

“It was a great experience,” she says, admitting to some jitters.

For both Duncan and Rosario, playing and singing with the band is more than a job—it’s a passion for both of them. Often, they befriend their audience and have been known to socialize with their fans, who become friends.

Having reached their goals and succeeded in their professional musical lives, what’s left for the band to accomplish?

“Longevity,” says Duncan. “We’ve been on the radio, we’ve been in the movies, we’ve written songs for TV, we’ve headlined on cruise ships. We’ve pretty much done it all.

“We want to continue the ride and continue to do what we love most,” he says. “If you want to have a good time and listen to a variety of music, come check us out.”

The band will perform June 28 at Sharkey’s Bar & Grill, 10365 Royal Palm Blvd., Coral Springs. For more information, visit sharkeysfl.com or call (954) 341-9990. Visit ShaneDuncanBand.com.

Posted on

Scenes for summer: Nava Lundy

Adaptability. From the plasticity of an organism, to neuroplasticity of the human brain, to simply adapting to life, this quality engulfs us all.

Nava Lundy is no stranger to it. She has been painting all her life, and professionally since 1998. Lundy has transitioned from drawing from live models, and traveling with a sketchbook in her hands, to domestically taking memories from old photographs. While life changes, so do her strategies to make her art adapt. It is a mastery that has drawn her works of gold. Quite literally, actually.

Lundy’s canvas always begins already full. Her textured backgrounds build upon one another to create her “set.” Gold shines through her muses to highlight their beauty. It accents as a complementary emphasis in her compositions.

Lundy holds a certification in painting from the first art academy in America and a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from the University of Pennsylvania. She was taught in oils, but when she got pregnant with twins, her choice of medium changed to acrylics. “It was too dangerous,” she explained.

Either way, omnifying her art remains the offset to her strategies, and those who prefer oils may be fooled, if not take a double-take, when viewing her work.

This month we adapt to the summer with some of her refreshing themes.

Hats. The Studio E Gallery in Palm Beach Gardens seems to be selling several of Lundy’s hats this time of year. Why wouldn’t they? There is always a seeming mystery left to the viewer that entices wonder and imagination as to the subject. Who is behind the hat? Is that you?

There is an elegance and sophistication present in these themes that is suggested in her characters. “Escape” (2021), a 36-by-36 acrylic on canvas (sold), is one of them. It warms you up and cools you down at the same time. Who wouldn’t want to dip their feet in the water and sip on some pina coladas in the hot summer months ahead? Let’s hope to do so!

Her lively art demonstrates concepts with which the viewer can connect. It is something to appreciate. When asked what motivates her, the answer was quite a simple one:

Mood. It is a natural contributor to Lundy’s work. “Watermelon Sugar,” a 36-by-72 acrylic on canvas, is a lovely example of mood (title picture), especially this time of year.

Before 2021, Lundy may not have chosen to work with water’s ripples and reflections. She referred to it on social media as something that once was “daunting.”

However, it seems the mood got contagious, according to Lundy, as attempting the complexity of water compositions has brought joy to do them, and cooling off can be quite the observer’s delight!

For beach lovers, “Come Sit Beside Me” (2024), acrylic and mixed media on canvas (sold), brings a calming elation. Here distinctively are the vibrant accents of gold. The composition brings together the stubborn strokes of dissonance into a graceful escape.

Lundy’s work has been used in several set designs in films, is part of the permanent digital collection at the University of South Florida in partnership with the Florida Holocaust Museum, and is in the permanent collections of private collectors, universities, and museums around the world, including Australia, Canada, and Israel. More locally, Lundy has exhibited at the Fort Lauderdale airport. She is an internationally recognized artist right here in the local community.

To view some of Nava Lundy’s muses, her online gallery is at navagallery.com.

 

 

 

Posted on

Peacock fever

You are not seeing things, that’s a peacock on the road.

Like occasional gator sightings, or seeing a turtle cross the street, seeing a peacock on a Parkland side street is another reminder of how close we live to nature.

Peacock sightings are also a legacy of the fact that the Parkland and Coral Springs area used to be farm and ranch land. In the past few decades, new developments were added, but small farms are still thriving in our area.

These large pheasants are not native to Florida, or even the Americas. The most memorable peacock with blue and green plumage comes from the Indian subcontinent. They first arrived as pets or for specialty farms, and over time they were released or escaped into the wild. They are omnivorous, and will eat plants, flowers, seeds, insects, even reptiles, and amphibians. So South Florida is paradise for them.

