An Intriguing House: Tibet in Miami?

One morning while walking back home, I passed by a house with a huge Tibetan flag in the front. I was somehow surprised (this is not Toronto or San Francisco or New York where the Asian communities are vast), particularly to find this flag in a touristy part of the city, and a very Spanish one too. However, there were no signs or anything that would tell you what was that small house about.


One afternoon, I accidentally took the same path –I could not remember the exact location of this house- and to my surprise, the house was not only open: there was soothing Eastern music playing, hypnotizing incense burning, and a vibrant display of art! A total feast for the senses. I stopped in my mix of curiosity and amazement, and in no time a man came to greet me. He is the artist! That’s what it is all about: this is his house-studio, and the afternoons or evenings usually between Thursday and Sunday, he opens his house and in the front yard exhibits his art, sometimes he is painting also, sometimes he is just hanging out with friends over a beer or glass of wine, enjoying the evening and the crowd. In his very Latin and very Buddhist welcoming, he immediately invited me to join him in his wine. But I passed. We talked for a while.

Another afternoon, he was hanging out with friends:
Alberto, would you mind being in my blog?
No, but not today darling, we are celebrating that Uruguay won (a game of the World Cup). Call me and come over the weekend.
OK.

I walked by another afternoon. No luck- closed.
I walked by yet another afternoon. He was hanging out with friends, his art in full exhibit.
Not today darling, we are celebrating that Uruguay lost. But call me, maybe the weekend.

I called him, that Sunday around lunch time.
Darling, we are about to watch the final, with Spain. And if Spain wins, this will be a big party! [sure, if you read my postings of “Some Spanish Salt” and “Spanishly Salt-Free” of ten days ago, you will understand my disconnect!]

The World Cup was over…. So I called him to see if I could drop by: my dear, we are going to the beach with friends. Sorry, this is the life of an artist: no schedule, just play it by ear, go with the flow. What can I tell you? Just come by whenever you can and see if I am around.

And so, my last weekend in the city, on my way to a party, I decided to take a chance and take that path instead of another road. And, BINGO! Now the thing was, if he would be in an ‘interview mode’ day….