305 Misadventures in the MIA

Happy new year!

2012-01-01T00:18:00.001-05:00

Happy 2012! This was taken from our boat in Biscayne bay

2011 in Review

2011-12-31T09:38:00.000-05:00

This has been a good year for me - full of travel, fun and new opportunities. Rather than listen to me drone one in paragraph form, here's a bulleted list of highlights!

I got a new job! And it's only one county away!
I walked in three friend's weddings.
I routinely experienced the joy of South Florida Public Transit.
I read alot of books, and alot of classics. How did I only just read the Count of Monte Cristo? Amazing book!
I paid off my credit card debt - woohoo!
Have gotten alot stronger, physically.
Spent alot of time on the boat and finally saw Stiltsville.
My troop performed at Tribal Fest and we rocked it!
I hiked the Cinque Terre in Italy and drove northbound on Pacific Coast Highway. I also travelled to these places:

Charlotte, NC
Wilmington, NC
Columbia, SC (yup, still hate it)
Augusta, GA/ Aiken, SC
Tampa
New York/Brooklyn
Key West
Paris, Florence and the Italian Riviera
San Francisco, Sonoma and Northern California

So some things I didn't get as much accomplished as I would like, but overall I think it's pretty successful. I don't do resolutions because that implies a one-time goal set, and quite frankly I think that resolutions are generally overambitious and doomed to fail. I am a fastidious planner and obsessively goal-oriented, so here are some of the things I have been planning on, going into the new year:

Continue to build a financial reserve (made easier by new job.)
Continue to strengthen myself and stay in shape.
Get back to karate, now that I have put this knee injury behind me.
Pay off a bigger chunk of my student loans of doom.
Write and blog more - although this may be at an undisclosed, new location
Travel to the following places:

Iceland
Austin, TX
San Francisco, L.A. (via southern part of PCH)
Key West
Charlotte, NC and Charleston, SC
Chile

I'm excited for this new year. And no, I don't believe that crap about the end of the world. Fun fact for the road. Rapture was supposed to bring the end of the world - with the world erupting in a ball of flame - on my birthday. Nice, right?

Have a happy New Year! Stay safe tonight, and don't drink and drive!

Miami Perfume

2011-12-17T19:23:00.000-05:00

I was on my way to work the other day when this story popped up on WLRN. (Beware, WLRN seems to be having server issues today)

Apparently the City of Miami tapped someone to create a perfume that is inspired by the city of Miami. The reporter proceeded to interview people about what smell best represents the MIA. It's pretty interesting because the responses show a total range of what this city is. From sea brine and Cuban coffee to urine in the streets, Miami is everything.

Apparently the perfume represents more of what Miami is perceived to be - a glamorous seaside party town, but the concept of scent tied to identity is much more interesting to me than the outcome. How would you describe Miami through scent?

Happy All Saints Day

2011-11-01T20:28:00.001-04:00

Where did the year go? Seriously! Wasn't it just New Years Eve last week?

Another Halloween has come and gone. We spent ours at Fantasy Fest, which was just as indescribably crazy as always... Though the traffic was better - I suspect the impending storm kept people away - and our weather was better than here in Miami.

I'm not posting pictures because you don't want to see some of these people wearing nothing but body pant, but here's one of us (costumes made by yours truly)

Scenes from South Florida

2011-10-28T23:11:00.001-04:00

I caught sight of these guys at the Boca Tri-Rail station... Kind of cool!

Occupy Education

2011-10-08T14:54:00.000-04:00

So I have been hearing all this news around Occupy Wall Street, and I'm a little disturbed. I understand that people are angry, that they are frustrated and everyone has a right to freedom of speech and to peacefully protest. But I think the best way to make a stand is to ONLY support local business. So I hope everyone there only shops with local farmers and avoids big box stores (so no Target, Walmart, Home Depot, Lowes, Publix, Etc.) that will make a much stronger point.

But what I am more disturbed by is that no one gives a fuck about education. Seriously! The educational system is so clearly broken, kids are graduating with NO real skills, but nobody cares. They don't care that we aren't even in the top ten in terms of education worldwide. They don't care that every kid learns differently, but they are expected to perform well on a standardized test every year.

Maybe it's because we didn't experience that when we were in school. But seeing how kids are learning, at least here in Miami, I'm disturbed. I don't want my kids to be taught to a test (when I have them.) Even within my family, my brother, sister and I all learned differently, and we were raised the same way and went to the same schools.

Just a thought, but maybe if we were teaching kids financial skills and life skills at a young age, then they would graduate and understand that signing an adjustable mortgage rate for $500k on a house when they make $32k with three kids is a stupid fucking idea. Maybe then you would see people making educated decisions on what they spend their money on, and what kind of debt they take on.

Maybe then you would have people graduate and start their own businesses and thrive in the community. Kids are all driven to go to college and graduate - half of which with useless degrees that don't get them anywhere. But not every kid needs to go to college. We still need skilled workers like electricians, plumbers, etc. Those people could easily graduate, go into a trade school, and eventually start their own businesses. But they need to be encouraged to do those things.

Every kid should know how to manage a budget before they graduate high school. They should know the differences between different types of loans. They should understand basic financial literacy and know how to save and invest their money. This isn't happening.

We need to also invest in schools not doing so well and support our teachers. You have these stupid fucking tests that end up giving schools grades. Failing schools don't get support and the teachers are punished, but the good schools are continually rewarded. I say let's take a note from the NFL here. What do they do when a team has the worst record? They get first pick. Maybe if we give better salaries to teachers who are willing to go into schools in the hood, and you give them the resources and you give the kids support in terms of guidance counselors, variety of classes, etc. then those schools will start to come up.

I'm not saying we should cut off funding for the good schools, but I am saying we need to reinvest. If you have a school that doesn't do well and teachers know they won't get paid well, what's the incentive?

As it is teachers are barely paid anything, and then they have to beg parents and spend money out of their own pockets just to get basic resources in their classrooms. And I'm not talking about computers, I'm talking about paper towels and printer ink. How sad is that? Meanwhile, postal workers and getting paid much more just to put mail in a box (and in my neighborhood, they can't even get that right.)

Why do we expect things to improve and get better when we don't even support the learning system our kids are in? We are not investing in the future? When will people realize that things will only continue to spiral downwards if we don't make changes where it counts, and that's with our future generation of business owners, politicians and educators. If you want change, make change where it counts.

United we stand

2011-09-11T12:00:00.000-04:00

This morning was no different for me than any other Sunday morning. I woke up, lounged in bed, made coffee and breakfast and browsed my blogs and social networks.

It's not that I forgot that it's the 10th anniversary of 9/11 (who could, in the 24-hour news cycle) and it's not that I trivialize what happened in others lives, this time 10 years ago. But I don't really think my story on that day is any different than anyone else's. I wasn't there, I was in class. My teacher walked in and calmly told us what happened, but that was right as the first plane hit the first tower and everyone thought it was an accident. It wasn't until after class that we heard the rest, and like everyone else around the world, we each ran home to watch the horrific events unfold on TV.

That's not what I was thinking about this morning. Instead, as I went about my morning, and as I was fighting a semi-losing battle against the weeds in the backyard I was counting my blessings. I am fortunate enough that I CAN go about my morning as usual. I am fortunate enough that I can make plans for the future and live my life without that memory haunting me from every corning in the back of my mind. There are countless people out there who lost someone, who replay that memory over and over as they try to fall asleep. There are so many people will never be who they were before 9/11, who can't erase that memory of smokey stairwells or lose the smell of burning air. There's a whole community of Americans who suffer from hate crimes because a group of angry, hateful people committed this abomination (there are no words to really describe how horrible it was) and there are thousands and thousands men and women here and abroad who are fighting to end terrorism.

