Thursday, June 5

Shakra Thursday Specials:
Are you stressed to the max and have little time? Try the Deep tissue Massage for 35 minutes for $75 that caters to your most affected areas, including neck, shoulders, or back, etc. Have more time? Shakra does all types of massages up to 4 hours for the Ultra Stressed People. Visit their beautiful and serene Yoga Studio for Yoga for Lunch al all levels from 12:15 to 1pm, for Body Sculpting at all levels from 5:15 to 6:15pm, and for Pilates at all levels from 6:15 to 7:15pm to stretch and tone your lower back and abdominal area. Enjoy their Zen and fully equipped locker rooms as well as class props for free. The first class for new students (Florida Residents) is always free at Shakra Relaxation Oasis, 271 Alhambra Circle. Call 305-774-1355. http://www.shakramiami.com

Food For Thought Book Club Luncheons
Hungry for a good book and a good meal? Take a literary lunch break during your workday with the Thursday Book Club Luncheons at Books And Books, 265 Aragon at noon. Your paid reservation ($50 all inclusive) gets you the paperback selection for the current week, along with a delicious three course meal created by renowned chef Bernie Matz, and a professional book club facilitator to guide the discussion in the secluded Antiquarian Room. Call 305-442-4408. http://www.booksandbooks.com

Miracle Mile Toastmasters Thursday Lunch
With a shared interest in public speaking, members of the Miracle Mile Toastmasters meet every Thursday at 12:15pm at JohnMartin's Irish Restaurant, 253 Miracle Mile. Enjoy the opportunity to network, gain confidence and become an effective public speaker. The cost of lunch is $19. Call 786-399-9609. http://miraclemile.freetoasthost.us

Free Drinks At Uva Happy Hour
UVA Restaurant and Lounge at 2626 Ponce presents free well drinks and half price premium drinks from 5 to 7pm on Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Call 305-476-8111.

Live Music At The Grape
Stop in to your favorite wine bar at the Village Of Merrick Park for a great assortment of wines by the glass or the bottle, plus great food and live music to round out the experience. Now, from 5 to 7pm Monday through Friday, enjoy 2 for 1 glasses of wines in the 1 to 6 category. Meet up with friends at The Grape for a great time every time. Call 305-444-WINE. http://www.yourgrape.com

Poppin' Tropical Nights Every Thursday Evening at Fairchild
Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden is transformed into an open air art gallery as the monumental pop art sculptures of Roy Lichtenstein grace the garden, illuminated in the garden setting. Experience these amazing works of art at night every Thursday night from 6 to 9pm at Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Road. Call 305-667-1651. http://www.fairchildgarden.org

LoweDown Happy Hour At Lowe Art Museum
It's Jazzy Thursday, featuring a guided tour of the Beaux Arts Gallery with Denise Gerson, LAM Associate Director. Plus live jazz, light hors d'oeuvres, and cocktails. $10 admission; Free for Lowe members. Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami is located at 1301 Stanford Drive. Call 305-284-5422. http://www.lowemuseum.org

Poolside At The Biltmore Unplugged
The Biltmore Unplugged Thursday features light jazz performances by Raiko Torres and Son Tres at 7 and 8pm. In addition, guests will enjoy half off Don Julio Tequila cocktails. Cascade Poolside Bar & Grill is perched on the edge of the resort's famous 700,000-gallon swimming pool, the continent's largest resort pool. Call 305-445-1926. http://www.biltmorehotel.com

Summer Shorts - Chamber Night
Save more than 50% on Summer Shorts during Chamber Night at Carnival Studio Theater. A "short" is a one-act play running 5-20 minutes. Signature Shorts features a brand new mix of hilarious comedies and heartfelt dramas in two alternating programs, A and B. See one program or see them both. However you choose to enjoy Signature Shorts, City Theatre is your hottest ticket for the coolest night in town. Theater Fare (Buffet Dinner) Tickets are also available for an additional $18 and must be pre-purchased. To redeem the offer, visit http://www.arshtcenter.org/tickets/login/account/login.aspx and set up an account, if you do not already have one. If you already have an account, simply log in. When you log in with your account information, enter the following discount code to receive the discount for the performance listed above: CHAMBERSHORTS

Thursday Bierhaus Specials
It's home-made Goulash Night at the Bierhaus, with choice of two side dishes at Fritz and Franz Bierhaus, 60 Merrick Way. Call 305-774-1883. http://www.bierhaus.cc

Thirsty Thursday Wine Tastings
Join your hosts, Lalo Durazo, owner of Jaguar, and wine educator Barry Alberts of Berries to Wine for a weekly sampling of fine wines and great food at Jaguar Ceviche Spoon Bar & Latam Grill, 3067 Grand Avenue from 7 to 9pm each Thursday. The cost is $15 per person for food and wine. RSVP is not required.

Candido Camero In Concert
Coral Gables Congregational Church 2008 Summer Concert Series presents Candido Camero at 8pm at 3010 DeSoto Blvd. The 2008 Summer Concert Series opens with an electrifying program that features Afro-Cuban jazz percussionist and 2008 NEA Jazz Master, Candido Camero. Candido's touch on congas is sure, his time is solid, his sound is uniquely his own, and his execution as nimble as that of a man half his age. At 87, Candido continues to deliver performances like no other! And, his resume boasts collaborations with the many greats: Charlie Parker, Lionel Hampton, Charles Mingus, Dizzy Gillespie, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins, and Tony Bennett; the list goes on. For this performance, hear Candido in a wide range of jazz: from Afro-Cuban to traditional American standards. He'll be joined by other Afro-Cuban masters Bobby Sanabria, drums; Justo Almario, sax and flute; Oscar Hernandez, piano; and Eddie Resto, bass. Call 305-448-7421 x33. http://www.communityartsprogram.org

Dalia Sofer: The Septembers of Shiraz
In the aftermath of the Iranian revolution, rare-gem dealer Isaac Amin is arrested, wrongly accused of being a spy. Terrified by his disappearance, his family must reconcile a new world of cruelty and chaos with the collapse of everything they have known. As Isaac navigates the tedium and terrors of prison, forging tenuous trusts, his wife feverishly searches for him, suspecting, all the while, that their once-trusted housekeeper has turned on them and is now acting as an informer. And as his daughter, in a childlike attempt to stop the wave of baseless arrests, engages in illicit activities, his son, sent to New York before the rise of the Ayatollahs, struggles to find happiness even as he realizes that his family may soon be forced to embark on a journey of incalculable danger. The Septembers of Shiraz (HarperCollins, $13.95) is Dalia Sofer's page-turning literary debut, simmering with questions of identity, alienation, and love. Meet the author at Books And Books, 265 Aragon at 8pm. Call 305-442-4408. http://www.booksandbooks.com

Comedy Night At JohnMartin's
Enjoy Laughs On The Mile at JohnMartin's (253 Miracle Mile), every Thursday starting at 9pm as local comedian Freddie Stebbins and friends host a night of fun and frivolity at JohnMartin's Irish Pub. Call 305-445-3777. http://www.johnmartins.com

DJ Boe Spins At The Bar
Coral Gables' legacy pub presents the music of DJ Boe each Thursday evening, with drink specials: It's Super Size It Night for an extra ounce of liquor for free. Enjoy the selection of 48 bottled beers, 10 great brews on tap and the best comfort food every Thursday at The Bar, 172 Giralda. Call 305-442-2730. http://www.gablesthebar.com