Technically, peacocks are the male peafowls, whereas the peahens are the females. But the brilliant display exhibited by the males during mating season makes them a more iconic image for the species.

Throughout scientific history, there is much speculation about why peacocks have such a vibrant display. Darwin speculated that the peahens, through a long line of descent, must have “appreciated this superiority.” But scientists are not sure if the large tail plumage, or the train, is due to natural selection as Darwin postulated.

A multiyear study in Japan concluded that peahens did not show a preference for large trains. In fact, peacocks with more symmetrical, or elaborate train (more eyespots) affect the peahen’s choice of mate.

The eyespots, or ocelli, do seem to affect peahens. The angle at which they are displayed seems important to holding the peahen’s attention. The dance and rattling of the tail seem to be an attention-grabbing aspect of their ritual. For most human observers, it’s the eyespots that are most mesmerizing.

The eyespots are composed of intermeshed features held together by microhooks. The eyespot’s structure keeps the spots stable when the peacock vibrates his tail to attract the peahens. The vibration usually has a frequency of 25.6Hz, which is audible for the peahens, and able to keep the attention of most observers looking at it.

While scientists continue their research into this area, we can all enjoy these displays when we find them on the street or at a local farm. However, some in the neighborhood with a peafowl population may be more concerned about their noise. The typical peacock sound has been described as a cross between a bird call and a baby crying out.

Before you consider harming these gorgeous birds, keep in mind that even though peacocks are not native, they are protected under a Florida statute, which may result in a fine of $5,000 and/or up to a year in prison if you are found guilty of shooting a peacock. The penalty is even more if one tortures or intentionally harms a peacock—up to 10 years in prison.

You may see them mostly wobble or hop around. Peafowls can fly around a mile in a single flight, so with an abundance of food locally, they can quickly become wild and adapt to our southern Florida climate.

So you may find yourself face to face with a peafowl, even if you are not next door to a farm or do not park where these birds reside.

You may also find leucistic variants, which is a natural loss of pigmentation, similar to white lions and tigers you have seen. These are prized by some, and bred locally for pets.

This spring, hopefully you will be lucky enough to see them in person. If not, enjoy the pictures we have collected of local peacocks!

 

 

 

Posted on

Blood brothers Southern Blood has a bond thicker than water

A shoutout to legendary guitarist Greg Allman’s final album, “Southern Blood”—created in 2016 while he was fighting liver cancer—South Florida’s band of the same name, Southern Blood, pays homage to Allman and that genre of rock ’n’ roll known as Southern rock.

Emerging from Texas, the Carolinas, and Georgia, the music, characterized by its combination of rock ‘n’ roll, country, and blues, is focused on electric guitars and vocals, as exemplified in the music of the Allman Brothers, Lynryd Skynryd, Molly Hatchett, and ZZ Top.

“These groups were my musical influences,” says Southern Blood founder and lead guitarist James (Jimi) Robinette, 59, who grew up in Hollywood. “I loved Lynryd Skynryd, Aerosmith, Bad Company, the Who, and Molly Hatchett.”

The band is composed of Robinette, Todd Jones (guitar and vocals), Alan Vine (bass guitar), Greg Smolla (slide guitar and vocals), and Rodrigo Valente on drums. They revisit the ’70s and ’80s with their unmistakable, hard-driving groove, signature Southern vocals, and dueling guitars.

The members have been around South Florida “forever,” according to Robinette, who toured the country in the late ’80s and early ’90s with a band called “Heartless,” and they’ve been playing together for the past six years.

Typically, they play 100 shows each year, including local festivals such as the Winterfest Boat Parade in Fort Lauderdale and that city’s 2021 New Year’s Eve party for a crowd of approximately 5,000 revelers.

“Our main goal is to entertain. At this stage in our careers, we’re not looking to be famous or to go on the road touring,” says Robinette. “We love to get people involved, get them dancing, singing, and clapping their hands. We’re high-energy, loud, and kick-ass. We will get you up—moving and grooving to songs such as Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama” and the Allman Brothers’ “Rambling Man.”

For bass guitarist Vine, 55, who grew up in Parkland, Coral Springs, and Margate, he fell in love with the band Molly Hatchett after attending a concert at the Sunrise Musical Theater with his friends in sixth grade.

“After seeing all the guys on stage making music and all the girls dancing in the audience, I decided right then and there that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life,” he remembers. He went home and asked his mother for a guitar, and the rest is a 43-year-long musical journey.