I hope something like this never happens again. I hope that people can learn to live with what they suffered through and I hope eventually that people who live with hate and anger in their souls learn to quell those feelings in non-violent ways. And I will continue to appreciate and be thankful for all I have to live with.

A Cane's perspective....

2011-08-18T21:29:00.000-04:00

For those of you who don't know, I graduated from the University of Miami with my graduate degree in '06, and like all the Cane's fans I know, I am sickened by the allegations surrounding the UM football team right now.

I don't have to recap any of this story, one simply needs to Google University of Miami, read Yahoo Sports and/or visit the Miami Herald site to get the full scoop. What I am more interested in talking about is the mudslinging. The victimization and the demonization that's falling out right now.

I don't want to give any more talk about Shapiro. He's a scumbag looking to buy friends, business partners and fame. He clearly targeted people and took advantage of them, whether students or investors. But he knew how to work the system. He knew if he donated money he could get away with it. Is this whole thing entirely his fault? No. Not really. Why?

Well lets look at the University. You are going to tell me that he involved 70+ students in these things and no one knew? Since when did 18, 19, 20, 21-year-olds not talk about the crazy shit they got into over the weekend? I mean, damn, gossip flies through my office and it flew through my program. You are going to tell me nobody in administration knew? Then they must have been blind, deaf and dumb (and I mean dumb in the sense that they are stupid, not mute.) Come on, that's a crock. But you know what? Student athletes were staying and they were getting money and they let the greed and the need get in the way. And in the process they cheapened the prestige of my degree that I will be paying for over the next 15 years. Take some personal responsibility and learn that standing up to a donor that will cost you your reputation is a hell of a lot cheaper in the long-run.

And speaking of personal responsibility... These players that took these handouts knew that it was wrong. If something seems too much like a good thing, then it probably is (this goes for the university as well.) These players (who are actually only a select few when you look at how many student athletes there are) have greedily taken gifts that only last in the short-term and have made all of their teammates look bad as a result. I recognize that times are tough and the life of a student athlete is busy, but other people find ways.

Also, the media. So many people are taking this Shapiro's stories as totally legit. This asshole is in jail for screwing over thousands of people in a ponzi scheme. From what I have read he has admitted that he is saying all this to strike back at the people who wouldn't stand by him when he fell. Is there 100% proof of everything he says? I don't doubt that he paid for most of the things, and that many of these stories happened. Do I think it's 100% legit? Absolutely not. Things said in rage and revenge are often dramatized to some extent.

Do I think University of Miami is the only school to have this happen? Absolutely not. It's more lurid than most, but every school has this going on in collegiate athletics. Clearly something needs to be re-evaluated on a national level. And administrators needs to feel the pinch just as much as the students.

Don't get me wrong, I love University of Miami. I am a tried and true Cane. But there are alot of people who need to step up and take responsibility. And perhaps this is a wake-up call that your donors don't get to do whatever they want just because they wrote a big check. Afterall, you never know when it all gets taken back because that donor was a scam artist.

Things Seen in Miami Beach Before 8 am, Part 1

2011-08-04T08:05:00.004-04:00

Recently, my fiance and I moved to Miami Beach. While we have been living here, we have seen an assortment of people, things, odd occurrences and happenings that can only be described as "only on the beach." One of these happenings happened this morning as my fiance was driving to work.

He called me to tell me about this immediately because we both would have busted out laughing and thought that it was really bizarre at the same time.

While driving north through Sunny Isles Beach, he sees a woman and her young daughter, maybe aged 4, running along side the road. The little girl is decked out in a head to toe pink running outfit and is not wearing a shirt. Both ladies are blond, in beach-speak means they are most likely German/European/not locals. Just a bit ahead of them, are the father and son running team, the son this time being about 8 years old, all blond and the boy isn't wearing a shirt. My fiance thinks that the little girl was emulating her older brother by running topless like him.

Now, there is definitely a huge running community in South Florida and especially on the beach. But taking your children running with you before 8 am is a little extreme and an only in Miami moment. First off, it's not normal for little kids to go running. They should be running around and playing with their other little friends, not training for the Iron Man. Second, it's almost child abuse as their little legs have to do double time to keep up with mom and dad's. And third, they were running along Collins Avenue in Sunny Isles, land of giant condominiums and traffic. Why wouldn't you take your small ones and run on the beach a block away?

So, if you see a family of blonds running in this year's ING, it was them. Training the whole family at the break of dawn.

South Florida Public Transportation

2011-08-02T23:20:00.000-04:00

For those of you who don't know, I work a considerable distance away from my home in South West Dade county, and for the past year-and-a-half I have been driving with a carpool buddy, but then she had the audacity to quit on me! As a result I have finally bitten the bullet and started taking the Tri-Rail. I avoided it for a number of reasons, including the time it adds to my commute and my doubt that any sort of public transit in South Florida can reliable. Then I discovered that several of my coworkers use the train and swore by it.

However, it's not that bad. Yes it does add about 1-1.5 hours to my commute, but it's so much less stressful to drive the 25 minutes to the station. So, after about a month and a half of taking the Tri-Rail, this is my list of pros and cons.

Pros:
1. I save a ton of money on gas and tolls
2. My employer is part of the Employee Discount Program so it's only $75 a month to ride (it cost me more in 1 week to drive)
3. The trains are typically on time, and you can sign up for alerts to find out if they aren't
4. There are shuttles from the station to my job
5. Shockingly, everyone who works for Tri-Rail has been extremely helpful, polite and friendly (this might be a sign of the Apocalypse.)
6. The trains are air conditioned (usually)
7. It's pretty easy to get tickets and refill my pass
8. I get a chance to read and listen to music - this is a great way to decompress after the work day
9. There are generally not that many crazies, as most people take the train to work
10. You can take the train to the Fort Lauderdale airport and save a considerable amount of money by not taking a cab
11. Even when the train is late, you can comfort yourself by looking at 95 with the realization that you don't have to sit in that traffic

Cons:
1. It sucks when the AC breaks on the train
2. The train is surprisingly busy so if you get on in the middle of the tracks during rush hour, it can be difficult to find seats -- especially if one car has broken AC
3. I have to book it to get to my shuttle so that I don't have to stand
4. I often look like a bag lady with too many things hanging off me
5. You can only buy the Easy Pass at 3 different stations, and their hours are all different and that's highly inconvenient
6. Sometimes people like to ask you if you "have faith"
7. People LOVE to interrupt you while you are reading to ask you if you "like your Kindle." It's very difficult to stop yourself from saying, "no, I hate it. that's why I am staring at it so fiercely"
8. All the stops are open-air. This sucks when it's raining or really hot
9. It's a gigantic pain in the ass when there's an accident on the tracks (the motorcycle accident last Friday shut things down and I didn't get to work until 10:15 a.m. Normally I'm there by 8:30)
10. If you park at the Miami Airport you have to park down the street from the station. It's not a far walk but it's the only station with that set-up and there's no security in the parking lot.

