A good friend of mine once said that her favorite sound was, “Paddles dipping quietly into the water on a moonlit night.” I would add that, among my favorite sounds, is the soundlessness between two companions who glide across the ocean’s azure surface, delighted beyond speech with the harmony and beauty of the movement embosoming them.
Lucky for us that South Florida offers some of the sweetest paddling trips around. In fact, Florida’s state park system was voted America’s Best in 2000. And while canoeing or kayaking opportunities exist statewide, I’ll focus on a few nearby options.
The first is off the waters Coconut Grove, at the Dinner Key Marina. The marina claims to be Florida’s largest marine facilities. But be aware of derelict boats in the area; I have not been back recently, but at one time there were problems with homeless people living aboard and anchoring junkyard crafts.
Crossing the Rickenbacker Causeway to Virginia and Key Biscayne, you’ll typically see windsurfers and kayakers around Hobie Sound. Also, from the Key Biscayne marina, launch and paddle around Key Biscayne to peek at its golf course, or check out the small cay near Bear Cut. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center also offers snorkel-paddle trips to the Half Moon shipwreck, which lies 12 feet underwater. For more information, call the center at 305-361-6767.
One weekend, a fly-fishing friend was gracious enough to share with me a canoe and paddle through the Everglades. We drove down the turnpike to the Everglades National Park exit, past the “Robert is Here!” fruit stand, and across assorted open fields.Once inside the park (the $20 annual pass redeems itself after two uses), we took off from Coot Bay, paddling through Mud and Bear Lakes. The fishing wasn’t great (or was it my handicapped paddling?), so we ended the 6.8-mile, Flamingo-area round-trip with Bear Lake. See http://www.florida-outdoors.com/8canoe-f.htm for more details.
My housemate and I made a trip off southern Islamorada, leaving from near Robbie’s Marina, at mile marker 77.5. We went to Indian Key, location of Dade County’s first government and where the Henry Perrine family, pioneers of Old Florida, was attacked. There are also remnants of an old hotel and cisterns on the island.
Biscayne National Park in Homestead, about 25 minutes south on the turnpike, also offers great outdoor activities. One morning, a ranger and I followed manatees around the bay. We spotted a mother and her calf some yards away and tried to paddle to them. But by then two other pairs surfaced where we’d just come from, and silently slip underneath after a teasing exhalation.
Oleta River State Recreational Area, at 3400 N.E. 163rd St. in North Miami, is also a good choice. Though about an hour drive from campus, this park is well worth the trip. There are small beaches, picnicking areas, bike and kayaking trails, and South Florida’s last free-flowing river. In the winter, specially, there are endless opportunities for animal sightings.
Another worthy mention is Collier-Seminole State Park, 17 miles south of Naples. Though I haven’t yet explored it, one may camp, hike, bike, fish, go boating, and possibly see a Florida panther or black bear. A boat ramp is accessible for canoes/kayaks. For more information, call 941-394-3397.
Rentals are available at most places, but always check the weather, tide and local currents with news reports, and even nearby fishermen or bait shops. Bring the usual gear of bug spray, rain poncho, first-aid kit, and water.
For more info, visit www.dep.state.fl.us/parks/.

RUNOVER!

Few foreign films garner mainstream success in the United States. In fact, distribution had become so hard to obtain that some of the smaller foreign studios practically gave up on theatrical release and simply ran films in festivals and on video. Since Crouching Tiger , Hidden Dragon, the American public seems to have finally accepted foreign language films into our megaplexes and taken the risk of missing our mouths as we juggle popcorn and subtitles.
In November of 2001, after a historical run in France (the biggest French box office gross in a while, four European Film Awards, including best European film) Jean Pierre Jeunet’s Le Fabuleux Destin D’Amelie Poulain a.k.a. Amelie has had much of the same effect in the U.S.
There is a simple reason why Amelie has done so well financially and attracted so much critical attention. It’s good. It’s damn good, and this is no surprise to film lovers who have experienced director Jeunet’s pervious works such as the hilariously dark Delicatessen, the enthralling City of Lost Children, or even his crack at Hollywood blockbusters with Alien Resurrection. Jeunet has forged a name for himself that is synonymous with quirky well-written scripts and visually stunning rides into the heart of the silver screen.
Amelie benefits not only from Jeunet; it is a true collaborative effort that showcases the talents of real artists. Cinematographer Bruno Delbonel has worked many of Jeunet’s films and on this one gives beautiful renditions in crisp sepias and sparkling greens that mystify an already magical Paris.
The main character: Audrey Tautou, a 22-year-old newcomer who has exploded onto the scene with her big eyes and heart-melting smile. With only a handful of roles to her filmography, Tautou has captivated audiences worldwide and has become one of the industries most sought after starlets. It has been said and said again that she stole the movie, but I would have to say that she had a considerably easy role to play.
Mathieu Kassovitz, in his early 30’s now, is quite a big name in France. Winning the Palm D’or at Cannes for best director at age 28 with his second film Hate, Kassovitz is pretty much a sure thing when it comes to acting, writing or directing. But still, his charm will surprise you every time and he carries the role of Nino with just enough naivet

