4 March 13-19, 2025 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | news | letters | coNteNts | MONTH XX–MONTH XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | ▼ IN MEMORIAM SEAN LEVISMAN, 1982–2025 LONGTIME NEW TIMES CONTRIBUTOR SEAN LEVISMAN DIES AT 42. BY JOSE D. DURAN S ean Levisman started writing for Miami New Times in 2008, sort of on a whim. As is all too common these days, he left a comment on an ar- ticle criticizing the publication’s coverage. But unlike many unhinged comments on the internet today, Sean’s critique was so well- written and -argued that then-music editor Arielle Castillo and I asked him to consider joining us as a contributing writer. On Tuesday, Sean died by suicide at age 42. He leaves a legacy that stretches far be- yond his contribution to New Times. Sean was born in 1982 in Los Angeles and spent his early years living in communal set- tlements in Israel and Colombia, the latter his mother’s native country. His family later moved to Buenos Aires, where he spent his formative years. It was there that his love of music blossomed. According to his longtime friend, Gastón Derchi, Sean learned to play the Doors’ hit “Light My Fire” on the organ entirely by ear at age 10. Though he never for- mally learned to read sheet music, he soon took up other instruments, including alto sax- ophone, guitar, bass, and drums. In high school, he formed a band called Wish, ce- menting his love for performance. He was also a gifted visual artist. His art- work was deeply expressive and emotive, blending figurative expressionism with ab- stract expressionist influences. His paintings often featured distorted human forms, strik- ing color contrasts, and emotionally charged imagery. After studying graphic design and writing at Suffolk University in Boston, he moved to Miami to work full-time as a marketing and advertising copywriter. His true passion, though, was writing, and Derchi says his con- tributions to New Times were his greatest source of pride. Most of his writing for New Times covered Miami’s electronic music scene, so it’s only natural that he immersed himself fully into it as a DJ and music producer. He occasionally spun at venues like the Electric Pickle and Do Not Sit on the Furniture. He later teamed with his friend Jonathan Schwab to form Swanken, a funky house duo they described as “two white boys on an epic quest to find that elusive thing called soul.” Sean struggled with addiction for most of his adult life, something he was never afraid to speak up about. “It’s time to destigmatize addiction,” he declared on Instagram, sharing drawings he made during his stint in rehab. As his longtime editor, I will mostly remem- ber Sean for his sharp wit and magnetic smile. Few writers as thoughtful and knowledgeable as Sean are also humble. He never saw himself as “better than” anyone and rarely complained about any edits, large or small, that we made to his work — not that it much needed them. Sean was the rare writer who handed in pieces that were nearly ready to publish. Sean is survived by his brother, Adrian, and his parents, Julieta and Eddie. If you are in crisis, please call, text, or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. [email protected] | RIPTIDE | GET MORE NEWS & COMMENTARY AT MIAMINEWTIMES.COM/NEWS ▼ MAGIC CITY ON 305 DAY, NO LESS! TIKTOK ROASTS REAL ESTATE AGENT’S “MIAMI MAP” FOR NEW YORKERS. BY NAOMI FEINSTEIN A new TikTok video in which a real estate agent compared each neighborhood in Miami to its supposed New York City counterpart is angering Miamians, perhaps rightfully so. In his video, which has garnered more than 120,000 views as of Thursday morning, Alan Ga- bay, the director of luxury sales at real estate brokerage firm Serhant, shared his New York spin on Miami neighborhoods. “Here is my official map of Miami for my New Yorkers,” Gabay, who describes himself as a life- long New Yorker, says. “I’m gonna show you ex- actly where you wanna be.” His neighborhood comparisons are as follows: Coconut Grove: West Village Key Biscayne: The Hamptons Coral Gables: Upper West Side Brickell: SoHo Downtown Miami: Financial District Little Havana: (Cuban) Chinatown Allapattah/Wynwood: Chelsea Edgewater: East Village Brownsville/Liberty City: Brooklyn Hialeah: New Jersey Little River: Tribeca Buena Vista: Fifth Avenue/Madison Miami Shores: The Bronx North Beach: Williamsburg Mid-Beach: Queens South Beach: Times Square Bal Harbour: Upper East Side According to Gabay, Miami is “Manhattan South.” He says Brickell is like Soho because it’s “one of the places to be seen.” He then goes on to say Edgewater has a “comfortable, nice feel to it,” like the East Village, while Coconut Grove is the West Village, thanks to its elegance. “Being in South Beach is exactly like being in Times Square,” he adds. “It becomes full of tour- ists all the time.” Gabay then claims those wanting the Hamp- ton lifestyle should head to Key Biscayne. “Upscale dining, upscale living,” he says. “Ev- erything is boating and beaches.” Gabay’s map did not sit well with Miami TikTok users. “Posting this on 305 day should be a crime,” one user quipped. Another person added, “BROWNSVILLE AS BROOKLYN?” “Have you ever been to NYC?” a user asked. “There’s no way.” “Hey, this is kind of offensive,” another person chimed in. Others just want to appreciate Miami for its unique neighborhoods and culture. “Why can’t Miami just be Miami?” a user wrote. “Can you not do this?” a comment reads. “We have our own unique culture and we aren’t New York.” Ultimately, people could not believe the com- parisons and Gabay’s identification of Miami neighborhoods. “Wynwood as Chelsea??” a user was floored. “EDGEWATER as the East Village???? LITTLE RIVER AS TRIBECA???? Those aren’t even close comparisons.” “That’s not even where Brickell is located,” a person noted. Another added, “Calling south of fifth Times Square is so offensive.” “Upscale dining in Key Biscayne?” a user questioned. And one more, for good measure. “As a Miami native, this is insulting,” a user said. “Delete.” [email protected] I WILL MOSTLY REMEMBER SEAN FOR HIS SHARP WIT AND MAGNETIC SMILE. Real estate agent Alan Gabay officially presents his Miami map for New Yorkers. Sean Levisman’s contributions to Miami New Times go as far back as 2008. Screenshot via TikTok/@alangabay Gastón Derchi photo