Heat vs. Bulls - A Bird Road Celebration

2011-05-27T00:38:00.000-04:00

So, in case you live under a rock, or nowhere near Bird Road, the Heat beat the Bulls tonight. If you didn't get 80 million texts, you probably found out by hearing the horns from across the world. As soon as the Heat won, I started hearing horns blaring. El Hombre decided this was the optimum time to show me how Westchester celebrates these types of events. I have heard about people beating pots and pans outside of La Carretta, but I never quite believed it.... until tonight.

Honestly, words and pictures don't come close to explaining what happens. So I took video. See for yourself... there are no exaggerations:

Contemplative

2011-03-31T23:39:00.000-04:00

Last Sunday I spent the day in Fort Lauderdale beach. El Hombre was at Ultra (out in a hot field with portable bathrooms and lots of people? NOT my scene) and my family was in town, so I made my way up to Broward to see them.

There's nothing particularly special - we didn't do anything crazy or wild. Instead I spent the afternoon playing cards with my little cousins, going to the beach and burying said little cousins in the sand. Later on that night, after dinner, we walked out into the yard, which faces the Intercoastal. Some people were sipping drinks, the guys were puffing cigars and the kids were fishing. After much pleading, I finally agreed to help my youngest cousin (she's 7) fish by holding the pole. Every time there was a tug on the line I would hand it over to her and she would gleefully it in.

Then, out of nowhere we spotted these floating red things in the sky. One of the older uncles was teasing the kids that they were UFOs while his wife rushed in to grab binoculars. On closer look, it was some sort of lantern with candles inside. They drifted higher and higher, slowly burning out while everyone theorized where they came from.

Out of nowhere my little cousin piped up, "I heard that when Chinese people die, their family light lanterns like that to honor them." What an interesting thing for a child to know, and what a great allegory for life that alleged ritual is. Whether the lights just went out, or consumed the lanterns they were in I don't know. I don't think they were released to honor someone's death, more than likely they were released by the yacht wedding that was slowly drifting up and down the Intercoastal, but it was an interesting symbol that resonated and calmed some of the inner turmoil I've been experiencing of late.

Boating in South Florida - Monument Island

2011-03-26T12:36:00.000-04:00

Now that the weather is finally hot enough to go on the boat without a windbreaker, El Hombre and I have started venturing out onto the high seas again. Boating is a nice alternative to going to the beach here in the Spring and Summer for a few reasons - on the boat you can explore lots of different places instead of being squashed into one space, you can spend the majority of your time with only a few people instead of the perpetual jam of people on the beach, you don't have to listen to every reggaeton song that's ever been recorded and you can still get sun and be in the water.

Anyways, on one of our recent excursions, El Hombre and I decided to head over to Flagler Monument Island. When I lived on the beach I never really paid attention to this small island with an obelisk just off the Venetian Causeway. In fact, I didn't even know what the island was until I went on the Miami City Tour a few years back.

Flagler Monument Island is just what it seems, it's a small, man-made island in the bay that was built to honor Henry Flagler in 1920. The island monument itself is quartered off by fences, but has statues at each corner of the square base. Though covered with the same trees and underbrush which are typical of all the bay islands, Monument Island is a nice place to tie up your boat and stop for a picnic or a short walk (though I recommend sneakers or some other type of covered shoes if you plan to walk through to the monument itself.

There are trash cans all around the island to dispose waste, but I don't think they are collected too often, and you will see some trash on the island. Don't get me wrong, there is not a ton of litter all over the beaches, but it's definitely there. Fortunately organizations like Ecomb do frequent outings with volunteers to go clean up the island, and in fact El Capitan has participated in this recently.

Can you spend a whole day admiring the beauty of Monument Island? Probably not, but it's definitely a recommended spot to stop for a walk and some firm land - just please pick up your trash and take it with you.

Images below:

Restaurant Recommendation - Boca Raton

2011-03-20T21:45:00.000-04:00

One of my biggest gripes about working in Boca (aside from the commute) is that it's hard to find good, affordable places to eat for lunch. Most of the places around my job are mediocre, and for awhile I had resigned myself to Panera being the best option. Don't get me wrong, I love Panera, but there's only so much you can eat of it.

The one of my coworkers introduced me to Carole's Kitchen, and it was love at first bite. Carole's Kitchen is a locally-owned diner, tucked behind Boca Town Center. Most of the people working there are related to Carole, and the diner is almost an homage to the family, with pictures all over the place. The food is nothing crazy, mainly sandwiches, salads and soups. But they are GOOD sandwiches, salads and soups. If you know me, you know I love soup. I'm a soup snob and I can eat soup every day, summer or winter. This place has about 7-10 daily soups, with a few that are daily staples. Each of the ones I have tried have been phenomenal. They are cooked to perfection, and you can have your choice of a brothy soup, or heavier cream soup. My friend Nat's favorite is the tomato bisque - a hearty cream-based tomato soup, rich with flavor, and perfect paired with one of the grilled cheese's on the menu. My favorite? The Italian Wedding Soup, a lighter soup, with meatballs & veggies. It's delicious, not too salty and super savory. I like it so much that I know it's only served on Tuesdays & Thursdays, and when we venture out to eat, those are the days I try to convince everyone to go.

Carole's Kitchen closes early, it's definitely not a late-night place, but it's a great place for lunch, and it doesn't catch a crazy crowd at noon like most places.

Miami Brunch: A review

2011-02-06T22:49:00.000-05:00

Every Sunday we talk about going to brunch, but we never do. This Sunday we broke that routine. I have been hearing alot of things about Sugarcane Raw Bar, and their menu looked interesting so we drove over to Midtown to check it out.

Sugarcane has great decor. We walked into a lush patio area and they immediately sat us outside in the shade. This is the best time of year to sit outside, while seeing that everyone else is 10 feet under snow after all, but I digress. As we looked around, I realized that the restaurant has one major failure - staffing. We were outside at around 1:30 on a Sunday at a place that offers brunch. There were at least 7 other tables sitting in our same courtyard and there was 1 waiter. one. That's setting the poor guy up to fail, I mean, brunch is huge on South Florida weekends, and you have one waiter? There's no way you are going to get good service unless your bussers and runners are epic. Which brings me to my second point. We had to ask for water several times. The bussers were walking around with trays and blank looks on their faces, like they weren't quite sure how they got there and what they were supposed to do.

Our waiter finally got to our table, was very apologetic and quickly took our orders. He had good knowledge of the menu, and checked back a few times to let me know my coffee was on it's way, but the coffee guy took awhile. It was well worth the wait. My cappuccino was amazing, close to what I had in Italy. In between getting our drinks and our food, one foodrunner kept trying to bring us someone else's food. When we got our food, the runner totally forgot to bring an entire part of El Hombre's meal.

My meal was fantastic though. I got the flatbread because I had read that it was a great dish, and it was truly tasty. It was a thin bread with tomato, squash, zucchini, asparagus, mushroom and manchego, topped with an egg. It was almost a little pizza and it was well worth the wait.

At this point our waiter came back, we complained that part of El Hombre's meal was missing and he quickly got us a discount on our ticket.

My synopsis? Food was great and very reasonably priced, but the management needs to work on the staffing, big time. As in, train their bussers and runners (which, honestly, anyone can do) and have more servers working. And make sure their servers maintain the excellent attitude that our guy had.. poor guy was totally in the weeds, but was polite, helpful and apologetic to everyone around us.

Sunday Morning

2011-01-23T10:21:00.000-05:00

It's a sunny, chilly day and we are just taking it easy for a bit, and this song popped into my head, so I thought I would share. A live, slightly jazzy version of Sunday Morning by Maroon 5. Perfect for lazing about the house, pretending that you don't have to work the next day...

