AQUA Miami May 2026

AQUA MIAMI

FLORA

Love Lifts

Nestled along the tree-lined streets of Coral Gables, Ponce Park presents an intimate collection of 58 residences, ranging from two to ve bedrooms. Each home is curated by the acclaimed Meyer Davis, blending contemporary luxury with classic charm to create a re ned sense of place.

Project Address: 3000 Ponce de Leon Blvd, Coral Gables, FL 33134

Sales Gallery: 203 University Drive, Coral Gables, FL 33134

Create Where

Your Listing Appointment Is With Michael

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• White-Glove Luxury Representation

• Strategic Pricing & Market Positioning

• Cinematic Photography & Video Production

• High-Impact Social Media Campaigns

• Precision Digital Advertising Targeting

• Direct Access to Quali ed Buyers

Michael Martinez

immigrant entrepreneurs Ana and Bill Blanco found one another, founded an innovative business, and achieved their American dream.

Flora Ana gives us an inside look at her poetry and music, through which she aims to inspire those around her.

www.sanctuaryofthearts.org

Undeterred by the challenges the arts community has been facing, our season unfolds across a spectrum of experiences ~ productions for all ages, groundbreaking dance, powerful music, thought-provoking conversations, and site-specific works that close the gap between art and audiences.

From global collaborations to intimate gatherings, our stages and spaces celebrate creativity in its many forms ~ led by artists, inspired by community, and driven by innovation.

Sanctuary of the Arts is your "go-to” place for the best in entertainment! Come and enjoy global, national, and local renowned and award-winning artists!

DOWNTOWN CAMPUS ST. MARY CAMPUS 410 ANDALUSIA AVENUE, CORAL GABLES, FL 33134 136 FROW AVENUE, CORAL GABLES, FL 33133 @sanctuaryofthearts

HYES, YOU MAY

“HOW BEAUTIFUL are the rosy footsteps of May!” the Victorian poet Eliza Cook wrote in her popular and influential eponymous weekly journal. “Less showery and changeful than April, and not so heated and burdensome as June, she stands like a gentle mediator between the two...With her soft blue eye, and her mild but radiant countenance, she comes like an angel of light among men... She scatters in her path the sweetest flowers of nature and everywhere breathes fragrance and joyousness. The birds of the air are caroling her welcome, and even the mute beasts of the field seem happier at her coming.”

Cook wrote these rapturous words 176 years ago—and 137 years after she shuffled off this mortal coil. It’s a good reminder of two things: One, of what endures and unites us as human beings, despite all the revolutionary change around us. Though she may not have had a minisupercomputer connected to orbiting satellites in her pocket— or had her livelihood threatened by generative AI—Cook’s May is our May. In her words, we find resonance and continuity. It is also a reminder of how relatively little time we have to enjoy these delightful moments of renewal. Cook got 70 springs. How many most of us will get is (mercifully) unknown. But it is limited.

That is no call to wallow in moroseness. Instead, it is a reminder to urgently, fully, passionately embrace the Mays we have. Every month, we at AQUA Miami seek to introduce you to the inspiring, intriguing places, people, and events to help you do that. Not just in May, of course, but every month. May, however, is the 31 days in front of us. So, let’s live in the moment, appreciate what we’ve got, and give spring a welcome that will put a smile on Eliza Cook’s face all the way in the (hopefully) full bloom hereafter.

Shawn Macomber Editor

Have a story idea?

Email the editor: Shawn.Macomber@wainscotmedia.com

Advertising Director

Daisy Abreu

daisy.abreu@wainscotmedia.com

Creative Director

Kijoo Kim

Editor

Shawn Macomber

shawn.macomber@wainscotmedia.com

Columnists

Gerry Barker

Magnolia Orli

Photographers

Carlos F. Mendez Teá Mox

WAINSCOT MEDIA

Chairman Carroll V. Dowden

President and CEO

Mark Dowden

SVP, Group Publisher Thomas Flannery

VP, Content Strategy Maria Regan

Associate Editor

Sophia Carlisle

Art Director

Rosemary O’Connell

Advertising Services Director

Jacquelynn Fischer

Operations Director

Catherine Rosario

Production Designer Chris Ferrante

Print Production Manager Fern Meshulam

Advertising Production Associate Griff Dowden

AQUA Miami magazine is published by Wainscot Media. Serving residents of Pinecrest and surrounding areas of South Florida, the magazine is distributed monthly via U.S. mail. Articles and advertisements contained herein do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. Copyright 2026 by Wainscot Media LLC. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent.

Small Legs, Big Heart

Adorable scenes from the Coastal Corgi Classic.

PHOTOGRAPHS BY TEÁ MOX

“THE ORIGIN OF new the Corgi,” the official site of the Welsh Corgi League notes, “is lost in the mists of time.”