The group performed in April at Nova Southeastern University’s Miniaci Performing Arts Center with their newly formed and dedicated Lynryd Skynryd band, “Freebirds.”

“It’s cool when we perform well and do the music justice,” Vine says. “The vibe comes across and people notice the good time we’re having. We’re the best of friends and that shows when we’re performing.”

He says the band is appreciative of the support they get from fans, and they don’t take it for granted. Future goals include writing and performing original songs.

“We make a point to say hello and thank our fans for coming,” Vine says.

Chicago-born lead guitarist Smolla, 62, who now lives in Delray Beach, grew up frequenting the blues bars in downtown Chicago. He remembers seeing the big names of blues—Buddy Guy, B. B. King, Muddy Waters, Bobby Rush, and Ronnie Baker Brooks.

“You could go any night of the week and hear great blues music,” remembers Smolla, an engineer who came to South Florida 25 years ago with IBM.

His interest in piano and guitar began at the age of 10, and when he was in eighth grade, he played at the school’s ninth-grade dance. Early musical influences included Michael Schenker, a German guitarist who played with the band UFO (“my favorite”), blues guitarist Freddie King, and Irish guitarist Rory Gallagher, who influenced Jeff Beck.

 Smolla feels fortunate to have found Robinette and to be a part of Southern Blood.

“It’s the best band I’ve been in, here in Florida,” he says. “We have a big, full, Southern rock boogie sound that people gravitate toward.”

Because there are not many bands playing Southern rock, he says people travel from Florida’s west coast or from Orlando to see them perform.

“We’re authentic,” Smolla says. “Jimi is an engaging showman with a lot of charisma. We put a lot into getting the right sound and tone, and everyone is free to be themselves on stage—what you see is what you get.”

Smolla credits the band’s chemistry to translating to the audience. “Bands are all about the chemistry,” he says.

Gracious toward their audience, the band will often come off the stage and join their fans at their table or in the crowd and play something slow, quiet, and intimate.

“These are the moments that stick with you,” says Smolla. “All the songs have been written and all the parts sung, so when you’re spontaneous and get people to feel they are a part of it, those are some of our best memories.”

 Southern Blood will perform at Sharkey’s Bar and Grill, 10365 Royal Palm Blvd., Coral Springs, for Cinco de Mayo on Sunday, May 5. For more information, visit sharkeysfl.com or call (954) 341-9990. To see a complete list of Southern Blood show dates, visit southernbloodband.com

Posted on

Jennifer J.L. Jones: Piece in nature

“Echoes of Elysium” is the exhibition on display at New River Fine Art on Las Olas Boulevard in Fort Lauderdale through April. Artist Jennifer J.L. Jones finds her employment in the abstract contemporary trends and transforms them into the botanical atmospheres that cohere to the observer’s metaphysical hemisphere of realistic conjuncture. The strategy is by the composites of layers, not by the disconformity of postmodern rejection, but the singular reluctance to recognize concentrations between values. The artistic empirical is apparent. In agriculture, the thumbnail would be up and the hands would be down. 

Jones was born in Virginia and was raised between there and the east coast of Florida. Currently settled in Port Royal, South Carolina, she holds a bachelor’s of fine arts from the Art Institute of Chicago. 

In “Collections,” if you will, in free will, that employs the atmospheric abstracts into the altercations between hemispheres that lather by the waste sides of mere entropy is instead gorgeously assigned to her earlier works of “Hypnotic Starlings” (2016). Here, the division is in black and white, and the value is laid out indusively by color choice. The whites and blues drip, and the reds? A staged presence in a spacious spread of reasoning, and to the “Tejas,” mixed media on wood (2014), in the “Lacuna” series. 

To view the past collections, visit www.jenniferjljonesstudios.com/collectedworks.

Is this Euclidean geometry by color? “Odyssey,” currently on display at New River Fine Art, is a requiem. If one was to follow the leaves of green, the shape appears to heed the branch of mathematics that puts axioms and postulates in place on a flat space. The relationships of points are defined by color choices, at the angles intended, and beneath the fluidity, lining them up and into visual consonance.  

It shouldn’t go further than that, space, to distinguish the difference in hemispheres: one, the choice to avail dissonance into one’s solutions, or two, the opposite of where one must withdraw and appreciate the length of the objective segment itself. Jones shows her skills and artistic mastery in this light.