Stiltsville

2011-01-03T20:20:00.005-05:00

A few months ago, El Hombre procured a boat. No particular reason why, he just wanted one, went on the hunt, and found one for a reasonable price. Once we got it all fixed up, we have been exploring the waters of Miami-Dade County. This past Sunday was no exception. We docked out of Coconut Grove and decided to find some new sites to explore. Afterall, Miami is a different city, even on the water, and there continues to be unique spots even at sea. Stiltsville is no exception.

Ever since I started seeing photos of these houses hovering above the water, I have been fascinated. Stiltsville has been around since the late 20s, early 30s and is apparently a hotspot during the spring and summer months for boaters to hang out on the sandbars and flats on the weekends. But these parties didn't start in the past few years, Stiltsville was one of the original party spots in Miami. Rumored to have been a hotbed for gambling and drinking during prohibition, people have been making their way out there since it's inception, to throw down and have a good time. Kind of fitting now, given Miami's reputation, right?

Now most of these homes are empty, their residents moving onto firmer grounds after hurricanes and storms. Seven homes remain, darkened windows and birds on roofs. The only way to get there is by boat, and stay far off during low tide or you may get stuck. Once we got out there, and found a safe place to drift without getting stuck, we admired these homes on stilts, like giants taking quiet moments over calm, clear blue waters while staring off at El Farito and Key Biscayne. You can't help but wonder what was life like back then. How did people weather the storms, how did they survive? Looking across the calm, serene blue water, did it make up for the terrifying nature of whipping winds from hurricanes and waterspouts? Did they flee conventional life to live free from traditions and societal pressure, and did they get lonely at all? We will never know, but it's interesting to imagine.

Of course I took a few photos:

To learn more about Stiltsville, check out the following links:
Biscayne National Park Info
Wikipedia entry
Miamism Article

If you don't have access to a boat, the South Florida Historical Museum offers a tour by Dr. Paul George, a leading South Florida Historian

NYE: A recap

2011-01-02T23:05:00.003-05:00

New Years Eve in Miami. man. So many people come down here to party their butts off in overpriced, snotty clubs on the beach, hoping to brush up against celebs while clinging champagne glasses. Me personally? I hate crowds and I love fireworks. Typically we hang with friends on the Key Biscayne beach while drinking champagne at midnight and watching the fireworks. This year didn't happen that way, and for some reason we decided instead to watch the orange drop at Bayfront. This time reaffirmed a few things for me:

1. Riding on a packed metromover to an event is always highly entertaining. I don't have any pics or video this time, but watching the traffic, this was definitely the way to go.

2. I hate crowds. I really, really hate crowds.

3. I hate Bayfront. Combining Bayfront with crowds is the worst thing ever.

4. People will get drunk and stupid and get into fights. Everyone will run thinking there are guns involved. Not awesome.

While points 2 and 3 are true, watching people in a crowd at Bayfront is hilarious. Just make sure you are watching your belongings as well. Despite having a cough that sounds like tuberculosis and hating bumping into people, it was actually kind of fun to watch all the different people that showed up. And the fireworks this year were awesome. Unlike the 4th of July a few years ago, the City of Miami put on an awesome fireworks show. I even caught a little bit of it on video for you guys:

7 years in Miami: A retrospect

2010-12-18T22:54:00.002-05:00

This afternoon, El Hombre and I were driving to our favorite Argentine bakery for some empanadas, when it hit me. It's been almost seven years since I moved to Miami. It's strange because it seems like a long time ago, but at the same time, sometimes it seems like it was only two or three years ago.

From the moment I moved here, things were different. From having a homeless guy try to open my windows in my old apartment (subsequently, I moved out as fast as possible), being laid off a month and a half after moving here, getting my second degree black belt and getting a masters degree, I have gone through a lot. Miami is tough, and South Beach is tougher. I lived on the beach for three years, and often held two - three jobs just to get by. This included waiting tables at Nikki Beach (I quickly learned that I hate waiting tables and am terrible at it), retail management (it's easier to upsell when you are waiting on drunk people who just rolled off Ocean Drive) and hospitality of sorts.

Anyways, I thought I would share some of the things I have learned since I moved here:
- It's ok to buy your produce off the back of a truck. It's cheaper and better than the grocery
- Finding parking on South Beach is a nightmare. Finding parking on the Gables campus of UM on a Tuesday or Thursday is even worse
- Yes you will probably be towed
- No you don't have to pay the meters on Sunday in Coral Gables
- Everyone in Miami drives by the rules of the country from which they originate
- After a light turns red, AT LEAST 4 cars are allowed to turn left
- People in Miami may be rude, but people in Boca Raton are worse
- Learning Spanish is important, but every so often it's better to feign ignorance in a conversation
- The La Carreta on Bird Road can withstand anything, including fire
- If anything happens in Cuba, or a new "Fidel is dead" rumor catches, it will be on the front page of the Miami Herald and there will be crowds of people outside the aforementioned La Carreta and Versailles
- Homestead has the best produce AND the best Farmer's Market
- If you tell someone you don't speak Spanish, be prepared for a lecture
- Channel 7 will always lead with American Idol, no matter what else is happening around the world
- There are random chickens and peacocks all over the city
- Coffee is cheaper and better at Cuban bakeries
- If you talk about the lack of hills in Miami, there will always be that one person who references the hill at Tropical Park
- Santa's Enchanted Forest is a nightmare and an eyesore. It looks like the Christmas Faerie vomited her hangover all over Tropical Park
- Seeing Miami via boat is a whole different experience
- Fairchild is amazing, but so are the Pinecrest Gardens and not as many people know about them
- Vizcaya is super cool to boat up to. You can never really get the full appreciation for it until you see all angles.
- There are good people in Miami, but you probably won't meet them in South Beach clubs
- South Beach clubs are extremely overrated and after awhile you get tired of going places where a beer is $15 and you have to wear shoes that make you want to cut your feet off. When that happens, you will migrate to downtown and Brickell
- People in Coral Gables are surprisingly nice and shop owners welcome your business
- You will never get good service in South Beach. It's not even worth complaining about anymore.

Worst Valet Ever

2010-12-12T22:19:00.002-05:00

So normally I don't valet my car. It's not just that I don't feel high roller enough, it's also that I used to work for a rental car company on the beach and I knew alot of valet guys. I saw it all - kids crashing $50k cars, stealing things out of cars, joyriding, etc. Normally I would rather shell out the money for a garage and keep my keys in my pocket. But yesterday El Hombre and I were up at Riverfront for my company holiday party, the company is reimbursing me for valet, and I don't know that area at all, so I figured, "What the hell? How bad can it be?"

Well, after waiting over an hour for the car yesterday, I found out. Ameripark Valet Services, as it turns out, is the worst valet company in the world. Nobody was running the booth, because apparently the company is too cheap to hire more than 3 guys to work a Saturday night during season and the same night as the boat parade. Smart. So there was nobody running the booth. This resulted in the following: People who showed up 30 minutes after me getting their cars before me, nobody knowing where my car keys were and an extremely angry crowd. Normally I am patient, but when I am the only person being nice to the valet guy, and he explodes at me that everyone else came first, I lost it. Magically my car appeared after I made an extremely angry call to the corporate center and then accused the guys of either crashing my car in the parking lot or taking it for a joyride.

