Living Room Tour with Joann Biondi

Wednesday, July 11th
6:30pm-8:30pm
Ronald W. Shane Center
6500 Indian Creek Dr.
Miami Beach, FL. 33141
305 861 8876
www.shanecenter.com

One of the most important things PTGAF does as an organization is provide ongoing educational opportunities for tour guides to increase their knowledge and enhance Their professional abilities. One part of that ongoing process is the Living Room Tour series which introduces guides to authors, historians, and experts in their fields in an intimate setting allowing interaction and access to people who know South Florida.

On Wednesday, July 11th from 6:30pm-8:30pm our guide for the evening will be Joann Biondi who will talk about her new book, Miami Beach Memories: A Nostalgic Look at Days Gone By, a collection of interviews with 100 people from all walks of life—strippers, comedians, lawyers, doctors, waiters, waitresses, cooks, bellhops, writers, photographers—that tells the story of what Miami Beach was like from the 1920s to the 1960s.

Joann, the author of ten books, has been a travel writer, newspaper reporter, tourism consultant, and flight attendant. Her articles have appeared in many publications including The New York Times, Miami Herald, USA Today, National Geographic, Travel & Leisure, Caribbean Travel & Life, Conde Nast Traveler, and Islands. She has taught in the Travel and Tourism programs at both Miami-Dade College and Florida International University, and worked with the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau on the development of the Tour Guide Training Program of Miami Dade County.

Our host for the evening will once again be the Ronald W. Shane Rowing Center a newly expanded world class rowing facility and training ground for USA and  International Olympic Rowers and Kayakers.

Parking is free after 6pm and we encourage you to arrive early to socialize before the
presentation. As always we encourage you to invite guests. The recommended donation for these events is $5.00 per person which helps to cover expenses and raise needed revenue for future efforts.

Please RSVP to help us plan

Sheila Kelly
305.532.1366 Phone/fax
305.799.7840 Cell
skentinc@aol.com

See you there!
 

A Guided Tour of the Ronald W Shane Rowing Center 

Wednesday March 21 2007
Ronald W Shane Center
500 Indian Creek Drive
Miami Beach- Florida 33141

Time: 6:30 pm
(305) 861-8876
www.shanecenter.com 

The Ronald W. Shane Rowing Center on Miami Beach is a newly expanded world class rowing facility and training ground for USA and International Olympic Rowers and Kayakers.  Our guides for the evening are Gordon Hoover and Joel Lefkowitz who will graciously share their insights into the art and science, magic and mystery of leading professional tours.

Gordon and Joel are long time guides whose expertise in leading Everglades tours will be the basis for their presentation.  AIt will undoubtedly provide a great opportunity for all of us to learn new tricks as we observe their methods and refine our own.

Parking is free after 6pm and we encourage you to arrive early to socialize before the presentation.  As always we encourage you to invite guests who will have the opportunity to learn about PTGAF.
The recommended donation is $ 5.00 per person
Please RSVP
Sheila Kelly 305.532.1366 phone, 305.532.7840 mobile
skentinc@aol.com
 

Tuesday Nov 14th, 2006
Gusman Center for The Performing
25 SE 2nd Avenue
Miami - Florida 33131
(305) 374-2444
www.gusmancenter.org

On November 14th, one of Miami's enduring landmarks, the Olympia Theatre (now known as the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts) will open its doors to PTGAF members for a behind the scenes look at this historic venue.
We will offer a 45 minute Guided Tour of the Gusman Theatre that will begin at 12 Noon and will be led by Honorary PTGAF member Michael Kinerk together with the Director of Gusman Theatre Operations Mike Wharton.
We are grateful to two of our honorary members Michael Kinerk and Dennis Wilhelm as well as the Director of The Gusman Theatre Mike Wharton and PTGAF Inaugural President Navin Ramani for making this event possible. Michael Kinerk, founding member of the Theatre Historical Society of America, is an architectural historian author, lecturer and founding member of the Miami Design Preservation League. As the organization’s past chairman for several years he has received numerous awards for his preservation work. Dennis Wilhelm, board member of the Theatre Historical Society of America, is an archivist and an architectural historian author together with Kinerk, as well as a charter member of the Miami Design Preservation League. He was instrumental in founding the Art Deco Weekend festival, served as its former Creative Director for many years and is currently chairman of the Barbara Baer Capitman Archives.
The theatre, which opened its doors in 1926, is celebrating its 80th anniversary this year. Paramount Enterprises who built the theatre, hired architect John Eberson, creator of the "atmospheric" theatre concept which offered illusions of an exotic open air amphitheatre beneath a starry moonlit sky and drifting clouds. The Olympia was also the first theatre in the south to be designed with air conditioning.