Distance is on the other side of it. This empirical nature goes only as far as it needs to go. It is witnessed that the closer one arrives to “Untitled,” the more abstract the artwork becomes. The potency of floral arrangements from a postmodern world extracts the work’s serenity as a schema, and in turn, dimensions are idealism. Dimensions are the elongated measures of the botanical muse to see what needs to be seen, and when it arrives. The disregarding sensuality of exposed synthetics demises what stem and into the true nature of a visual connection. What a very delicate balance that absurdity can bring! 

Still, are the flowers.

A mythological state of perfect happiness, where botany molds to the surface, is Jones’s earlier work from 2017, “Midnight for Butterflies I.” It may very well translate for some as a still life from 17th-century Dutch artistry. The change from stroke to the use of line is highly emphasized. It is a clear takeaway from traditional portraits with flowers in a vase—to, who needs a vase when you have colors to focus on? Jones takes the eerie darkness from the Baroque era and colors it lively.

Her change from 2017 to works on exhibition today is still a psychological sense of untiming. In “Cailleach” (2024), the black-and-white orthodox grows on the subject of butterflies, if at all intended, bringing shape to the subject, certainly by stroke. 

The means to the instance is of the goddess this art is named after, or “veiled one,” which is sparkled with gloss, clung to width by the blue of the skies. 

 

Posted on

Whistling while they work The Big Rock Band plays on

Named for the iHeartRadio station Big 105.9, the Big Rock Band was created for the station by Hollywood resident and deejay Alex Lencina, 57. Inspired by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, George Clinton, and the O’Jays, the band focused on less-played, familiar songs such as Autograph’s 1984 hit, “Turn Up the Radio.”

“We love to play music that has the audience bobbing their heads and tapping their feet, but is not overplayed,” says Lencina. “So, when they hear it, they remember it and remember they like it.

“That is the key to the band,” he says, paraphrasing Bee Gees guitarist Dan Warner’s parting words, “Groove is everything.”

Other band members include Fernando Santomaggio on bass, Jimi Fiano on lead guitar, Scott Sherman on guitar, John “Johnny O” Onderline on saxophone, Ysauro Hernandez on percussion, Philip Bithell on keys, and Euvoski Cunningham Sr. on drums.

The band plays at Cafe 27 in Fort Lauderdale, Galuppi’s in Pompano Beach, and Crazy Uncle Mike’s in Boca Raton, and they’ll play locally at Sharkey’s Bar and Grill in Coral Springs on April 12.

“We are a band of brothers,” says Lencina. “When we play, we are connected—no attitudes, no hang-ups—just having a good time and sharing it with our audience.”

Highlights for the band included having Big 109.5 deejay Paul Castronovo sing with them at a Super Bowl watch party on Himmarshee Street in Fort Lauderdale in 2018 and performing at Margaritaville in front of 10,000 people for New Year’s Eve this past January. “It was amazing,” says Lencina. “I will never forget it.”

While all the members have separate lives and other commitments, they all say they are happy to have this time to play together.

For bassist Santomaggio, 48, also a marine science teacher at Flanagan High School in Pembroke Pines, the time spent playing together is “intimate, deep, and profound.”

He explains, “We’re lucky to have something we enjoy, do it with those we like, and share it with the audience. We have a good time watching the audience watch us have a good time; there’s nothing better than that.”

Santomaggio especially enjoys his interaction on stage with lead guitarist Fiano, 66. “Jimi’s a local legend,” he says. “I looked up to him and now get to share a stage and learn from him.”

Fiano came to guitar playing at the age of 6, after his sister brought a guitar back from Mexico.

“I started playing it and couldn’t put it down,” he remembers. At 14, while still in middle school, he put together a band, and by the age of 16 he started playing in clubs professionally.

Influenced by the Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Iron Butterfly, and Blue Cheer—and later, Grand Funk Railroad, a young Eric Clapton and the Blues Breakers (“full of piss and vinegar”), and blues guitarist Johnny Winter—Fiano is passionate about his craft.

Most recently, he put out a blues rock CD titled “Sweat & Pray,” which will be available on all streaming platforms. Shaun Murphy, a Nashville-based singer who sang with Bob Seger, Eric Clapton, and Little Feat, among others, did background vocals on the record.

Fiano says he hopes this CD will be his calling card as an independent artist. “I’d like to bring some like-minded people with me and go out on tour and see the world,” he says.

The father of an 18-year-old son, Fiano is at the peak of his career. He’s currently at work on his second album and says he can’t stop writing songs.

“My son won’t allow me to be old,” he jokes. “And, I want to leave a legacy.”