So my advice? Avoid this parking company at all costs. They are poorly run, overpriced, poorly staffed and have worse customer service than any company, restaurant or store on South Beach. And that's saying a lot.

Happy Friday Morning on US1

2010-11-19T13:33:00.002-05:00

Autumn Rambles

2010-10-10T23:02:00.002-04:00

Just in case you were wondering, this is the both the best and worst time of the year to be in South Florida for me. Why the contradiction? Well, the weather is amazing, especially in the mornings. It's a crisp warmness, if that makes sense. Every day this past week, I have walked out the door to a 70 degree morning, light on humidity. It's a blessed reprieve from summer's blistering heat. We leave the windows open and the cats luxuriate in the breeze, lazy and calm and content to be outside. Hanging outside at night is amazing, and we can kick back with a cool glass of wine in our yard and be totally comfortable with the darkness creeping in, just a little earlier every day.

But (you knew it was coming) fall is really a cop-out down here. I'm a Carolina girl and fall is my favorite season. I miss the crisp cool days, with barely-warm afternoons. I miss the trees turning colors, the crunch of leaves underfoot and the smells of grills on a crisp evening. I love the beautiful fall colors, bright and warm on sweaters and wool, but there's no way I can justify wearing something that warm down here.

I was telling El Hombre that we have to get a pumpkin and carve it so we can toast the seeds. He seemed ok with the idea, but reminded me that the pumpkin will last no more than a few days. We grew up doing that, but it seems no one down here has had toasted pumpkin seeds. That's a fall necessity! Just like hot teas (which, admittedly, I drink year-round) and hearty soups and stews (something else that's year-round for me.)

So yeah, South Florida, I love you, but I wish you could pull together an awesome, authentic fall for me!

October is a good month for Zombies

2010-10-04T14:43:00.002-04:00

It's been FOREVER since I've written and had good material to share with you on our bloggy blog, but this past weekend got me re-inspired to dedicate time to the blog. The second annual Zombie Walk was held on Lincoln Road Saturday night. It was fun, bloody, zombie-like, mass chaos (somewhat), and exciting. I'll post some photos and video from my zombie friends soon! The stains from the "blood" can still be found around Lincoln Road and in various parking garages. I also have a friend who made an awesome short film about it. I'll be sure to post a link to that too.

"Brains...."

- L

It was a grove kind of morning...

2010-09-19T11:10:00.003-04:00

So, this is my first post back from Spain. Word of advice - NEVER fly back into the country and then go to work the next day. Not a good feeling. But anyway. So yesterday we get up and it's just a relaxed kind of morning when El Hombre turns to me and says, "are you interested in checking out the grove farmer's market?" Of course I did! So off we went.

We have always seen the Coconut Grove Farmer's Market off the side of the Grand, but never stopped for some reason. This has been a mistake. The market is an open-air market on Grand Ave, open Saturdays from 11-7 p.m. and it's an all-organic farmers market. And it's wonderful. I unfortunately don't have pictures to share, because I haven't taken off my Spain pics from the camera, but suffice to say, this market has everything from spices to fruit pie. I was enthralled to find multiple types of squash (I really need to make a batch of butternut squash soup soon), alongside beautiful tomatoes, eggplant and greens. Wandering around the fruits, I found all the regulars, along with figs (which intrigue me because I have never attempted to make anything from them) and then dried fruits, including Goji Berries (interesting.)

Wandering away from the produce, we browsed among the venders, selling juices, plants, clothes, hot foods and more.

We ended up grabbing a fruit salad, which included papaya, mango, pineapple, blueberries, strawberries and kiwi and a strawberry lemonade for breakfast, and then each had organic vegan ice cream. El Hombre stuck with chocolate mousse, and I mixed my chocolate with pistachio.

Overall, it's a well-visited, well-established farmer's market with great selection and I highly recommend checking it out.

L.A. Fitness - worst gym in the world

2010-08-05T21:48:00.003-04:00

So, I don't know if any of you are aware of this, but LA Fitness is TRULY the worst place in the world. I've been working out here for a few months now, ONLY because my job pays for my membership and it's 2 minutes from my office, and of all the gyms I have ever been a member of, this one is the worst.

Why is this? Well, the service is horrendous. The gym is staffed with snooty people who are trying to force a sale down your throat, or total morons. Or sometimes both, which is the worst. Example, I had someone there mock the weights I was using. Apparently he didn't think that I would need light weights to rehab an injury. Another example, little kids were running around the locker rooms and playing on the gym equipment today. Nobody thought, "Wow, if that kid falls and hurts himself, or runs into someone with weights, we may have a liability case on our hands." Instead they ignore it because that would require working. And these are 5 year olds I'm talking about. According to the LA Fitness policy, kids under 14 have to stay in the kids club area. Great job guys.

Another reason why this gym is deplorable? The equipment is never cleaned, half the things are broken (including every clock, water fountains and the AC half the time.. which is amazing since the facility was built a year ago) and the weights are never re-racked. Things are left astrew. Is this their fault? Well, I never saw equipment so gross at the UM Wellness Center, Ironworks OR Golds. So yes.

So if you are shopping around, don't choose this gym. If any other gym opens up with the same rates around my office, I'm canceling this membership. Because yeah, LA Fitness, I hate you.

Miami Heat!

2010-07-08T22:26:00.004-04:00

So if you don't know that Lebron James has joined the Miami Heat right now then you must be living under a rock. Seriously. This is not a post about the heat, or about Lebron James (though I think his major endorsement of Boys & Girls Club is friggin fantastic.) This is my, "Where I was when I heard about Lebron James" post.

Tonight I went to celebrate a friends birthday at an Irish bar downtown. Of course every television at the place was tuned into ESPN, and despite our celebrations, the main topic of conversation was, "where do you think he will go?" Rumors were flying, "He's booked a whole group of cabanas at the fontainbleu," and "I heard the Heat pulled all their 'welcome to Miami' ads."

Everyone was riveted to the television screens. The tension and excitement was sparking like firecrackers all across the bar. Every time Miami was mentioned on ESPN, people started screaming, and every time any other team was mentioned, Boos echoed across the room. Finally, at 9:20 the interview with Lebron started, and the noise dropped to a nervous low chatter. When he said he will be joining us in South Beach the bar exploded. The few people in their chairs flew to their feet, everyone was screaming, at first an incomprehensible noise that quickly turned to the "LET'S GO HEAT" chant. I never thought I would see people hugging perfect strangers before, but it was happening left and right. I just wish I had my camera out to video it all.

Key West Discovery

2010-07-05T23:05:00.003-04:00

One of the benefits of having friends in Key West is that we get to visit rather frequently and it doesn't get too expensive. Another benefit is, every time we go, we end up trying something new.

This time, El Hombre and I shucked our bikes for a bit and borrowed a scooter. I generally don't cruise Duval because it's overcrowded and overdone. Instead, we like to scope out side streets and all the cool stuff they have. This past weekend, we shot down to Green Street, which is right on the marina near the charter boats and a bunch of bars. We like that part of town because it's a little more local and there's a bunch of different things going on. This time we walked just to find some relief from the heat when we stumbled on an amazing discovery: the Key West Ice Cream Factory.