“It is possible to believe that, as the only herding dog indigenous to Wales, they can be traced back to 920 A.D.,” corgi historian—corg-storian?—Sue Harrison writes. “Certainly, a Welsh cattle dog is mentioned in the 11th-century Doomsday Book. Both varieties, Pembroke and Cardigan, were similar in looks and working ability, the Cardigan eventually keeping to the Teckel type—more like the Dachshund—whereas the Pembroke was most probably developed more from the Spitz type of dog brought to the Pembrokeshire lands by the invading Vikings.”

A contemporary wiggle of corgis—yes, that is the actual term for a group of three or more corgis—brought both cuteness and that conquering spirit to the Coastal Corgi Classic at Gulfstream Park just north of Miami in Hallandale Beach. The mid-March event showcased “registered corgi dogs competing in a series of short, controlled sprint races conducted under strict safety, operational, and animal welfare guidelines on the dirt track.”

AQUA Miami sent intrepid local photographer/painter/singer-songwriter Teá Mox—whose multimedia artwork and music we covered in our January 2026 issue—to capture the festivities.

“It’s utterly absurd but I love that it exists,” Mox reports. “I had never seen so many corgis in one place before. The corgis were adorable. None of them seemed to have any clue about what was happening, but they all looked happy to be there.” (The swag bags stuffed with

tennis balls, dog bowls, treats, and more for all entrants probably didn’t hurt.)

After four shockingly spry qualifying heats, the top three finishers from each moved onto the championship race… well, after a cooling dip in the pool. (South Florida heat, even in March, is pant-inducing.) From there, medals and trophies were presented to the top three winners. Mox’s photos capture the glory and sportsmanship of the breed—which, okay, might’ve disappointed their Viking ancestors, but thrilled the Gulfstream crowd.

For more information, visit gulfstreampark.com.

Mexican-American musician and painter Teá Mox got her first camera as a teenager. In addition to photography, she is also working on the follow-up to her 2025 album Sailors. Visit her at teamox. mypixieset.com.

LOVE Keeps Lifting Them HIGHER

How immigrant entrepreneurs Ana and Bill Blanco found one another, founded an innovative business, and achieved their American dream.

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GROWING UP IN Venezuela, future PSM Facility Solutions founder and CEO Ana Blanco did not exactly fit the stereotypical profile of a future entrepreneur. Yes, she was a curious and independent child. But also a little bit introverted. In academics, she gravitated toward math, business, science—anything to do with hands-on problem-solving and team building. Outside of the classroom, her interests ranged from music to art. She imagined herself more as a behind-the-scenes player.

“I knew I wanted a career that involved helping people and leading teams, but never specifically as an entrepreneur,” Blanco tells AQUA Miami. “I’m basically a very private person—not really an attention seeker. I did notice early on, however, that I liked creating things and thinking of new ideas. Over time, I began to shift toward a goal of building something of my own and having more control over my destiny.”

One fateful meeting and several years later, she would realize those ambitions in ways that exceeded her wildest dreams.

A TRANSFORMATIVE LOVE

At age 18, Blanco departed Venezuela in pursuit of the American dream. “I knew my views, vision, and business inclination would not bode well for me in an oppressive socialist environment,” Blanco says. After what she describes as “a very rocky, uncomfortable, and disappointing start to my American journey,” Blanco encountered her future husband, Bill. “We met in a natural yet unexpected way,” she says. “It wasn’t anything staged or dramatic, but there was an immediate sense of alignment between us. We both were in the middle of difficult times in our lives. Yet, even then, we understood each other from the start.”

Bill, Ana learned, also came from a humble background. “When my family arrived from Cuba in the early 1960s, we—much like many other Cubans—found ourselves struggling to survive in a Miami that was much more hostile to immigrants at the time,” he says. “I can still remember the for-rent signs reading ‘No Cubans,’ the lines at the Freedom Tower, the day-old bread from dumpsters…” When he met

Ana, Bill may have been underemployed and living in his car, but he, too, was determined to make something greater out of his life. “It felt like serendipity,” he says, echoing Ana. “We immediately clicked and found comfort and chemistry with each other…Sometimes, you can’t explain why fate and karma do what they do.”

At first, the pair bonded over separate dreams of making something of their lives. Slowly, however, those separate dreams began to intertwine, and the relationship became romantic and empowering. Not that it was easy. But that provided its own lesson. “There were days when food was scarce, living conditions were uncomfortable, and finding work was a struggle,” Bill says. “We learned what it was like for many people who could not make ends meet, who went hungry and could not find stable employment…But together we found strength.”