His advice for other would-be musicians? “Be persistent and color outside the lines,” he says. “Follow your instincts, take chances, and if you believe it, it will happen.

“I love playing with these guys and we genuinely have a great time making music together on stage,” says Fiano. “What could be better than that?”

The Big Rock Band will perform at Sharkey’s Bar and Grill, 10365 Royal Palm Blvd., Coral Springs, on April 12 at 8 p.m. Visit them on Facebook and Jimi Fiano at Jimifiano.com.

 

 

 

Posted on

Sawgrass Nature Center… Where wildlife is rescued, and people learn about nature

You can have a nice brush with wildlife and nature at a hidden gem within Sportsplex Park in Coral Springs. Sawgrass Nature Center & Wildlife Hospital is a nonprofit facility on 5 acres of land. It seems part farm, part zoo, part museum, part conservation park, part wetlands, and part animal hospital. You can see all kinds of wildlife being rehabilitated in their natural habitats here.

I went recently on a Saturday afternoon with family members, and we all enjoyed it. For only the cost of a $5 donation, we got to see a variety of wildlife up close, including owls, gopher tortoises, alligators, snakes, guinea hens, black vultures, fancy pigeons, Amazon parrots, red-tailed hawks, and a mix of reptiles. Many of them are orphaned, disabled, or nonreleasable, and there are informative signs on their enclosures telling us their names and brief stories.

There are two buildings at the site: (1) a multipurpose building with animals to view in cages, museum-style educational materials, a nature gift shop, a meeting room, and more; and (2) the wildlife hospital where wild native animals are treated, rehabilitated, and released back into the wild. The hospital was not open when we visited, but I understand they do great work there and provide medical care for all the animals and birds brought to them.

We did get to see all the wildlife in the nature center’s permanent exhibit area. Animals are housed in natural-looking habitats and birds in beautiful aviaries. We did the full self-tour (which doesn’t take too long), seeing all the creatures and learning about what brought them there, and we explored the shady grounds. One can also learn something about Florida wetlands while at Sawgrass Nature Center. “It’s a unique place where people of all ages can come to observe birds, mammals, reptiles, and native plants and learn to appreciate the beauty of nature in South Florida,” according to the center.

This place is especially known for its educational programs, which focus on Florida’s native wildlife and their natural habitats. They feature live animals in these programs, along with specimens, artifacts, and other presentation materials. There’s a large, airy outdoor classroom on the grounds to hold educational sessions, lectures, summer and holiday camps, parties, and other group activities. That day, a young girl’s birthday party was going on in there and at the animal habitats nearby, and the kids seemed to be having a great time.

The nature center has a strong environmental component in its programs, and it typically serves around 3,000 students annually, with field trips to the venue and outreach programs in the schools. Volunteers conduct programs on ecology, natural history, wildlife rehabilitation, and conservation. Field excursions provide opportunities to view, photograph, or sketch wildlife in their natural surroundings. And there are weekly preschool activities for the youngest learners. Virtual programs are another option where people can learn about Florida’s wildlife and ecosystems. A lot of education from this small place!

It also was interesting learning about why some of the animals were initially brought to the facility. Not all of the wildlife here are hurt, although we did learn about birds that couldn’t fly and residents with other impactful injuries. We read about a tortoise initially being gifted as a pet. Well, that tortoise grew to be huge, and it must have been too much to handle so was taken to the center, where it now has a good home and is obviously well cared for. Other animals are rehabbed and released.

The nature center provides a variety of educational programs to increase people’s awareness of the wildlife around them and to encourage the preservation of natural habitats. By stimulating curiosity about the natural world, providing some fascinating ecological insights, and caring for the creatures entrusted to them, Sawgrass Nature Center is doing a great thing. Funded chiefly by donations, it’s totally worth a visit and supporting their work. Check it out soon!

For more information and to sign up for an educational program or tour, go to sawgrassnaturecenter.org.

Posted on

Artist Marina Veen: Mirrors to the soul

“I get bored easily,” Marina Veen told me over tea and coffee and a lovely stroll together. A very independent, hard-working woman, Veen played a corporate role since her early 20s. During the Covid pandemic, she found the change she had been searching for.

This career adjustment fed something more important—her soul. “Two hours of meditation wasn’t enough,” Veen said. “It was time to reset.”

During her early years of taking art classes and drawing, Veen was confronted with bias technicalities in creating art—the type of technicalities that hold to rules, the type of technicalities that can hinge creative development, imagination, and heart. She found it void.

