Deductible Junkets
If You're Headed to Miami for IAAPA
Miami is a dangerous place for narcs, Fidel Castro, and (seemingly) anyone with a German accent. But if you don't fall into any of these high-risk categories, then gear up for some serious amusements. Miami and Miami Beach, a city of 17 islands in Biscayne Bay, make up a hot and sprawling neon metropolis, not just the prime tourist destination of the American South but arguably the commercial center of Latin America and the Caribbean.
The southern end of Miami Beach, known as South Beach, is a long stretch of white sand and tan people. Some call it the American Riviera. Others might call it tacky. But all agree: it is the happening place. The outdoor News Cafe is the trendy spot to gawk and be gawked at, but Ocean Drive is littered with places to grab a bite. At The Strand you can chew on some leek hay as you graze the menu. Or pick a pizza at Piola - it has 58 to choose from.
Since you are lucky enough to be in Miami in season - stone crab season, that is - visit Joe's Stone Crab. Joe's has been a Beach landmark for three-quarters of a century; rather than wait that long for a table, make a reservation. And do I really need to tell you what to order?
On the mainland, Coconut Grove once flourished as an artistic and countercultural center, but today its countercultural credentials are dampened by rampant commercialization. Avoid the monstrous Cocowalk shopping complex. Instead, explore the Lincoln Road area in northern Miami Beach, an interesting neighborhood of bookstores, boutiques, and the blues (plus Zydeco and funk). The Stephen Talkhouse offers live music four nights a week.
Little Havana, the city's first Cuban district, retains a strong spirit of el Caribe. Wander Calle Ocho and the back streets of the barrio and travel virtually to Cuba. Don't return without trying tres leches, a rich Nicaraguan dessert that drips with sweet milk. You'll find the sticky treat at El Brazo Fuerte Bakery, or any other bakery in Little Havana.
Continue the Latin theme at Yuca, an elegant and untraditional restaurante cubano in the Spanish colonial city of Coral Gables. If Castro tasted the grilled chicken with tamarind-ancho chili glaze, he would move to Miami too!
The natural beauty of the region has lured settlers since Ponce de León landed in 1513. Though concrete and neon now obscure much of this paradise, examples of pristine Florida still exist.
If you don't have time to explore Everglades National Park, 30 miles west of Miami, then visit the 83-acre Fairchild Tropical Garden. Even the 617 species of palm trees seem terribly temperate next to the blooming pink floss-silk tree and the streaming yellow and orange flowers of the colvilia.
If you're not up on your tropical timetable, here is a seasonal guide to Miami in November: avocados have already peaked, carambola (star fruit) and some citrus fruits are ripe and plentiful, cigars have no season, and (if you're lucky) the hurricanes will be gone.
Jessie Scanlon
International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions; Miami Beach, Florida (November 2-5)
The IAAPA annual trade show will be nothing but fun. And fun is a serious business. More than 20,000 amusement professionals will convene to view the latest in fun - from roller coasters to virtual reality - and to discuss industry trends, especially the recent explosion in high-tech entertainment. Registration: US$25 member, $75 nonmember. Contact: IAAPA, +1 (703) 836 4800, fax +1 (703) 836 4801.
Doors of Perception; Amsterdam (November 4-6)
Home is where you hang your hat. Or is it? The second Doors of Perception conference, sponsored by the Dutch Design Institute and Mediamatic magazine, will explore the idea of "home" in the context of our ever-more-computerized and networked world. Sessions will cover everything from Psycho-Ergonomics to Virtual Real Estate. But there are only 1,200 seats, so register early or you won't only be thinking about home, you'll be there. Registration: about US$400. Contact: +31 (20) 61 70 390, fax +31 (20) 61 74 679, e-mail home@mediamatic.hacktic.nl.
Ethics in the Computer Age; Gatlinburg, Tennessee (November 11-13)
Has your computer read Kant? Is a mouse moral? Ethics in the Computer Age, sponsored by the Association of Computing Machinery - Special Interest Group: Computers and Society, will reflect on such issues as ethical accountability in cyberspace, individual privacy in an information society, and the cultural impact of the computer. Patrick Sullivan, executive director of the Computer Ethics Institute, will deliver the keynote address. Registration: US$225 before October 15, $250 after, students $50. Contact: Joseph Kizza, +1 (615) 755 4043, fax +1 (615) 755 5229, e-mail jkizza@utcvm.utc.edu.
New York Virtual Reality Expo 94; New York (November 29 - December 2)
As VR moves beyond location-based entertainment systems and into design, medicine, and networking, the VR market will boom. Keynote speaker Joel Orr, founder of the Virtual Worlds Society, will discuss the use of virtual worlds in the design process. More than 60 companies will exhibit, and the Venture Capital Forum will include possible investors. Registration: about US$600. Contact: (800) 632 5537, +1 (203) 226 6967.
The Western Show; Anaheim, California (November 30 - December 2)
"Fasten Your Seatbelts," advises the promo for The Western Show, sponsored by the California Cable Television Association. Media mogul Ted Turner is slated for the opening session, and other wired cover boys are invited. Around 15,000 attendees will buckle up for sessions on interactive TV, the infobahn, and the future of the industry. Registration: fee unknown at press time. Contact: +1 (510) 428 2225.
MVA '94: IAPR Workshop on Machine Vision Applications; Kawasaki, Japan (December 13-15)
Now you see it, now your computer does. The International Association for Pattern Recognition brings together academics and industrialists for discussions ranging from machine vision algorithms and technical research to industrial applications. Registration: ¥38,000 (US$380) before November 30, ¥45,000 (US$450) after. Contact: Mikio Takagi, +81 (3) 3479 0289, fax +81 (3) 3402 6226, e-mail takagi@tkl.iis.u-tokyo.ac.jp.
Thanks to Maxa Pescovitz and Michael-Anne Rauback, and to the unblushable David Zappitell. Muchas gracias to Maria Ortega.