Ana worked in retail and then accounting. She graduated from the prestigious Goldman Sachs entrepreneur course and gained a

new perspective about business and being an entrepreneur. And as she and Bill pursued their own careers, the couple began to play a simultaneous game of “what if?”

What if they started their own business?

What if they placed their own hard-won experience and human-centric values at the center of that business?

What if they could create a company that not only provided value and more consistent service to clients but also better opportunities, conditions, and benefits for employees?

THE ANSWER

In 2004, the Blancos intuited a gap in commercial services. “While both of us were working different jobs, we noticed companies were struggling with inconsistent service, quality, detail, customer service, affordable options and lack of accountability,” Ana says. “In speaking to people in business, we heard a lot of complaints about lack of flexibility and poor service; about inability to bundle services for economies of scale and

convenience and poor performance. Many businesses were forced to manage multiple vendors without getting reliable results.”

PSM Facility Solutions was born. The mission: to build a company centered on affordable consistency, quality services, responsiveness, and long-term relationships, as well as one in which employees were respected, paid well and on time, and provided quality benefits. Leveraging industry insight and relationships, the company began offering commercial cleaning services while building resources, knowledge, and capital. PSM Facility Solutions evolved into a one-stop solution in the commercial cleaning, facility maintenance and repair, daily handyman, discounted consumable supplies, remodeling, and construction spaces. Potential clients are provided with an assessment and recommendation, including a detailed scope of services. “We understand one size does not fit all,” Ana says. “Therefore, each of our clients can craft a scope of service and service rotation that meets their needs.”

The model proved successful and scaled quickly—first locally then regionally and nationally. Referrals abounded. PSM Facility Solutions evolved into a multi-state, full-

service company employing over 150 people throughout Florida, Texas, and Georgia. “PSM Facility Solutions’ expansion was driven by client demand and trust,” Ana says proudly. “Today, we retain that ability and get called to solve issues and needs when the needs arise or when other companies fall short. What started with a local vision has grown due to our mix of human talent, organizational capabilities, and customer care.”

“Our flexibility, scalability, and blending of different service needs all under one roof,” Bill adds. “This provides our clients with greater peace of mind and the ability to focus on their core business while PSM Facility Solutions provides their needed services.”

THE HUMAN FACTOR

“As CEO, I look to drive the company’s vision,” Ana says. “However, I think one of my key responsibilities is to be hands-on and work across key areas in operations, customer care, accounting, sales, and problem-solving. My focus is to ensure efficiency, maintain high-quality standards, motivate our human talent, and deliver a positive experience to our clients.”

Strong emphasis on human. That means a thorough onboarding process in which

talent is recruited, screened, and oriented to expectations then provided tools and workflows to ensure their readiness and success. “I like to emphasize continuous learning and quality improvement, mentoring, and feedback from employees and clients,” Ana says. “This lends to our ability to respond, act and improve our service to customers.” It also allows the Blancos and company to not jump on a certain technological bandwagon currently sweeping the nation. “We do not rely on AI to make initial or follow-up contact,” she says. “Our clients and prospects speak with a human PSM Facility Solutions employee, empowered to respond, set an appointment, and dispatch whatever is needed.”

Key to this success is the nurturing of an environment where employees feel supported and motivated. “That includes setting clear goals, recognizing achievements, and providing opportunities for growth,” Ana says. “By combining clear guidance with continuous development, employees are better equipped to perform confidently and contribute to the overall success of the company and service to our clients.”

On occasion, the Blancos will be asked why they sacrifice profits to ensure better pay and benefits to their human talent.

“The answer is simple,” Ana says. “We do it to provide better service, more consistency, less turnover, greater client satisfaction, and more overall success. That in turn provides us with a living structure and ability to reinvest in better equipment, supplies, and training, maximizing our clients’ satisfaction and experience.”

The value of PSM Facility Solutions isn’t limited to providing “tailored solutions” in a world where too-often the default is “cookie-cutter.” The company—with its robust insurance and workers’ compensation coverage as well as state-of-the-art employee and vendor screening and verification processes—substantially reduces risk for companies in need of talent. (One example: potential clients are presented with an OSHAcompliant list of all the cleaning agents to be used in a given contract, along with the respective, mandated Safety Data Sheets.)

“Florida has been consistently classified as one of the most active states for insurance claims—many of them frivolous yet still causing expensive litigation for clients,” Bill explains. “It is important that companies understand the risks associated with hiring uninsured or underinsured companies, or companies that don’t understand the insurance industry’s classification of employees and their roles, exclusions, and determinations for insurance coverage and rates. We save clients money by insulating them from claims unrelated to their business.”