“I wished somebody would’ve told me that it was okay to reject technique,” Veen said. “I probably would’ve gone back to art much sooner if I had.” She instead held a conscious mindset toward life as she built it. In her search for something much deeper, it seems that it’s the rejection where she finds the connection to her motivation.

“If I see it is a tree, I am no longer interested,” Veen said. The intense colorism of the works by Henri Matisse in the early part of the 20th century is a good example of where her motivations belong. It is the type of connection that holds the equilibrium between mind and emotion to meet at the surface. It is the intangible reality we all silently attend to. How it is translated, or if it is clear, is something everyone experiences at one point or another. Yet it is here that Veen finds her answers by reflection. The canvas: a mirror.

Darkness to Light

Veen pulls the light from the shadows without manipulation. It is raw and undefined—until it isn’t. The light has been set, revealing the integrity and utter honesty of her focus. It is amid the darkness that one can view, in “Drift by My Windows,” recently displayed at the Parkland Library. Time predisposes beneath, where it is clear by the textures of depth nondiscriminatory. However, beneath all the textures are the stories untold.

Upside Down

Veen is a Ukrainian-American originally from Odesa, who spent much of her prime in the hustle and bustle of New York City. After moving to the California Bay Area with her family and for work, she thought she would never return to the East Coast. The artistic resilience of California held a spark. Yet, things happen. While moving to Seattle for her work with Amazon and Microsoft, and during the time of Covid, she saw the big picture.

“In Between” is an excellent example. If viewed from the opposite direction, one may see an unbloomed flower. Still are the layers on the canvas used to demonstrate perspective. Her impressively high originality cannot go unnoticed. The rejection of a still life is recreated in an entirely new definition of quality, and coincidently, it had been painted upside down. The fluidity of rhythms shines in the sheets of layers, and per the use of perspective, the story unravels, much like the rigid nature of corporate Seattle.

Lavender

The color certainly molds to the surface in characters offset of white. The character is within the color that would commonly be overlooked if not made aware of. Here the body holds much more than its weight. It is in echoes of colors beneath where the lavender-like blend developed unto its finish. During Veen’s weeks of working on this piece, “Echoed Through Me” is just one example of how her work undergoes a total metamorphosis of change—until it speaks fluently.

Methods and Media

Veen is inspired by the songs and poetry of Leonard Cohen, Radiohead, Arctic Monkeys, and Rainer Maria Rilke. One can feel the rhythmic fluidity that shows through to the surface of her pieces. It is a movement of poetry held in the textures beneath the surface of her media. Mixed media, acrylic, cold wax and oil, collage, stenciling, gelli plate printing, woodblock printing, and mark-making are just some of the resources used to create her compositions. Her method—addition and retraction.

Veen’s first group show was in September 2023 at the Macy Gallery at Columbia University in New York City. Last summer, she and her family settled in South Florida. There is high anticipation for more of her work still to come.

Today, Veen continues expanding her artistic communication of lost expression through her talent. Her work can be viewed at marinaveenstudio.com and on Instagram at marinaveenfineart.

Posted on

Sippin Fire is ‘En Fuego’

“Like taking a sip of fire, or listening to the band,” says Dany Roy, 58, lead guitarist for the band Sippin Fire, a native-born French Canadian, now living in Margate, explaining how the band got its name.

The South Florida-based rock, party and cover band plays a mix of 70s and 80s rock and roll, with their high energy, signature mix of guitar riffs, bass lines and down-home drum beats, accompanied by the soulful sounds of lead vocalist, Jade Fecteau-tasse, 33, daughter, of the band’s bass guitarist and promoter, Rejean (“Reggie”) Fecteau, 61.

Roy and Fecteau, also from Canada, met here in Florida when Fecteau was part of the Eagles Tribute Band, The Long Run.  The two decided to join forces and the rest is history.

“When I came to Fort Lauderdale and South Florida, it was love at first sight,” remembers Fecteau.  “I wouldn’t go back (to Canada) for anything – except maybe in the summer.”

“Together, we have phenomenal chemistry,” he says, noting that that the band is booked 3-4 times each week and has a full calendar through 2024 and into 2025.

More than a musical experience, their shows are a visual spectacle of lights, smoke and special effects, all designed to enhance the experience.

Two of their biggest fans and loyal followers are Boca Raton resident Wayne Belfer, 66, executive director of DOB Parkinson’s Charity, a non-profit based in Fort Lauderdale and Boca Raton and Keith Richard Kraft, 62, a retired car dealer manager from New York.