A small amount of cocaine that was found in the body of Ted Demme (Blow) might have triggered the director’s recent fatal heart attack, according to the Los Angeles coroner’s office. Demme suffered the stroke while participating in a charity basketball game and died soon after. He was 38 years old.

Actress and accused shoplifter Winona Ryder is facing steep charges for the $4,760 worth of clothes she reportedly try to sneak out of a Saks Fifth Avenue, along with unprescribed painkillers police found in her purse. If convicted on all four charges sought against her, Ryder could face up over three years in state prison.

Seven years after he mysteriously vanished, Richard James Edwards of the Manic Street Preachers has been officially declared dead by the British government. Edwards is the subject of much debate, leaving many skeptics and fans to site the musician’s affinity for reclusive author J.D. Salinger and the numerous ATM withdrawls from his account shortly before his disappearance as evidence that he is still alive.

Black Hawk Down continued its surveillance at the top of the box office, taking in $11.5 million in its third weekend. No one with a life went to see the film Slackers, starring cult hero Jason Schwartzman, and the older Pete from Pete and Pete, which opened with a pitiful $3 million gross.

Mary J. Blige, who performed at last Sunday’s Super Bowl, is getting married to her boyfriend, whose identity she declined to mention. This will be the 31-year old singer’s first marriage and the catalyst for a hundred more songs about the female spirit.

Beck is in the studio working with kitschy cool producer Dan “The Automator” Nakamura on his next untitled album. Nakamura is known on the college radio circuit for his indulgent musical blueprint projects like Gorillaz, Deltron 3030, and Handsome Boy Modeling School.

“Don’t be afraid to suck.”
These were the words of advice University of Miami alumnus Juan Carlos Coto offered a classroom full of students and professors last Thursday.
Coto himself has built a successful career as a television writer, having contributed to programs such as Viper and Freakylinks, and most recently as a staff writer for the hit show The Pretender.
A proud UM alumnus, Coto donned a Hurricanes national championship T-shirt as he recounted the rise of his career from a Hurricane reporter to his current project, a series for HBO.
After he graduated, the film and English major worked for both the Ft. Lauderdale-based Sun-Sentinel and The Miami Herald. While at the Herald, he worked as one of the paper’s film critics, along with famed reviewer Bill Cosford.
But Coto dreamed of making it big in Hollywood, and in 1992 got married, took his brother’s advice, and moved out to Los Angeles to pursue his dream.
Success was slow to come, however. Coto worked as a freelance writer while honing his skills and building his portfolio of personal projects and “spec” scripts, a sample of a television show.
Coto was quick to praise the importance of “spec” scripts, as both a development tool for the writer, and as a way to find employment.
“‘Spec’ scripts are a lot like business cards,” he said. “They can really help open doors for you.”
Coto, known as J.C. while at UM, is a humorous, down-to-earth thirty-something whose experience serves as a beacon to anyone considering becoming a writer. He is encouraging.
“You write your own ticket,” he said, reminding young writers that their dreams may not come true as fast as they would like.
“You have to deal with a lot of rejection,” he says, “[Writing] is a matter of taste and you have to get used to it [rejection]… learn to brush it off.”
Coto is in Miami for the next few weeks, working on a new HBO series on the life of Dr. Pedro Jose Greer, Jr. Greer, a former dean of the UM School of Medicine, is best known for his crusade to help the city’s homeless population.
Coto has teamed up with the Herald’s Liz Balmaseda, a Pulitzer Prize winning columnist, to write the script for the series, which will star Andy Garcia as Dr. Greer.
Coto says he is enjoying being back in Miami, if only for a short time.
When asked if he had any other words of advice for aspiring Hemingways and Cotos, he nodded and replied:
“Move to L.A. and start writing. The guys who talk about writing don’t make it. The ones who write, do.”
There is no such thing as wasted work, he said, for the process is about learning.
“Don’t stop writing,” he urged. “And don’t be afraid to suck.”