LIFE LESSONS

Aside from providing a livelihood and a slice of the American dream, Ana and Bill both stress they’ve taken away profound, philosophical lessons from their time establishing and running PSM Facility Solutions. “I’ve learned that both business and life are really about listening, adapting—about being patient,” Ana says. “In business, it’s tempting to chase the quote-unquote ‘perfect strategy,’ or the next big idea, but most of the lessons come from the small interactions understanding what people need, responding thoughtfully, and learning from mistakes without overreacting. Life mirrors that. You realize that growth rarely comes from bold leaps alone; it’s the steady curiosity, the willingness to ask questions, and the patience to let things unfold that make the biggest difference. I’ve also noticed that

truly trying to understand someone else’s perspective makes both work and personal connections richer and more meaningful… When you take the time to communicate well, to think carefully before acting, you not only solve problems more effectively but also feel more grounded in the process. And honestly, it reminded me to find joy in the learning itself, not just the outcome.”

“I have learned the power of faith, love, companionship, partnership, dedication, hard work makes anything possible,” Bill says. “I have learned that there are rewards for dedication, work and doing the right thing. I have learned that opportunity and second chances is everyone’s right. Everyone makes mistakes in life; it is how we atone for and overcome them that makes someone better. I have learned that faith, determination, hard work, caring for others, being considerate, and passionate makes for a more balanced and meaningful work and life journey.”

Ana’s work has not gone unheralded. She was, for example, recently recognized with a Hispanic Leadership Award. “It’s very meaningful to me,” she says. “While personal recognition is not my thing or primary goal, awards like this validate that the initiatives I’m passionate about mentoring, advocating, or creating opportunities are having an impact. It also inspires me to continue striving for excellence and to serve as a role model for others in the Hispanic community who aspire to leadership roles.”

This brings us back to the Blanco love story, which underlies all PSM Facility Solutions’ innovation and success.

“I think what makes us such a strong team is that we balance each other,” Ana says. “Whereas I’m more methodical and patient, he’s more detail-oriented and effervescent. Those differences create a really solid foundation. There’s a lot of trust between us. We’re able to be honest, challenge each other, and still move forward with the same shared vision. At the end of the day, it’s not just about building something successful—it’s about building it with someone who genuinely supports you, keeps you grounded, and celebrates every win with you. That’s what makes it all work.”

For more information, visit psmsmartbiz.com.

Poetry in Motion

Flora Ana gives us an inside look at her poetry and music, through which she aims to inspire those around her.

fFLOR ANA IS a force of literary nature. She is at turns a poet (A Moth Fell in Love with the Moon; Vocabulary Lessons in Love & Limerence); a novelist (Amanita); a live typewriter/energy poet (don’t worry; we’ll define in a moment); the founder of “author-first, independent” Indie Earth Publishing; and, at times, an alternative rock lyricist and singer.

AQUA Miami recently caught up with Ana for an inspiring chat about the evolution of her craft, what it’s like to help others bring their stories into the world, and how the physical, intuitive tapping on an old school typewriter keys allows her to touch the poetic ethereal and provide “a gift that goes beyond words.”

For the uninitiated, what is a live typewriter poet?

Basically, it is a poet that writes poems on the spot—usually a giveme-a-topic-and-I ‘ll-write-you-a-poem sort of energy—for people out on the streets or at events. I had gotten my first typewriter back in 2021, and one day Oscar Fuentes, also known as The Biscayne Poet, invited me to join him at the 1 Hotel in South Beach for some typewriter poetry in the lobby. I think it was the second or third time that Oscar invited me back that a woman approached me and said, “I don’t have a topic so just write whatever you’d like.” So, I asked her for her name and wrote her an acrostic poem, which catapulted me into a whole new atmosphere as the woman started crying when I gave her the poem and said, “This is insane. How did you know this about me?”

Now I only do energy readings or intuitive poetry with my typewriter. I find it so beautiful and fulfilling for myself and the people I write for. It’s something different than regular typewriter poetry, and it makes me feel like I am giving a gift that goes beyond words. Honestly, I do all kinds of events with my typewriter; weddings, bridal and baby showers; corporate events; spiritual events; birthday parties, brand launches—you name it! It’s something truly so special and unique to bring to any kind of event.

In an age where AI and doom scrolling offers some challenges to the traditional written word, do you see event poetry as a way to reintroduce people to the magic of imagination and tactile, physical word art?

Absolutely! My goal is to make people feel something through words, and in an age where AI and scrolling have added a level of numbness to the world around us, having a poem you can take home that is message of abundance and affirmation is something that really sticks with you, that you can turn to time and time again. I have had so many people tell me they still read their poem or have it framed in their space, and I’m so honored and grateful for that. It makes me feel like I’m making a difference, even if only in a small way. I think event poetry also introduces some people to the magic of literature who may not be super familiar with poetry to begin with. It also introduces a level of love, magic, and confidence that surpasses the written word. In all honesty, I

have seen people go after their dreams and succeed because they were so inspired by the poem I wrote for them. And, as a true believer that we all have the ability to make our dreams come true, because I have been able to make my dreams come true, that is everything to me.