Kraft, 62, who moved to Tamarac from Brooklyn four years ago, went with a friend to hear Sippin Fire perform in Fort Lauderdale.

Growing up he listened to the Beatles, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, The Rolling Stones and got into the Bee Gees and disco in the 70s.

“I fell in love with Sippin Fire, both musically and personally,” he says. “After a set, they come out and schmooze with the audience. Jade has a personality to knock your socks off.”

Belfer, who went often to hear the band, became friends with the musicians.

“The band is impressive, dynamic and together on stage,” he says.  “Their vocals are brilliant, with furious guitar solos and non-stop rhythm romps.”

Both are looking forward to the band’s next venture, “Her Majesty the Queen,” a full theatrical tribute production that will reproduce Queen’s Freddie Mercury’s stage, complete with lights, props, costumes and videos.

Vocalist Fecteau-tasse will reprise the role of lead vocalist, Freddie Mercury.

“There’s no question, I’ll be first in line,” says Kraft, admitting that while he wasn’t the biggest Queen fan, he’s a huge Sippin Fire fan.

“Besides being high-powered, they’re easy to watch,” he says.  “And, they’re super hard workers.”

Locally, the group plays at Sharkey’s in Coral Springs, the Margaritaville Bandshell on the Hollywood Broadwalk and Mickey’s Tiki Bar in Pompano Beach, as well as throughout the country, including gigs in Illinois, Las Vegas, Nevada, South Carolina, Utah and California.

Playing drums since the age of five when his parents bought him a drum set, Fecteau was on-track to become a semi-professional hockey player, until the music bug struck.

“Once I found music, I never looked back,” says Fecteau, who is also married to Nathalie Tasse, a keyboardist who plays with the group’s Electric Light Orchestra (ELO) Tribute Band, The Ticket to the Moon, playing hits such as Strange Magic, Evil Woman and Telephone Line.

An accomplished musician, playing seven instruments, Fecteau has been featured on many gold records and performed in Canada with well-known French artists Joey Tardif, Joel Denis, Pierre Lalonde, Michel Louvain, Michel Stax and Patrick Bourgeois.

He toured the world with The Long Run and in the mid-1990s played with the tribute band, “Yesterday Les Beatles,” a mega production in Montreal, a full-circle moment for Fecteau who fell in love with the Beatles and their 1967 hit, “All you need is Love” as a child.

Although the native French speaker didn’t understand the English lyrics, he was so taken with the Beatles and the song, he made it his mission to understand the lyrics.

Likewise, he says, his daughter, Jade, fell in love with Shania Twain as a child and would mimic her singing on key, although she also spoke French and didn’t understand the English lyrics.

Opera-trained by the age of eight and headed to Broadway by the age of 12, Fecteau-tasse was trained by renowned voice coach Arron Hagen, who worked with Ariana Grande, Selena Gomez and Meghan Trainor.  At the age of 16, she had a number one hit single titled, “My Destination,” in Japan for six months.

“Her voice is deeper and more colorful than other singers,” says her dad.

Lead guitarist Roy, was exposed to music at an early age.  Most of his family were musicians and he began playing professionally at the age of 17 at local bars, weddings, corporate events and music festivals in and around Québec.

A child of the 1970s and 80s, he loved classic rock bands such as Bon Jovi, Queen, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen and Heart.  While Fecteau is also influenced by traditional rock-and-roll bands, he also admits to a fondness for Dean Martin.

When the two met Spanish-born musician, David Carrica Martincorena, 45, (aka “The Beast”) last year, they knew they had found their drummer.

“David is the perfect drummer for us,” says Fecteau.  “The energy and camaraderie we have as a group are unbelievable.”

Growing up in Pamplona, Spain, Martincorena  began playing drums at a young age after hearing Metallica’s 1986 album, “Master of Puppets.”

He toured the world with the Spanish heavy metal band Tierra Santa, with which he recorded six albums and toured Europe with Diabulus in Musica, a symphonic metal band.

He came to Miami in 2019 and taught music at Sounds of Excellence School of Music.

“With Sippin Fire, we’re all on the same page,” Fecteau says.  “We’re all professional musicians, don’t drink or smoke or do drugs.”

“We take pride in what we do,” he says.

A highlight for the group is playing at the Margaritaville Hollywood Bandshell and in their ELO tribute band, The Ticket to the Moon, playing to more than 7,000 fans in Chicago.

Currently, they are shooting a promotional video for the Queen production and looking for large venues in which to mount the show.