Now, typically I don't like ice cream. It's just too heavy and I hate eating heavy foods in the summer. But they offered air conditioning and an amazing smell. As El Hombre was ordering a soda, I discovered something I had to try, key lime sorbet. It's everything you need on a hot day, it's crisp, with a sweet, tangy, almost sharp flavor that instantly cools you off. And you have to try it with a waffle cone, which they make fresh in the store, it's an explosion of amazing in your mouth. And it's sorbet so it's light, and doesn't leave you feeling heavy and bloated afterwards. Plus you can sit inside and watch the boats, and people stumbling from bar-to-bar, which is entertaining all in itself.

Car Talk

2010-06-29T19:56:00.003-04:00

For the past month my posting has been light because I have been busy car shopping. Throughout this process, I have received alot of advice regarding where to go, when to go, what to do, who to talk to, etc. All in all, buying a car is a bloody mission. But I did notice some marked differences between shopping for cars here and North Carolina - for one, as soon as you get out of the car in NC, there are sales people on you. I don't know if it's the heat, or the lack of customers, but when we would drive up and get out of the car, we could walk around the lot, look at cars, and then have to look for a sales person - typically someone who is very un-energetic. Strange. It's like they don't WANT to make money.

So anyways, a friend of mine advised me to buy a car in Broward County because they are nicer. It's true, the customer service is better, but they are definitely still willing to rip you off. When I finally bought my (awesomely awesome) new car, the financing guy was trying to shove an extended warranty with maintenance down my throat. (The line, "I know you have to pitch this to me, but I don't want it so let's move on" seemed to surprise him.) However, if you are buying a car, Broward County has the lowest legal sales tax rate you can get in Florida, so that can save you money.

BUT, in the end, I got my car. It's awesome. It's orange, and hopefully it will lead me on many more awesome blog-worthy adventures!

Some ramblings: The New Zoo: Miami Zoo, Summer and the Situation

2010-06-15T14:46:00.004-04:00

I heard today that the MetroZoo has changed its name to Miami Zoo. On another note, it's really hot outside. And it's not even summer yet in South Florida!!!

I also had the (un?)fortunate opportunity this morning to hear part of The Situation's (from Miami's recently departed Jersey Shore crew) new hip hop song. And guess what it's called.....The Situation. He even had the nerve to release it on iTunes. Please tell me that no one out there will actually buy this?!?!

- L -

Knight Center for International Media Newsletter | June 2010

2010-06-14T09:52:00.000-04:00

Knight Center for International Media Newsletter June 2010

Key West and oil?

2010-06-01T23:13:00.003-04:00

This past weekend, El Hombre and I took off for the Florida Keys to celebrate Memorial Day with friends. Because I had sold my weekends to my dance studio in preparation for our performance at Spirit of the Tribes, I haven't been able to escape to the beach, much less the keys.

Before I left, several people mentioned I might see oil. Being a news junky, I haven't seen anything about oil in the keys, except for a few tar balls which weren't even connected to the oil spill (more likely they were related to ships bilging and hoping to blame the remnants on said spill.)

Our trip was amazing. Other than traffic, we did nothing but eat, boat, swim and bike. There was no oil. Absolutely none. Just crystal clear beautiful water, perfect for boating. Hopefully it stays that way. Hopefully BP figures out how to hell to stop this flow and clean up their mess. But for now, if you have plans to enjoy the keys, I promise you it's still safe and the waters are still clean.

Arizona Immigration Bill

2010-04-27T22:30:00.003-04:00

I have to say, when I first heard about this immigration law from Arizona, I actually thought it was a joke. I mean, come on, what kind of state would pass such a law that practically legalizes racial profiling (then, upon recollection of our history, I realized how naive that sounded.)

After a lengthy discussion with my dad, I elected to read the damned thing. Afterall, I don't trust any of these crap pundits on TV, who spin things for their own purposes, and everyone is so enraged that I thought it best to determine what the bill says on my own.

And low and behold, it's truly a crap piece of legislation. Within the first page, it states that "A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, WITHOUT A WARRANT, MAY ARREST A PERSON IF THE OFFICER HAS PROBABLE CAUSE TO BELIEVE THAT THE PERSON HAS COMMITTED ANY PUBLIC OFFENSE THAT MAKES THE PERSON REMOVABLE FROM THE UNITED STATES."
ummm, so what if that person is actually a legal citizen? Are we throwing all our rights to the wind? This screams "police state."

Then, the next statement: "EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN FEDERAL LAW, OFFICIALS OR AGENCIES OF THIS STATE AND COUNTIES, CITIES, TOWNS AND OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS OF THIS STATE MAY NOT BE PROHIBITED OR IN ANY WAY BE RESTRICTED FROM SENDING, RECEIVING OR MAINTAINING INFORMATION RELATING TO THE IMMIGRATION STATUS OF ANY INDIVIDUAL OR EXCHANGING THAT INFORMATION WITH ANY OTHER FEDERAL, STATE OR LOCAL GOVERNMENTAL ENTITY FOR THE FOLLOWING OFFICIAL PURPOSES:
1. DETERMINING ELIGIBILITY FOR ANY PUBLIC BENEFIT, SERVICE OR LICENSE PROVIDED BY ANY FEDERAL, STATE, LOCAL OR OTHER POLITICAL SUBDIVISION OF THIS STATE.
2. VERIFYING ANY CLAIM OF RESIDENCE OR DOMICILE IF DETERMINATION OF RESIDENCE OR DOMICILE IS REQUIRED UNDER THE LAWS OF THIS STATE OR A JUDICIAL ORDER ISSUED PURSUANT TO A CIVIL OR CRIMINAL PROCEEDING IN THIS STATE.
3. CONFIRMING THE IDENTITY OF ANY PERSON WHO IS DETAINED.
4. IF THE PERSON IS AN ALIEN, DETERMINING WHETHER THE PERSON IS IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE FEDERAL REGISTRATION LAWS PRESCRIBED BY TITLE II, CHAPTER 7 OF THE FEDERAL IMMIGRATION AND NATIONALITY ACT."

Isn't this the job of the federal government to be gathering and determining this information? Can states usurp government roles? I mean, federal departments were created for a reason, and if I have to pay for them from my taxes, I would prefer if we don't create a clusterfuck of red tape between state and federal bureaucracy. Just sayin'....

Then as you read further, there's alot of information about human trafficking. Which I am all about squashing, but that's such a seedy, underground practice. There's also alot of talk of punishing employers who knowingly employ illegal aliens. This is also not such a big deal to me, especially as licenses and permits are handed out more often on the state level than the national level.

Another big thing that comes out of this legislation is this: Illegal aliens will be fined for being in this country, and these fines will go towards Arizona's anti-gang enforcement. Now, this is a double-edged sword for me. On one hand, I see why they need to raise this money, and how they will use it to benefit their community. However, immigration should be handled by the federal government in order to ensure fair and standard interpretation of federally-mandated laws. So why should one state profit off of illegal aliens. Especially considering that many people escaping to our country are poor, without work, and probably can't afford these fines? So essentially Arizona is taking on the cost of imprisoning and jailing people, many of whom probably will never be able to pay those fines, and then handing them over to the government. There's something so disjointed about that.

Needless to say, I was contemplating a trip to Arizona to see the Grand Canyon next year. I'm not of Hispanic origin, but El Hombre is. And honestly, even the hint of worrying that someone might harass him for proof of residency because he "looks Hispanic" is enough to look to other national parks and monuments I also want to see.

I understand that border violence and drug wars are a very serious issue in that part of the country. But this bill seems to have been voted in on campaign politics and emotions. And that's sad to me, that politics and legislature is being created to account for that.