Did you love words and stories from a young age?

I think words and books in general have always captured my imagination. I remember being as little as five or six years old writing little songs in my notebooks. And I loved going to Barnes & Noble to read Magic Tree House and Katie Kazoo books. Actually, my parents would tell me that if I got good grades, I could buy books—so I always was an honor roll student. I also received a lot of support and encouragement: In third grade, there was an assignment to write a sequel to a short story. I chose Edgar Allan Poe’s A Tell-Tale Heart, and I specifically remember my teacher telling me I was a really good writer.

When did you go from reader/ observer to participant?

While I’ve dabbled in writing forever, in college I became a more avid writer. Writing poetry has taught me so much about myself and about life in general; I think poetry is how I understand my feelings and come to terms with all the little beautiful and difficult moments that are inevitable. I started writing poetry because I felt very alone and slightly existential; it provided comfort, and then when I started publishing my poetry, I realized I wasn’t alone in these thoughts and feelings.

You also pursued music—and still play out. Does that intertwine with your approach to writing at all?

Absolutely! My writing started off as songwriting when I was really young, and honestly, it wasn’t until I was in college when I started really diving into writing poems as poems instead of songs. It was my way of learning and understanding the changes from adolescence into adulthood. Pursuing

music also gave me a stronger affinity to rhyme and alliteration, which are still prevalent in my writing.

How fulfilling is it to help people find the story in themselves and share it with the world in a high-quality way via your company, Indie Earth Publishing?

Indie Earth Publishing is my baby. It is my full-time job that doesn’t pay the bills but is my ability to give back, since the majority of the money that goes into the company goes right back out to the authors. It is a co-publisher for writers, by a writer that I started because I

felt so alone in the publishing industry, and I wanted authors to explore the creative freedom of having their book exactly how they envisioned it, with the technical support of a publisher behind them. It is so fulfilling to be able to help people bring their books to fruition; in a way, I feel like I am still helping little Flor who felt so lost and alone in the publishing world six years later. I feel like I am doing for writers what I didn’t have when I first started in this industry.

Tell us about your novel.

Amanita is a YA dual-POV novel loosely inspired by Alice in Wonderland and set around Amara

and Luke, two best friends finishing up high school. It is a magical realism novel in the way that it is set in both our world and a magical world Amara discovers and explores. It is a friends-to-lovers novel, but more than that, it is a story about authenticity and learning to move through the unknowns of life without fear. It also discusses Cuban American heritage and what freedom means along with what family means and the reality that there is always more than what meets the eye. Amanita is my first novel, and it took me almost three years to write and four years to publish. It is a book that I wanted to read but never saw on the shelf and so I took it upon myself to write it.

What’s next for you?

Honestly, I don’t know, but at the same time I do. I want to continue helping authors and writers to bring their books to fruition, and I want to keep writing myself and exploring other ways to express my creativity. I want to truly see Energy in Poetry, my event typewriter business, fully take off and have multiple events a week so that I can further inspire and make people feel something. I also have a new poetry book about the emotional body coming out on April 29, which is titled A Dissection of Heart & Rewiring of Mind, and I am also working on my first adult novel. It is a gothic romance that is also dual-pov and follows a woman who becomes a vampire against her will and how she navigates those emotions when she meets a man who accepts her for who she has become when she doesn’t accept it herself. More than an enemies-to-lovers romance, this book also has an important theme of sisterhood, and I can’t wait to finish writing it and one day share it with the world.

For more information, visit Ana on Instagram at @littleearthflower.

Welcome to the (Suburban) Jungle

An exclusive excerpt of a short story from Pinecrest author Jo Avent’s incisive and affecting debut collection.

BY SHAWN MACOMBER

IN HER FANTASTIC, entertaining, and wildly diverse collection of short stories, Suburban Jungle & Other Stories, Pinecrest-based “indie author and sometimes ceramicist” Jo Avent not only plumbs the many facets of human emotion and experience but also bobs and weaves through myriad genres and subgenres to do so.

“When I first played with the [short story] format, I wondered if there would be enough room to pull off big, dramatic moves,” Avent tells AQUA Miami. “A few love connections, reconciliations, betrayals, and even murders later, it seems that short stories can indeed pack a punch and a twist!”

This month, we return to Avent’s world with an exclusive excerpt of a slice of life short from Suburban Jungle—sweet and complex and searching…just like the lives we lead.

METAMORPHOSIS

In a treehouse, Parker stood up, modelling her new sneakers. She twirled this way and that so that the glitter on the laces caught the light just right.