Standing close to the front, anyone could have been blown away by the explosion that rocked the stage. For the approximately 40 minutes that they played, the indie rock group Desaparecidos intensely devoted themselves to the audience that came to see them shine and strived to not disappoint. They have worked arduously for a year to make music that matters and for the past month attempted it to bring it home.
The Omaha, Neb.-natives Conor Oberst (Bright Eyes mastermind),vocals and guitars, Denver Dalley, guitar, Landon Hedges, bass, Ian McElroy, keyboards, and drummer Matt Baum released their debut album under the Saddle Creek label, titled Read Music/Speak Spanish last Friday at Revolver, a club located a few blocks away from Sunset Place.
The album touches and criticizes intensely and frankly the topics of over-commercialism, suburban values and society in America. Desaparecidos, which translated from Spanish means “the disappeared,” has also decided to focus on the Hispanic culture, because, according to Dalley, “Hispanics have a lot of influence in America and we grew up in neighborhoods with many Latin people.”
The band members are currently in the middle of a month-long cross country tour; something they fully enjoy.
“I love touring; it is the most fun thing I could imagine,” said Malley.
And so on Friday night, it was South Miami’s turn to host the group. Local act Poulain, who received a lot of positive feedback from the audience, opened the show with an acoustic set of beautiful and delicate songs. The Athens, Ga. dark melodic pop rock group Now it’s Overhead followed with powerful and dense tracks, which incited the crowd, and the typical enigmatic, yet raw attitude of a rock and roll band.
At about 1:30 a.m., Desparecidos took the stage. Hedges’ childish comments, Baum’s rowdy remarks, the keyboardist’s mysterious, shy attitude, guitarist Dalley’s rock star pose, and Oberst’s control over the crowd complemented each other to perfection. Despite a few troubles with the instruments, wet floor and group coordination, the band fulfilled the expectations of everyone that went to see them. Desaparecidos played songs from their new album, including the standout tracks The Happiest Place on Earth, $$$$, and Ma

As spring rolls around, many students dream of packing their bags and finding a place of their own off campus or away from home. In a city as big and expensive as Miami, dreams of living in Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, or South Beach may not always be realistic, especially for a college student.
It’s important to know where to start looking for an ideal apartment within a realistic price range where you won’t have to wake up hours early just to get to school on time or put ten dead bolts on your door to feel safe. Thanks to realtor Danny Dominguez and with the help of miami.com, here’s a brief overview of what’s out there:

Up to $599 a month
The Airport &Westchester
If your budget is limited, this is definitely a place where to start looking for a pad. The airport is centrally located, the Beach is just a few exits away, and a job in the area would probably be an easy find. The downside to this area would definitely be the heavy traffic.

Like what you see? Call:
The Airport Villas
(305) 649-9000
1/1 starting at $545/month

From $600 to $900 a month
Right outside of the Gables and by Dadeland

With a little bit more money or maybe a roommate to split the rent, you could probably find a decent 1/1 or 2/1 on Eighth Street and Thirty-Seventh Avenue or off Sixty-seventh Avenue and Fifty-sixth Street. The location is a definite plus, with the school just a 10-minute drive away, and you get the Gables proximity without paying Gables taxes. The Dadeland area provides easy access to the Metrorail. Just remember, this is not the Gables, and there are not pretty palm trees lining the streets.

Like what you see? Call:
The Village At Dadeland
7440 S.W. 82nd St.
(305) 665-5759
1/1 starting at $700 a month and 2/1 starting at $800

Kendall
If you want a bigger apartment for the same price, Kendall is definitely a place to look. There are a lot of job opportunities in the area, and quality is a lot cheaper to rent. The main downside to this area is the distance from school; it might take you a 45-minute drive in traffic. Many commuters, however, live in the area and decide that it’s worth it.

Like what you see? Call:
The Courts At Kendall
15490 S.W. 80th St.
(305) 382-2653
1/1 starting at $669 and 2/1 starting at $755

South Beach ‘s
“vintage” apartments
Beware the word “vintage” because for all practical purposes that probably means old and falling apart. However, if it’s always been your absolute dream to live a block away from the ocean and you don’t mind the 20-minute commute, this may be something to look into. The nightlife here is a definite plus, and living on the beach is truly an experience.

Like what you see? Call:
The Alamac Apartments
1300 Collins Avenue
(305)531-4173
Studios starting at $660 and 1/1 starting at $850

Also: Visit thesublet.com for student rates on apartments at this price range all over Miami.