Miami Live Music

2010-04-25T18:35:00.004-04:00

One of my favorite things about Miami is the music scene. There are so many local bands with so much talent, and they are always so much fun to see. One such band that I often go out to see is Suenalo. I met several of my friends out on Saturday at Transit Lounge, where Suenalo played. As always, they packed the house and put on two kickin' sets.

One of this things I always like about Suenalo is their diversity of sound. They have afro-latin, funk, 70s, rock, hip hop influences, and they blend it well. I also like that they can jam out without it getting stale, and their energy is always really positive. If you've had a tough week check out this band, they will have you jumping, twisting, dancing and shaking to an awesomely-layered groove. From the guy who throws down on conchs, the horns, the chick with a really throaty, awesome R&B voice and the lead guy throwing down some hip hop over it all, you couldn't ask for more fun.

However, if you think you can go see them and be home before 2 a.m., then you either skip the second set, or you are lying to yourself. Like many other bands in Miami, they don't take the stage before 12 at the earliest, and usually its closer to 12:30ish.

State Farm to the rescue

2010-04-23T20:53:00.003-04:00

Hello bloggerverse, it's been awhile! One reason why I haven't posted recently is because El Hombre and I took a jaunt across the country to San Francisco (which, in case you were wondering, is a fantastic place.) But this entry isn't about San Francisco, it's about my experience trying to get to the airport.

You see, last Tuesday we flew out, but since we were flying at night, I got to work super early, forwent my lunch break and left early so I could make it home before going to the airport. And of all days, my tire blew out 2 exits after I got onto the interstate. Which really sucks because I work in Boca. So I managed to get my car to the Pompano Beach Service Station, where I see there's no saving the tire. So I calmly walked inside the gas station and asked the attendant for help, and he gave me the number for the State Farm Road Rangers. As I was talking to the guy, I started to get slightly... frazzled. I think my exact words were, "My tire blew out, I'm in Pompano Beach, I have to be at MIA by 6 p.m. (it was 4 at this point) and I can't get my spare out because the holder is stuck."

I have to hand it to the guy on the phone, he got someone out there and calmed me down, all in about 10 minutes. Once the Road Ranger guy drove up, he had my tire changed, and air put into the spare in about 5 minutes. Amazing. No one ever wants to break down, and especially not when they are trying to get to an airport two counties away in the course of an hour. So THANK YOU State Farm Road Rangers. You're the best and you guys saved my trip!

Cool Concert Friday Night to help Chile this Friday!

2010-03-22T17:09:00.003-04:00

Hey everybody!

There's a cool concert happening at Bongo's in the AAA this Friday night at 8:00. It's a fundraising event to benefit Chile post earthquake. The website for the event is http://miamiayudachile.com/. Please check it out - it should be a fun time!

- L

Shout Out

2010-02-23T22:00:00.002-05:00

I have never professed to being a great writer. Sure, I am proficient, but certainly not great. But I am a great reader. I read voraciously, I literally consume books... I have to really because a good story will consume me otherwise. I will pine all day when I want to get back to my book.

Every day I read blogs, newspapers, marketing materials. Pretty much every day I have my coffee and check my feeds. On days when I wake up late, I head straight for SFDB to catch local news and blogs. A few weeks ago, Rick picked up a story published by Jane Doe at Miami Beach 411 about her relationship with addiction.

That story was one of a three part series, and it grabbed me for several reasons. Firstly, it's well written, it's highly personal without being disengaging. Secondly, while I have never personally battled with addiction, I have been close to several people who have. It's scary. It's all consuming. And this story expresses that. You have to read through all three chapters of the story, and I certainly will not recap it, because it's not my story to tell, but I will say this: Often, it's difficult for people to separate themselves enough from addiction to be able to clearly tell a story about it's destructive forces. I think Jane came as close as they come, especially with as recent as some of these incidents seem to be in her life.

I also think it's a very brave thing to write this story and then give it away to the world. Even as an anonymous author, it's something that has to be revisited. Additionally, I find it commendable that MB411 posted the story. As a travel website, they know very well how people perceive Miami Beach - as a fun party place where everyone is sexy, everyone does drugs, and that's "cool." To publish a story, three in fact, that portrays hard-core drug use as a truly destructive force is pretty amazing.

So kudos to you Jane. I know you will stay strong, I know good things are coming for you.

Share a little sunshine

2010-02-20T11:34:00.005-05:00

As I was on my way to work this week, I lost patience with my iPod, and elected to switch on NPR instead. And I was making my hour commute (one way), this story came on, which incensed me to no end. Was it because it was early and I was driving an hour (on a good day) to work? No, it's because this story further pointed out what idiots are running our state.

On Tuesday, NPR was reporting on Charlie Crist's new idea for job growth. Does it involve investing in our state to make it more appealing? No. Does it involve a new set of tax incentives that would lure businesses to relocate or open up shop down here? No. Apparently Crist, and all his people up in Tallahassee sat down and said, "Gee, we are in a bad state here. higher than average unemployment and underwater houses in parts of the state, people leaving for more stable places with lower property tax, and tourism is slumping because there's been a recession that's making people stay home. What do we do? I know! Lets invite our friends!"

What came out of this powwow is Share a Little Sunshine. My long-time readers know why this pisses me off. Everyone is hurting, across the nation, and Crist's idea to save our state is to invite our friends down to visit? Really? WTF are these people thinking? NPR quoted Crist as saying, "For every 85 people that come to visit, 1 job is created." Wow. So Mr. Crist, what kind of job? A nice stable, well-paying job like cleaning hotel rooms, parking cars or waiting tables? Because I know that's the kind of job that pays my bills year round. And I would like to know, how stable is that job? Is that a job that's created long-term? Doubtful, more likely its a six month job with no benefits and no stability. And what happens if a Katrina blows through Florida? Or another Andrew? Then tourism is shot for a good few years.

So my real question is this, Mr. Crist. Who are your advisors? What makes you think that leaning on one industry to support an entire state is a good business plan? Since we are already in such a dire position, does it really hurt to look into how we, as a state can diversify our assets? I mean, if this was your stock portfolio, I'm fairly certain your advisor wouldn't recommend putting all your money into one stock. It comes back to the age-old adage: Don't put all your eggs in one basket. Even if the person holding the basket is a Kardashian sister.

Why I hate going out in Coconut Grove

2010-02-07T08:14:00.002-05:00

I know alot of people in the grove are grumbling about this 5 am vs 2 am rule. They argue that it's going to kill businesses because people don't want to end their parties at 2 a.m., and thus will be driven to other parts of Miami.

I went out last weekend to the grove to meet some friends, and I have my own opinion as to why the grove's late-night scene is dying. I remember going out in the grove in grad school, and it being packed. I also remember walking back to my friend's house a few years ago and seeing a nasty knife fight. Has it changed? Does that happen all the time? I don't know because I rarely go back. And the reason why is parking. All over the grove there are these obnoxious "no parking" signs right smack in front of pay stations. Can I park there or not? Is there some arbitrary rule that dictates when I get ticket and when I don't? Because the whole purpose of my parking on the street is so I don't have to pay $6-$10 dollars to safeguard my car for two hours. That's ridiculous.

Some people may counter with the whole, "well you could park a little farther out." And no, I cannot. Reason being, I have yet to hear of the police catching the grove rapist, and I refuse to risk that. Not to mention that parts of the grove have a bad reputation, combine that with the grove rapist and that fond memory of the knife fight and after circling the grove for 30 minutes looking for well-lit parking that won't cost me more than a round or two of drinks and I have already said, "screw it, I'm going to South Miami."