“Awesome, Parker!” the Johnson twins, Josie and Jilly, cooed in unison, with just a slight lisp caused by their new braces. “So cool!”

The seating arrangements in the treehouse were basic. The twins sat cross-legged on an old Persian rug commandeered from a pile destined for the goodwill store. The only chair, a low-slung beach chair, remained unoccupied since Bridget stopped hanging out with them.

Parker allowed herself a small smile. The shoes were a rare new item for her, as she was more accustomed to hand-me-downs from her older siblings. And here she was, basking in Bridget’s old limelight. Time for a new queen? It was delicious.

Clunking sounds from the rope ladder interrupted the fashion show.

“Halt! Who’s there?” said Parker.

“It’s me, Bridget.”

The treehouse trio was wideeyed. Bridget!

“What do we do?” panicked Josie.

“Can she come in?” asked Jilly.

“Wait there!” Parker ordered. Turning to the Johnsons, she added, “She hasn’t exactly been a great friend lately.”

The twins nodded, and their shoulders drooped.

Parker felt warm inside at their deference to her.

It had been a few days since Bridget had stopped making bracelets with them at lunchtime. The first day she was absent, they kept expecting her to show up, but after repeated sightings of her walking away, blond curls bouncing in her hot pink scrunchie, arm in arm with her new BFFs, they began to accept the foursome had become a three.

interrupted Parker, hand on her hip.

“Fine. What do you want me to do?” asked Bridget, matching the hand on hip stance.

“Kiss the caterpillar,” Parker said. She thrust the creepy crawly out until it was a couple of inches in front of Bridget’s nose.

Bridget barely hesitated. She kissed the writhing green creature.

The twins cheered, delighted at the promise of reunion.

Parker felt a rush go through her. But this was a delicious new thrill; the electricity of supremacy.

“That was too easy for you. If you’re truly sorry, you’ll eat the caterpillar.” She said.

Gasps all around.

“It’s too much, Parker!” said the twins.

“Can she earn her way back in?” suggested Jilly.

A fat caterpillar inching along a twig caught Parker’s attention. She picked it up between her thumb and forefinger.

“Tell her to come up,” she said.

Bridget joined the girls in the small space.

“What did I miss?” she asked.

“Well, we’ve been making Shrinky Dinks and—” Josie started.

“You can’t just walk back in here and be our friend again,”

Parker felt giddy.

“That’s the price,” she said.

Bridget locked Parker in a steely gaze. She popped the caterpillar into her mouth. Her hand dropped from its place on her hip, and her fists balled. Her eyes watered a little as she chewed. Finally, with a scrunched face and a big gulp, the creature was gone.

The twins’ expressions shifted from horror to hope. They turned to Parker, the question was written across their eager faces, awaiting the verdict.

A week ago, Parker would have looked to Bridget that way, in search of answers, seeking a cue. But a week is a long time in middle school. Parker, Nero of the treehouse, with Bridget’s fate in her hands, gave a single nod. She could afford to be magnanimous.

The twins cheered.

With a sigh of relief, Bridget moved toward the low-slung beach chair to reprise her throne. A glittery sneaker-clad foot stepped in her way.

“You’re there,” said Parker, pointing to a spot on the rug between the twins, who scooted over to make room for her.

No one in the treehouse breathed.

After the tiniest moment of hesitation, Bridget took her place between the twins.

Parker lowered herself onto the chair with a reverence fitting a coronation, which of course it was.

Things looked different from her elevated position.

She liked it a lot.

Crafting a Future Classic

Rising Cuban-American singersongwriter Nick Rod is set to take his Miami sound global.

BY MAGNOLIA ORLI

AT FIRST GLANCE, Nick Rod’s presence strikes you with a quiet self-assurance that radiates through his well-produced visuals—shoutout to Thomas Pelino, his videographer and visuals director—and a wisdom that reminds us to be proud of who we are and what we fight for every day. His lyrics carry deep meaning, delivered with a crisp rhythm and a sense of beat that can only come in blood, from birth or God-given: his Cuban roots and his ancestors are implicitly woven into the fabric of his drive. His articulation of meaning and playfulness is sharp.

A UNIQUE SOUND

His sound resists easy categorization, the result of a near-decade-long search to calibrate his unique frequency. He wrote his first song in the ninth grade and hit the studio for the first time at just 15 or 16. Now, still very young but moving with the focus of a veteran, his early connection with Miami Beat Wave—facilitated through D-Notes, with whom his father had been working—set a standard of quality. His influences stretch back to childhood, soaking in The Beatles and Michael Jackson. (Go listen to Missing right now, and

tell me you can’t hear it!) I’d even say you can hear those influences in the sense of wholeness of each one of his songs.