“It’s more than a concert,” says Fecteau.  “It’s a full-blown theatrical performance.”

The production will reprise the glamour, theatrics and rock-and-roll style that defined Freddie Mercury and Queen, says Fecteau.

With attention to detail and Fecteau-tasse as the iconic Queen lead singer, he says audiences will feel as if “they are witnessing Queen in their prime.”

“Anybody can get on stage and play songs,” says Fecteau, “but not everyone can make it a show.”

“We give it absolutely everything we’ve got,” he says.

“People are playing money to come see us and we had better give them a good show,” he says.  “That’s what we do best.”

Sippin Fire will perform at Sharkey’s Bar and Grill, 10365 Royal Palm Blvd., Coral Springs, on March 15 at 8:00 p.m.

Visit them on Facebook or at https://sippinfire.com.

Posted on

March is National Nutrition Month

Between what you hear on TV, see on social media, and read in the news, eating well can seem like a real challenge. But it doesn’t have to be. A registered dietitian nutritionist (RD or RDN) will partner with you to develop a safe and realistic eating plan that you can stick with for the long haul. To guide and motivate you, an RDN will use creative and out-of-the-box strategies to help with meal planning, grocery shopping, and mindful eating.

An RDN has completed multiple layers of education and training established by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics. All RDNs must do the following:
• Obtain a minimum of a master’s degree, which includes a specially designed, accredited nutrition curriculum.
• Complete an extensive supervised program of practice at a health-care facility, food-service organization, or community agency.
• Pass a rigorous registration exam.
• Maintain continuing education credits throughout their career, with licensure in each state they practice in.
What’s more, many RDNs have certifications in specialized fields, such as sports, pediatric, renal, oncology, diabetes, or gerontological nutrition.

Do you want to lose or gain weight? Are you pregnant, looking to become pregnant, or you’ve just had a child? Are you looking for ways to maintain your health in your older years? Are you an athlete looking to boost your performance? These are just a few of the reasons people seek the expert, science-based advice of an RDN.

10 Common Reasons to Consult with an RDN

1. You want help managing diabetes, high blood pressure, or other chronic diseases. An RDN can help you understand your condition and how the foods you choose might affect it. Plus, a registered dietitian nutritionist works with you to create an eating plan that has the nutrients needed to manage your condition.

2. You are thinking of having or have had gastric bypass surgery. Because your stomach can only manage small servings after surgery, it’s tricky to get the nutrients your body needs. As a part of your health-care team, an RDN helps you make changes to your eating plan to meet these needs and still feel satisfied.

3. You have digestive problems. Working closely with you and your doctor, an RDN provides guidance to help fine-tune your diet. Together, you’ll find choices that do not aggravate your condition—for example, limiting fried foods or caffeinated and carbonated drinks.

4. You’re pregnant, trying to get pregnant, or are a new parent. Meet with an RDN to make sure you get the nutrients you need for a healthy pregnancy. And, after the baby comes, an RDN can help make sure you and your little one are getting the nutrients you need to support good health.

5. You have a food allergy, intolerance, or sensitivity. Unsure what you can eat because of celiac disease, food allergies, lactose intolerance, or another condition? It’s easy to be overwhelmed by what you think you can’t eat, which can lead to a boring diet that doesn’t give your body the nutrition it needs. An RDN can teach you strategies, including identifying foods to avoid, and help you find substitutions to keep your diet balanced and tasty.

6. You or your child is experiencing disordered eating. As part of the treatment team, RDNs counsel people with eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia.

7. You’re caring for an aging parent. An RDN can help with food or drug interactions, proper hydration, special diets for hypertension, and changing taste buds as you age.

8. You want practical lifestyle advice. Need help sorting through the facts and fiction of nutrition headlines? Learn how to read labels at the supermarket, discover how healthy cooking can be inexpensive, learn how to dine out healthfully, and find out how to manage temptations. When you see an RDN, the last thing you’ll get is one-size-fits-all diet advice. After learning about your health history, favorite foods, and eating and exercise habits, an RDN will help you set goals and prioritize. Follow-up visits will focus on maintenance and monitoring your progress.

9. You want to improve your performance in sports. A RDN can help you set goals to achieve results—whether you’re running a marathon, skiing, or jogging with your dog.

10. You realize the need to feed your family healthier foods, but you do not cook. A registered dietitian nutritionist can teach you how to plan and prepare meals in a simple, healthful, and convenient way. Connect with an RDN today!

Proudly powered by WordPress