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Dear Hive,

This Saturday, September 19, is Usher Syndrome Awareness Day. Usher syndrome is the leading genetic cause of combined hearing and vision loss. Roughly 400,000 people worldwide have it, and my brother Michael and I are two of them. It’s rare, so most people have never heard of it, including a lot of doctors. That’s part of why diagnosis often takes years. The day falls on the third Saturday of September, near the autumnal equinox, when light and dark come out even, right before the year tips toward darkness. Awareness is what funds research and gets kids diagnosed sooner. This year, that awareness has a little more support close to home. At our request, the City of Miami issued a proclamation recognizing Usher Syndrome Awareness Day. Thank you to the City. It means a great deal to me, my family, and everyone in our city living with Usher syndrome, and it helps bring a little-known condition into the conversation. If you’d like to learn more about Usher syndrome, you can find me at Blindish in Miami.​

Warmly, Samantha

WE’RE TURNING SEVEN!

On October 1, 305 Hive celebrates seven years of buzzing about Miami, and we want to celebrate with the people who made it possible: you. Have you found a favorite restaurant through the Hive? Made a connection at one of our events? Discovered a local business, book, cause, or corner of Miami you now love? Found your housekeeper or nanny? Buzzed your business? Have a funny story? Or maybe the Hive has simply become part of your Thursday morning routine. Tell us your Hive story → We’ll share some of our favorites in our 7th Anniversary celebration.

GOOD TRIPS START EARLY

If you’re thinking about Christmas, a winter ski trip, or spring break, now is the time to start planning. The most sought-after stays, destinations, and private experiences book well in advance. Planning early gives us more to work with: better choices, more flexibility, and time to find the experiences that make a trip feel personal. We can take care of the details while the best options are still available. Have a trip in mind? Let’s start the conversation now.

MEET THE MIAMI DESIGNER TRAINED IN ARCHITECTURE

Diana Liebowitz knows that great interiors begin long before furniture arrives. With a Bachelor of Architecture and 20 years in design, she brings an architect’s eye to every space—considering how it flows, functions, and ultimately feels to live in. After a decade at a renowned design firm, where she rose to Vice President and Director of Hospitality, Diana launched Diana Liebowitz Design & Interiors, her boutique Miami studio. Today, her work spans planning and feasibility studies, hospitality and multi-family projects, and full residential design, from rethinking a layout to placing the final decorative detail. She also provides on-site construction administration, serving as an advocate for the design intent when plans meet reality. Clients describe Diana as organized, collaborative, and mindful of budgets and timelines. Whether it’s a ground up construction home or full renovation, Diana knows how to bring it beautifully—and thoughtfully—to life. Find her HERE.​

MAKE A SPLASH AT WILD ABOUT MIAMI

Dive into an unforgettable afternoon at Wild About Miami: Wild About Water on Thursday, October 22. Enjoy a lively luncheon with your besties and new friends as we celebrate our water and our Miami. Come dressed in Ocean Chic and join a community that cares about protecting the natural beauty that makes Miami so extraordinary. Reserve your TICKETS before they’re gone!

KNIGHTS OF THE BLIND

In 1925, Helen Keller stood in front of the Lions Clubs convention and asked them to become “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.” A young blind Miamian named Dolly Gamble decided that included her city. Gamble was a Braille literacy advocate. Working with Thomas Grady, she helped found the Florida Association of Workers for the Blind. It became Miami Lighthouse for the Blind in 1931, and it’s still here, still free, still the oldest agency of its kind in Florida. The Depression years were funded partly by garden parties. Marjory Stoneman Douglas was one of the hostesses. Then in 1947, a University of Miami trustee named Dr. Bascom Palmer became the Lighthouse’s board president. He wanted a real eye clinic for Miami. It took fifteen years, but in January 1962, Bascom Palmer Eye Institute opened as the first center in the Southeast devoted entirely to eyes. That’s where South Florida families go today for a retinitis pigmentosa workup. Which is to say, that’s where a lot of us first hear the words “Usher syndrome.”

LET’S GET UGLY SUNGLASSES

Maybe you don’t look cool in wraparound sunglasses. Wear them anyway. Miami light doesn’t just come from above. It bounces off the bay, the pavement, the hood of the car in front of you. Regular frames leave the sides wide open, which is why you’re still squinting.Miami Lighthouse for the Blind runs a low vision shop, and it’s open to anyone. Their SolarComfort wraparounds block 100% of UVA and UVB and come in five tints. Amber and plum cut glare and lift contrast. If you wear prescription glasses, the Solar Shield fitovers go right over them. Style is negotiable. Retinal damage isn’t.

THIS EDITION WILL GIVE YOU CHILLS

Parents, October is coming for you whether you’re ready or not. The Halloween Happenings Special Edition is coming up, and we’ve packed it with the stuff that actually helps. Trick-or-treating etiquette, because somebody needs to say it. A free scavenger hunt download for the kids. Candy and wine pairings for you, because you earned it. Safety tips. And every local Halloween event worth leaving the house for. Businesses: if you want in on this one, now’s the time. Email us to talk about Halloween edition ad spots.

HOUSEKEEPER AVAILABLE | BY TACOLCY CENTER | REPLY​

The Belafonte TACOLCY Center in Liberty City hosts a mass food distribution every month, sending families home with pre-packed grocery bags of dry goods and fresh produce, plus donated clothing and baby items to browse. Volunteers pack bags the third Wednesday (2:30 p.m.) and help distribute the third Thursday (8:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m.). Come for any portion you can. Email coordinator Mr. Fair above. 6161 NW 9th Ave, Miami 33127

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