For Rod, the shift from just filling up notebooks to actually dropping tracks for the world came from a heavy place. The tragic passing of Mac Miller (an influential artist) in 2018 acted as the ultimate catalyst—a harsh wake-up call that tomorrow isn’t promised. It pushed him to take the leap and start releasing music while he was still in high school. That raw, do-or-die initiative hasn’t faded; it’s just matured.

Currently finishing his time at Berklee College of Music, Rod isn’t there to just play the traditional student role. He’s there to decode the game and master the business side of his craft. He knows he has to keep his hands firmly on the wheel to protect his vision. “I’m not dropping music as a band,” he says. “I’m a solo artist, and I’m independent, so it’s very important to be very hands-on with everything.”

Rod builds with a trusted circle—like his friend Tommy on the guitar—to elevate the tracks, but he orchestrates the talent to make sure the main thing stays the main thing. When you listen, the songs are not giving stereotypical Miami energy. The city made him, but it definitely doesn’t define his sound. “I don’t know how much Miami has shaped my sound, rather than it’s shaped my identity and my experiences,” he says. “I want my music to be heard around the world. I never wanted to stay in that bubble.”

Having already tested international waters by playing shows in Valencia, Spain, Rod believes his reach is limitless. It isn’t about waiting around for a suit to sign you anymore; the internet blew the gates wide open. Even with the game feeling oversaturated with everyone dropping tracks from their phones, he understands that authentic, quality music naturally cuts through the digital noise. His mindset is bulletproof. “When something’s possible,” he says, “there’s not a reason to not go full force at it.” And the wisdom he leaves for the next wave of artists isn’t some complex industry secret, but rather a gritty, unglamorous truth: “The common denominator between everybody that has made it is that they didn’t quit.”

Put another way: Plans break, and things shift, but you just leave it to fate, wake up grateful, and keep going.

Rod’s sound is a raw yet refined experience that makes you nod your head

to the rhythm right before the actual weight of the lyrics hits your chest. He bridges the gap between the independent cadence of his generation and the crafting of a future classic. It’s music built for the seekers, the ones trusting their bloodlines, and the ones refusing to quit. As he continues to push his frequency beyond the city limits and out into the world, his grind leaves us with a question that lingers long after the beat fades…

Do you have something you can live for today?

Find Nick Rod on Instagram at @nick1rod.

Magnolia Orli is the writer and creator behind Music in a Heartbeat, a project documenting Miami’s vibrant music scene. A local educator and storyteller, she is dedicated to exploring the intersection of culture and the city’s evolving sounds. She is excited to connect with you on Instagram @magnoliaorli.

Rejuvenation Song

The Amrit Ocean Resort on Singer Island unites Eastern principles and Western luxury.

BY GERRY BARKER

ONCE UPON A TIME, this five-mile peninsula of sandy beaches just north of Palm Beach was just a sleepy fishing village. Then it became the favorite haunt of Paris Singer, heir to the Singer Sewing Machine fortune, who took friends there to picnic in the 1920s. Soon thereafter, Singer Island was born.

And while Singer’s dream of an oceanfront hotel complex, designed by famed architect Addison Mizner, never fully materialized, today the barrier island is home to hotels, condos, and high-rises as far as the eye can see. One of the newest among them is the Amrit Ocean Resort and Residences, located at 3100 Ocean Drive.

Conceived by India-born real estate entrepreneur Dilip Barot, Amrit is unlike any other development on Singer Island. One way in which it’s different, as the official website aptly notes is in the way “Eastern

principles and Western luxury meet—where spirituality and science, ancient wisdom and modern technology unite.”

Located on seven beachfront acres and open since May 2024, the development features two towers: The 18-story Happiness Tower, housing the resort and condos, and the 19-story Peace Tower, devoted to residences. The two oceanfront restaurants, TULA and AYRE, feature regional/ international dishes, focusing on healthy cuisine. And while the resort has all the amenities anyone who wants to soak up some of our famous Florida sunshine could ask for, it also boasts over 100,000 square feet devoted to spa and wellness. (The resort’s name, “Armit” is a Sanskrit word meaning “immortality,” “nectar,” or “drink of the gods,” sometimes used “to describe a sacred elixir that confers eternal life.”)

LUXURY IN EVERYTHING

According to Marketing Coordinator Jackie Badolati, the Armit spa, spread across four floors, is the largest in Florida and the eighth largest in the nation. “Every single section of this resort was built with intention and wellness in mind,” Ms. Badolati tells me on a tour of the facilities, which began in the spa’s “Technology Wing.” Here, I found an array of options for healing and quiet reflection, starting with a Space Age-looking Meditation Chair. The occupant settles in, lowers the top, and meditates as music plays. Next up is a Red Light therapy bed, which aids in cell rejuvenation and circulation, and a Hyperbaric chamber, where up to two people at a time can watch movies as they heal and recharge.

