This Monday, October 18th, sundial edition:
Miami Beach 2 p.m. last call
Miami Beach has been known for its extravagant nightlife for decades. There are tons of bars and clubs where tourists and locals alike can spend their night until the sun comes up.
But in recent years, Mayor Dan Gelber, city commissioners and local residents have criticized entertainment venues for selling alcohol until 5 a.m., saying it adds to crime and noise. Residents will vote on a referendum on November 2nd to reset the last call to sell alcohol to 2 a.m.
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Mayor Gelber wants tourists to visit places like the Miami Beach museums and other attractions rather than the typical spring break party scene that often fills the streets of South Beach.
Three Miami Beach hospitality workers joined Sundial to discuss the impact of this new rule on their livelihoods and the city’s economy. They agreed that the culture and location of Miami Beach has always drawn tourists who want to party and have a good time.
Alex Ruiz, the owner of Salsa Mia at Mango’s Tropical Cafe, said setting the closing time at 2 a.m. is not a necessary change.
“We don’t have to change our identity or our culture,” said Ruiz. “We can only improve it. Miami has it all, not just the nightlife, but if we want to keep our nightlife going, we just need more security. “
He also mentioned that the same visitors who come to Miami Beach to enjoy the clubs at night are the same visitors who go to museums, galleries, and spas during the day.
Dr. Hank Fishkind is an economist and recently published a study that predicts the negative effects of this proposal. The study was paid for by the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce. He explained the snowball effect that the city was losing a considerable amount of money.
“The important thing is not just the loss of sales, but the loss of customers,” said Fishkind. “You are not only lost to the clubs, but also to the hotels and restaurants. It has an enhanced effect. “
Hospitality Workers Panel Discussion in Miami Beach
Carl Hiaasen’s “Squeeze Me”
The story begins at a wealthy gala in Palm Beach when Katherine Sparling Pew “Kiki Pew” Fitzsimmons goes missing. In the meantime, someone calls a wildlife expert to the gala to look at a giant python.
The python has a large bulge in its belly, and so begins the book “Squeeze Me” by Carl Hiaasen. This satirical novel is the October title of the Sundial Book Club.
Hiaasen is a New York Times best-selling author and a longtime, acclaimed columnist for the Miami Herald. He began writing this novel and dedicated it to him months after his brother’s death.
“It just felt too much to deal with and try to focus the way you have to,” said Hiaasen. “He would have been very pissed off if he thought I had just quit, and that helped me finish this book.”
He mentioned that the book is a recent piece. There is a presidential character that some readers say resembles former President Donald Trump.
“I tried to finish the book without knowing whether or not [Trump] would be re-elected and the pandemic would strike at the same time, ”said Hiaasen.
Hiaasen is currently working on his seventh children’s novel.
Carl Hiaasen’s “Squeeze Me”
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