Parking for the event is free at the following 2 designated garages when you bring your ticket to the theatre for validation.
College Station Garage: 190 NE 3rd Street at NE 2nd Avenue
Convention Center Garage:100 SE 2nd Street (Bank of America Building)
Arrive a little early and allow some time to meet and mingle before the tour.
Suggested donation is $ 5. All members are encouraged to bring a guest.
Please RSVP
Sheila
(305) 532-.1366 Phone
(305) 799-7840 Cell
skentinc@aol.com
For additional information on the theatre please visit www.gusmancenter.org
 

Topic: "Key Biscayne and the Heritage Trail"
Wednesday Nov 8th, 2006
Miami Beach Botanical Gardens
111 SW South River Drive
Miami, Florida
(305) 325-9227
www.miamiriverinn.com

Guided Tour of The Miami River Inn
between 6.30 and 7.00 pm
Lecture: 7.00 pm by Joan Gill Blank

Built between 1906 and 1910, the Miami River Inn was restored to its original splendor in the late 1980's and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Joan Gill Blank, a resident of Key Biscayne since 1951, has authored and edited numerous books and articles on Florida’s cultural, historical and ecological heritage, including “Born of the Sun”, the official bicentennial history book of the State of Florida and “Key Biscayne, A History of Miami’s Tropical Island and the Cape Florida Lighthouse”

The evening will conclude at 8:30 pm
Suggested donation is $ 5. All members are encouraged to bring a guest.

Directions:
From the North- I-95 south: exit at S.W. 7th Street (exit #1B). Turn right at S.W. 7th Street, right at S.W. 5th Avenue, right at S.W. 2nd Street. We are 1 block east, on the left side.

From the South- I-95 north: exit at S.W. 8th Street (exit #1B). Turn left at S.W. 7th Street, right at S.W. 5th Avenue, right at S.W. 2nd Street and turn right. We are a half block, on the left side

Please RSVP:
Sheila Kelly
(305) 532-1366 Phone/fax
(305) 799-7840 Cell
skentinc@aol.com

Kevin Doran
Two Foot Tours
(305) 868-8433
(305) 342-7609
twofoottours@bellsouth.net
 

Tuesday, Oct 17th, 2006
Miami Beach Botanical Gardens
2000 Convention Center Drive
Miami Beach, Florida 33139

Guided Tour of The Botanical Garden
between 6.30 and 7.00 pm led by Diane Downs
Lecture: 7.00 pm by Dr. Jeff Donnelly

Jeff Donnelly who holds a doctorate in American Studies fron New York University has been a tour guide for The Miami Design Preservation League since 1987 and directs the semi-annual Tour School training program for MDPL guides. Undoubtedly one of the best guides in the city, Beth Dunlop, former architectural critic for the Miami Herald, once described him as: "a storyteller, a passionate, eloquent, and anecdotal host for our tour".

His vast and incomparable knowledge on the Miami Beach's underworld history will allow us to take a look at another intriguing side of the Art Deco district.

The evening will conclude at 8:30.
Suggested member fee $ 5. All members are encouraged to bring a guest.
RSVP:

Sheila Kelly
(305) 532-1366
skentinc@aol.com
 

Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006
The Biltmore Hotel
Aragon Room
Coral Gables, Florida

Mini Guided Tour of The Biltomore Hotel at 6.30 led by Charles Kropke of Dragonfly Expeditions
Lecture: 7.00 pm by Arva Moor Parks

Arva Moor Parks a native Miamian, historian, preservationist and community leader, has authored, co-authored, edited or contributed to more than a dozen books and documentaries including the City of Miami’s official history: Miami The Magic City. Widely honored, she has been inducted into the State of Florida and City of Miami Women's Hall of Fame and received the Miami Herald Charles Whited Spirit of Excellence award.

A cash bar will be available.
Suggested member fee $ 5. All members are encouraged to bring a guest.

Please RSVP:
Sheila Kelly
(305) 532-1366 Phone/fax
(305) 799-7840 Cell
skentinc@aol.com
 

Monday, February 6th, 2006
240 N.E. 13th Street
Miami
Florida 33132
Guided Tour 3.30 PM.

The Professional Tour Guide Association of Florida has organized a private tour of the Miami Performing Arts Center (MPAC) for PTGAF members as an opportunity to explore docent guide and related programs at the Center that is scheduled to open by the end of 2006.

Construction began in October 2001 after the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved the contract with Performing Arts Center Builders (PACB), a partnership of Odebrecht Construction, Inc., the Haskell Company, and Ellis Don Corporation.

Situated at the cultural crossroads of the Americas, the Miami Performing Arts Center (MPAC) is the largest public/private-sector partnership ever undertaken by Miami-Dade County. At a total project cost of $446 million, it is vital to Miami ’s evolution as a major international capital and the centerpiece of the city’s media and entertainment district.

Four internationally acclaimed resident companies--Concert Association of Florida, Florida Grand Opera, Miami City Ballet and New World Symphony will help set the standards of quality and artistic excellence consistent with one of America ’s most important performing arts venues.

An architectural landmark, MPAC will incorporate forms, colors and materials familiar to South Florida and the Americas and redefine Miami ’s urban landscape. Architect, Cesar Pelli, is a recipient of the American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) Gold Medal, the industry’s highest honor. The master works of his firm include the Twin Petronas Towers (world’s tallest) in Kuala Lumpur, the World Financial Center and Winter Garden in Manhattan and numerous performing arts centers in the U.S. and abroad.

