“Hey, did you hear layaway is the new black?!!!” The words echoed in my head when a stylist at a photoshoot uttered the phrase as if the current economic dismay affecting most of the country were a stylish trend snaking its way onto runways and glossy magazine covers across the nation. In a way, she was right. Like a fashion fad, tough times come and go and then come back in vogue many decades later. It’s very cyclical…and very cynical. Fortunately for many of us in Key Biscayne, although we’re feeling the pinch, we’re definitely better off than the proverbial Joe Six-Pack and his host of sidekicks: Joe the Plummer, Ike the Intern, Carlos the Carpenter, Sofia the Seamstress and anyone else alliteration can conjure up. In this issue, in honor of the always-joyous holiday season (and to celebrate the fact that disposable income still exists on the island), we give you many things to think about, and many things to purchase. From defining the true meaning of “Recessionista” by showcasing affordable fashions and accessories that will make you look like a million bucks to giving you the inside scoop on the people, places and pastimes that will help keep your mind off the stock market, our goal is to provide a creative silver lining that’ll get you through the stormy recession blues. Whatever you do, always remember that it’s those who remain positive that are immune to pessimism. And that’s a maxim you can bet will last longer than any layaway plan ever could.
Jorge Arauz, Editor-in-Chief