More my speed is the Dry Flotation Bed. After you lie down, a platform lowers into the water, and you’re floating without getting wet, while listening to calming music, guided meditation, or simply the sounds of the rainforest. The description alone lowers my shoulders.

“The sense of weightlessness gives our body the full relaxation it needs,” Badolati says. The spa’s centerpiece is its 40,000-square-foot Aayush Hydrothermal Experience, an indoor/outdoor setting that combines heat therapy, cryotherapy and hydrotherapy, featuring hot and cold bathing pools, a Salt Therapy Room, Arctic Chill Fountains, and an Effusion Shower. On a personal level, I was intrigued by the HydroReflexology path, consisting of different-sized stones designed to touch certain points on your feet as you walk on them. My wife and I are long-term practitioners and believers in the power of reflexology.

There’s much more, including the only Oceanfront IV Center with Zero Gravity Meditation Loungers, mid-day cooking classes in their Oceanfront Demonstration Kitchen, two couples suites with a steam shower and private ocean view terrace, plus a complete fitness center, yoga, Spin, Tai Chi, and personalized wellness consultations. One of the newer options is the Floating Sound Baths.

A major plus is their location. Even the spa waiting room has spectacular views of the Atlantic as you wait to enter one of the 22 treatment rooms.

“We wanted our guests to feel the serenity of the views and immerse themselves in that rather than wait in a dark room,” says Badolati. The wellness programs at Armit were developed in consultation with yoga teacher Amy McDonald’s Under a Tree Consulting, as well as the Himalayan Institute, a nonprofit center for yoga, meditation, and holistic health. It’s all designed around “Five Pillars of Wellness: Nutrition, Fitness, Mindfulness, Relaxation and Sleep.”

In these trying times, we could all use a double dose of each.

If you plan to stay, the resort features 155 guest rooms and 34 suites. The spa is open to both guests and the public, and has its own separate entrance, served by valet parking.

For more information, visit amritocean.com.

The Final “Military” Frontier

IN A PRIOR article, I wrote about the space race and its importance in military terms. This has gone to another level with Artemis II. As geopolitical tensions escalate and military strategies evolve, the U.S. is positioning itself at the forefront of a new battlefield: space. The era of peaceful space cooperation that characterized the post-Cold War period is rapidly giving way to a more competitive and aggressive landscape, creating unprecedented opportunities for investors.

The successful conclusion of the Artemis II mission has shifted the “military space race” from a symbolic contest of flags to a strategic battle for sustained presence and infrastructure. While NASA frames Artemis as a civilian scientific endeavor, the mission serves as a critical proving ground for technologies that underpin modern “fullspectrum” space power. Artemis II wasn’t just about the orbit; it was about validating the logistics of a permanent presence.

The mission tested high bandwidth, long range communications, and deep space navigation. In a military context,

Artemis II and the new battle for geopolitics in space.

these are the same systems required for managing “cislunar” space (the area between Earth and the Moon), which the Department of Defense now views as a high-priority “maritime” domain.

The SLS (Space Launch System) and Orion capsule demonstrate the heavy lift capacity and re-entry survivability necessary for deploying large scale national security assets or recovering sensitive hardware from orbit.

The mission serves as the “starter’s pistol” for a race to control the lunar South Pole. The South Pole is rich in water ice. In military terms, this isn’t just for drinking; it’s a fuel depot. Controlling these “strategic chokepoints” allows a nation to maintain a presence without relying on costly Earth-based resupply.

Artemis II solidifies the U.S.-led coalition (under the Artemis Accords) as the operational leader. This contrasts directly with the China-Russia International Lunar Research Station (ILRS). The “race” is now about which legal and operational framework will

govern lunar behavior and resource extraction. Strategic analysts view the success of Artemis II as a signal of asymmetric advantage. The “Artemis ecosystem” integrates government oversight with rapid private sector innovation (SpaceX, Blue Origin). This hybrid model is harder to disrupt than a purely state-run program.

By operating regularly in lunar orbit, the U.S. and its allies are building the “Tracking Layers” and “Missile Warning” constellations necessary to monitor adversarial movements that might “hide” in the vastness of cislunar space. By completing a crewed lunar mission four years before China’s 2030 goal, the U.S. has regained the “narrative high ground,” which is vital for attracting international partners. While the crew focused on geology and physiology, the mission’s underlying success in spectrum management and precision splashdown is directly applicable to advanced electronic warfare and recovery operations.

Thank you for reading.

Live your best life,

AL Maulini Founder/Owner, PWMCG Senior Portfolio Strategist, RJFS

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