The acclaimed Cultural Arts facilities and Educational Components of MPAC include:
2,200-seat Carnival Concert Hall slated to be the Miami venues for the Concert Association of Florida, Florida Grand Opera, Miami City Ballet and New World Symphony, as well as the premier venues for a wide array of local, national, and international cultural performances
2,400-seat Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House
200-seat flexible-space Studio Theater that will host intimate performances of contemporary theater, dance, music, cabaret, and more.
57,000-square-foot Plaza for the Arts that will host outdoor entertainment, social celebrations and informal community gatherings
A 1929 Restored Art Deco Tower of historical and architectural significance that will symbolically link the city’s past with its future.
Carlin Banquet Hall in the Ziff Ballet Opera House
Peacock Education Center – a 8,200 square feet of workshop and classroom space to act as a catalyst for arts education and enrichment programs for children and adults.
Art commissioned by Miami-Dade Art in Public Places

More detailed information about MPAC can also be learned from clicking their link here http://www.miamipac.org/en/Home/default.aspx

Kindly adhere to the emailed guidelines and restrictions pertaining to the dress code that need to be followed by the participants of the tour. We look forward to the opportunity of interacting with the members of PTGAF on this fabulous tour. For more information on The Professional Tour Guide Association of Florida please visit www.ptgaf.com
 

Wednesday, November 16, 2005
1775 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach.
Guided Tour 6.30 PM.
Followed by a Private Reception at The Sanctuary 7.15 PM

The Professional Tour Guide Association of Florida has organized an evening for members to meet and mingle on Wednesday, November 16th. We’ve included a little bit of history with a smidge of that essential chic quotient required on the Beach to satisfy even the most discriminating among you.
 

The evening begins at 6:30 pm with a tour of the historic Raleigh Hotel, one of architect L. Murray Dixon’s streamline masterworks from 1940. The Raleigh has been reborn as a premier meeting place on Miami Beach and a treat for anyone who hasn’t visited it recently. From there we will meander a few short blocks to the Sanctuary to enjoy rooftop cocktails and hors d’oeuvres in one of the very cool new environs helping to re-define South Beach style.

These evenings provide an opportunity for us to meet, share ideas, and gain a greater appreciation for the valuable contribution the tour guide profession makes to the tourism industry, our community and visitors’ experience of our fair city.

The cost for the evening is $5 for members, which includes hors d’oeuvres. Beverages at the Sanctuary are 2 for 1. We certainly want new members but invite non members to this event exclusively if they intend to join the association. The charge for non members is $15 which will then be applied toward their new PTGAF membership.

It is our sincere hope that you will be able to join us. Please RSVP-ASAP (305-868- 8433 or 305-342-7609) so that we can properly plan the evening. It won’t be the same without you. Membership applications will be available on site or they may be completed at www.ptgaf.com and submitted at the event.
 

Thursday, September 15, 2005
1001 Washington Avenue,
Miami Beach.
Guided Tour 6.30 PM. Private Reception 7.15 PM

The Professional Tour Guide Association of Florida (PTGAF) cordially invites you to its first ever fall event where we will gather at the historic Wolfsonian- FIU Museum on Miami Beach for an evening of art, culture and information exchange designed specifically for tour guides. The event will include an insider’s tour of The Wolfsonian’s extraordinary public library, one of the city’s best kept secrets, and two of the museum’s exhibition galleries. We will conclude the evening with a private reception for PTGAF members to meet and exchange ideas. The Wolfsonian-FIU is a building rich in historic and cultural significance and should give tour guides valuable insight to augment their knowledge of Miami Beach.

The two exhibits we’ll visit are: X: A Decade of Collecting, with more than 200 objects including Cass Gilbert’s dramatic ornamental finial from the 1913 Woolworth Building in New York and Art and Design in the Modern Age: Selections from The Wolfsonian Collection providing an intriguing overview of The Wolfsonian’s exceptional collection of decorative and propaganda arts from 1885-1945.

The Interior spaces of The Wolfsonian present an extraordinary array of both original and acquired architectural elements. Among the highlights are:
A magnificent Moderne gold glazed theatre façade from Norristown, PA.
The iconic aluminum statue “Wrestler” created for the 1932 Los Angeles Olympic Games and
A finely detailed bronze Moderne letter box in the elevator vestibule
Original furniture from the Milan Central Train Station
The original vault doors of the Washington Storage Company, which operated in the building through 1986 on the second floor.
And an expansive stenciled wooden ceiling by noted Miami architect Robert Law Weed, salvaged from a 1926 automobile dealership on the seventh floor.

In addition to the architectural highlights of this tour you can expect to learn more about founder Mitchell Wolfson Jr’s donation to Florida International University in 1997, the museum’s role in the community, and other historical buildings owned by the museum on Miami Beach.