The uber cool South Beach Food and Wine Festival in Miami Beach competed over the weekend with a couple of Freedom rallies — events that are always a big political draw in the 305.
As some electeds joined both the Venezuelan and the Cuban communities to draw attention to the abuses in both dictatorships, others joined celebrities to munch and drink and be jolly. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine sorta had to be at the festival where, among other things, he gave a key to the city to Food TV star Anthony Bourdain at the Tribute Dinner at the Wolfsonian Museum Saturday night.
And we guess he misses the campaign. Because on Sunday, he went door to door in North Beach asking residents how he could improve the city.
State Rep. Jose Felix “One More Pepe” Diaz made his way back from Tallahassee over the weekend to enjoy the food and wine party with his lovely wife. A quick staycation day before the session starts next week.
One of the new Miami Beach Commissioners, Micky Ross Steinberg, did not post selfies from the #SOBWFF, but went from lunching on Lincoln Road Tuesday with former Gov. Charlie Crist, whose been on the campaign trail in South Florida, and Miami-Dade Democratic Party Chairwoman Annette Taddeo Goldstein (wearing the late Michael Jackson’s jacket) to reading at her daughter’s school Friday.
A bunch of politicos went to the Cuban Memorial Inauguration Saturday, 12 years in the making, at which Sen. Marco Rubio spoke. Among those present were (of course) former Congressman Lincoln and current Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Lt. Gov. Carlos Lopez-Cantera , Miami-Dade Commission Chairwoman Rebeca Sosa, Commissioner Javier Souto and former Miami-Dade Commission Chairman Joe Martinez, who is running for Congress and pretty much shared the limelight with Rubio at an event that he worked toward when he sat on the dais (more on that later).
That is, indeed, Miami-Dade School Board Member Carlos Curbelo on the far left edge of the photo, hanging out near his political papi, Diaz-Balart. Curbelo, who is also running for Congress against Martinez in the primary for the seat now occupied by U.S. Rep. Joe Garcia, had the good taste not to post many self-promoting selfies from an event that many agreed was the Chairman’s. Kudos Carlos.
Ros-Lehtinen, who uses twitter very well, sent her followers a collage of photo ops.
Doral Councilwoman Bettina Rodriguez Aguilera went to both freedom rallies — one to support the SOS Venezuela movement at JC Bermudez Park in Doral earlier in the day Saturday (photographed here with Councilwoman Sandra Ruiz) and then the Cuban Memorial inauguration where she took the photo Doral voters will see soon in mailers.
Sosa on Friday spoke to members of the Latin American Business Association regarding the issues affecting local businesses and initiatives aimed at bettering our economic climate.
And Miami-Dade School Board Members Larry Feldman, Martin Karp, Tee Holloway and Raquel Regalado traveled to Tallahassee last week to advocate for public schoools and visited with a bunch of the Miami-Dade delegation. Also there: Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, Assistant Superintendent Iraida R. Mendez-Cartaya and Lubby Navarro of the Office of intergovernmental Affairs. Regalado said they discussed MDCPS’s funding concerns, policy initiatives and support/concern regarding several proposed bills. They really made the rounds, sitting with and talking to Sens. Oscar Braynon III, Miguel Diaz de la Portilla and Anitere Flores and State Reps. Jose Felix “One More Pepe” Diaz, Manny Diaz, Jr., Erik Fresen, Eddy Gonzalez, Kionne McGhee Jeannette Nuñez and Jose Oliva. Reminds Ladra of Dade Days.
Political Pics of the Week: Freedom and Food and Wine added by Ladra on
View all posts by Ladra →