The Art of Conversation Over a Glass of Champagne…

Welcome. Welcome to a thoughtful and open conversation, the gracious hostesses said invitingly. Her feet seem to second her proclivity for openness and transparency.

Newspapers are important to protect democracy. Unfortunately, newspaper models make it hard for newspapers to be at the center of the communities they serve. Downtown is where everything happens, yet the Miami Herald is no longer here. Perhaps new models should be adopted. Andres Viglucci seems to be explaining, and Aaron DeMayo agrees. The other gentleman, Bernard Zyscovich, is keen-on capturing multiple conversations simultaneously. Further down, Frank Steslow elaborates on the importance of supporting a science museum, while Dr. Gonzalez and Matilda Kalaveshi reiterate that the fintech and crypto trends are important, but urban colleges should remain committed to Miami’s traditional economic pillars, such as the healthcare industry and hospitality.

Preservation is crucial and very difficult to achieve because developers are guided by spreadsheets, theorized Arva Jain. I am no lip-reading expert, but I think I read: “Well, it’s a bit more complex than that. “

The word Salon derives from the Italian augmentative form “salone,” hall, a gathering place. The institution of the Salon, as history perpetuated it, is a gathering place for intelligent conversation. Astrid Mota, FirstService PARAMOUNT General Manager, standing to the right, affirms that the purpose of the gathering is to foster a sense of Downtown community through conversation. Photo, Aurea Veras.

The Salon FUTURE DOWNTOWN sold out quickly. More than one hundred people were left out, attesting to the fact that intelligent conversation is not dead. Salons once competed with universities, but with one major difference. The university excluded women, yes, women were excluded from higher education. Salons not only welcomed women, but the best salons were run by women.

Impressive, but look at my shoes! Photo Aurea Veras.

Time for some wine, a reason to smile! Nora Vinas, office of Commissioner Higgins, and Keith Pinkard, Operation’s Director, PARAMOUNT.

Reception, or Portrait of Downtown from the 56TH floor at the PARAMOUNT Miami Worldcenter. Photo by Marc Schmidt, a cardiologist turned photographer.

Portrait # 2 of Downtown. Matilda Kalaveshi, Raul Guerrero, Cristina Palomo and Roly Masferrer. Photo by Gerado Gomez.

The evening was warm and the champagne chilled. Photo, Gerardo Gomez.

The art of conversation in full splendor or a staring contest.

Seriously, I am not running for president.

Voltaire was a regular of the Parisian Salons. Contrary to the more rigid universities, the exchange of ideas on science, art and society was not opposed to the finer things of life, music, food, wine and a little flirting. The word flirting came to English from old Latin via the French “Fleur,” flower. The original sense of flirting was throwing flowers at one another. Imagine what an evening of flowers and ideas provoked? Photo by Gerardo Gomez.

Music did happen. The violinist plays with feeling to inspire more feelings. She is playing BESAME MUCHO, “kiss me so much.” Gerardo Gomez for DASS.

It was agreed that one important factor in the evolution of Downtown was a neighborhood association. The Downtown Neighbors Alliance (DNA) here represented by its President, right, James Torres, and, in black with the pooch listening attentively, Claudia Roussel. Left, Reina Lopez, and, in white, Jessica Boudreaux.

Commissioner Higgins with two young architects pause the conversation to pose for our photographer. The incomparable view of Downtown at night in the background. Photo, Gerardo Gomez.

I have to tip the photographer. He kept following me. Here with my wife, Aurea Veras, a DASS founder and Downtown News collaborator. Photo, Gerardo Gomez.

Here with MDC Wolfson President, third from left. Miami Dade College is a great asset for Downtown, and Dr. Beatriz Gonzalez is the perfect conductor. Conductor? Colleges can be analogous to symphonies. Photo by Gerardo Gomez.

Cheers!

“If you ask me, this is what I think, and believe me, I can be emphatic!”

“I am a nuclear physicist with strong opinions on many subjects. For one, why do we call tech an app we use to order hamburgers? Where is the technology in that?”

Paparazzi on paparazzi. Left, award-winning photographer Marc Shmidt. Center, Aurea Veras, Downtown News photographer. What about me? You, Leah Simpson, you are the muse. Photo by Gerardo Gomez

Avra Jain, right, said vision works at a micro level, but it’s much more difficult at the macro level. Matilda Kalaveshi smiles her agreement. I have to tip the photographer to stop following me.

Is the gentleman, second from the right, thinking, “my perspective is different from up here?” The gentleman on the far left in white shirt and shoes, on his part, seems intent on demonstrating the right way to squeeze a ripe tomato.

Our hostess, Astrid Mota, ended the evening on a high note.

Smooth jazz. I am not an expert on reading eyes, but we all could tell the saxophonist rhetorically asked: Am I cool or what?

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The Art of Conversation Over a Glass of Champagne.

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Written by Raul Guerrero

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