Then if all of this isn't enough of a deterrence, while the grove isn't all about how you look and what you are wearing, it is still pretentious. Often, Grovites have an attitude of annoyance, like they don't want to share their area with non-Grovites. Really? Grow up and get out of the sandbox. When I lived in the Gables, no one ever had that attitude. Probably because local businesses and people there realized that in order for the city to do things like, you know, pay bills and maintain the area, they needed all the cashflow they can get.

The sad thing is, I like the grove. I always have. I like the artsy feel to it, I like that, for the most part, the stores and restaurants are local. I like the relaxed air about it. But it has become too much of a pain to go there. And apparently I am not the only one that holds that opinion. Look at how dead it has become, compared to a few years ago.

Really?

2010-01-30T10:23:00.003-05:00

Dude, I don't know who you are, but this is an intervention. You can't have a skull decal on your car when you drive a VW Beetle. It doesn't work.

*Spotted at the Bird Road Best Buy

Benefit Concert for Haiti this Weekend at Bayfront Park

2010-01-19T09:40:00.004-05:00

Just heard this morning that there's a benefit concert at Bayfront Park to support Haiti. Here is the link for more information: http://www.haitimizik.org/. Some of the best bands in Miami will be there and entrance is based on your donation. All donations will go to the Red Cross. Hope you can make it and support your local musicians in SoFla and the people in Haiti who have lost so much.

- L -

Alternative Transit Fail: Miami

2010-01-18T22:53:00.003-05:00

Is it just me? Over the past week, so many stories have popped up in my Google Reader about people being hit by cars while riding bikes in South Florida. Of course all the bike/transit blogs have been reporting this for awhile, but even Rick from SFDB posted on how he no longer bikes in South Florida because of how dangerous it is. I mean, this week children were hit by cars in Fort Lauderdale, a man was killed on Key Biscayne and every other week, someone else is being hit.

Honestly I have been mulling over this post for awhile. Reason being, el Hombre and I take our bikes out for rides in our neighborhood, and I have taken my bike to ride to my karate school a few times. Even with the bike lanes, I am still forced to ride on the sidewalk. Why? Because the streets are poorly lit, overgrown and the bike lanes will start and end with no rhyme or reason. That's just not safe. Even if they were lit, people are constantly speeding to get everywhere (in fact, we saw a girl turn on a right without stopping and hit a biker on the crosswalk a few weeks ago), and everyone is now texting and driving. Seriously! Put the f*****g phone down, slow down, stop at designated spots (for example, red lights and stop signs) and watch where you are going!

The fact of the matter is, unfortunately Miami is not ready to be a bike-friendly town. Critical Mass can ride through Brickell all they want, but that's not going to change anything. Until bike safety is highly regarded by the majority of the people living across Miami-Dade County, a once-a-week bike ride en mass is not going to cut it.

Oh yeah, and anyone who tries to use South Beach as an example of a pedestrian-friendly area, don't even try. I lived there for years and have been hit by cars ignoring red lights and stop signs three times, in three totally different parts of town.

Tip for locals and soon-to-be locals: Avoid Progressive

2010-01-09T12:17:00.003-05:00

As you may remember, about three or four weeks ago, South Florida was hit with some torrential downpours, flooding many parts of the city. Streets were shut down, people were flooded out of their houses, and their cars. Unfortunately, some of my friends were among that. My good friend and her husband were unfortunate enough to have one of their cars flooded out while he was teaching a martial arts class in North Miami-Dade County. The parking lot flooded so badly that he and one of his students pushed the car out of the waist-deep water onto a hill, and waited hours before they could even leave, since they were stranded. Long story short, my friends had the car towed to a mechanic and called their auto insurance company, Progressive Auto Insurance, to report the incident.

We were all sure that the car would be totaled out, and she was stressing out about having to buy a new car, since that one, while in great condition, was older. To great surprise, Progressive determined the car fixable and approved the mechanic to work on it. Once they replaced the computer in the car, it wouldn't start, so they replaced the battery. Then the fuel pump. They also approved the car's floorboards and seats to be shampooed, since the water had come so high that it had to be done. I guess when the mechanic turned the car on and the started was broken and the clutch needed to be replaced as well, the adjuster realized he screwed up and should have totaled the car out in the first place. SO he goes back and tells the mechanic that the battery, which was already purchased and installed was not, in fact, approved. Then he said that the clutch and started were not the fault of the flood, which is interesting as that car was not driving like that before. I mean, my friend's husband would have noticed it, as he uses it to drive around to teach at the different studios and fitness centers.

Mind you, at this point, my friend and her husband are living off one car for three weeks. She is carpooling so that he can still get to work so they can still make their bills on time. Also, she has been on Progressive for about 6 years, and has a full-coverage policy on both cars. When she called her adjuster, he told her the mechanic said the problems were not from the flood. When she had both the adjuster and the mechanic on the phone, that never came up. Clearly he lied to her. He also hung up on her when she was asking to speak with a manager. Really? Serious Fail Progressive! You cannot clearly communicate when someone's bills come up, and then refuse to do the work you are being paid to do. That is not customer service, that's corporate greed.

Now the sad part is she finally got a manager on the phone. After she filed a complaint with the corporate office (who never responded), sent out tweets to Progressive's Twitter account (their response: Call the 1-800 number to discuss how we can help you with your policy.... uh, did you read the initial tweet? that deserves a #SocialMediaFail) and called the hotline multiple times. After she threatened to cancel her policy, and filed a report with the Better Business Bureau and Consumer Affairs, they finally decided to call her back. Now the mechanic doesn't want to work on the car because he has not been paid for any of the work.

So what do you do? Do you really have to fight so hard in order to get any customer service? Does Progressive really think that they can cover up their mistake by refusing to pay for repairs? And ultimately, is trying to save a few thousand dollars worth losing long-term customers?

My point here is this. These big corporations are still greedy. Things are not changing. Apparently the customer does not matter to them unless they are getting money. I was always taught that my word should be important. If I promise something, I should always follow through on it. I was under the impression that if you create a business model, you should adhere to it, and these insurance companies, whether they are health insurance, auto or homeowner, think their business model is that we pay them lots of money so that we get a shiny card to hold in our wallet, and a three-week fight to get what we pay for. Most people would have given up by now. Thankfully my friend has not and will not.

So if you are shopping around for auto insurance, be aware that this will probably happen to you if you get Progressive. Because this is South Florida. It rains and floods here. Especially during the summer.

South Florida Farmers' Market

2009-12-30T22:57:00.004-05:00

So news has been spreading through the local blogasphere that there's a new farmers/ market in town. Well, sort of anyways. The Pinecrest Farmers' Market has moved locations from Gardeners to the Pinecrest Gardens.

Now, I never visited the original market, and I was in the mood to make some pasta primavera, complete with fresh veggies, so el hombre and I made our way over to check it out. This farmers market is nowhere near as large as the one in the Redlands, but I really liked that it was all local growers with their own produce. Additionally, even though Pinecrest is a higher income area, the prices on everything were very reasonable. And there was plenty to see. Multiple farmers were there, including Bee Heaven Farm, who runs a local CSA. Because of the season, there was plenty of squash, zucchini and eggplant, alongside avocados, tomatoes and mangos. All of which were freshly picked, brightly colored and extremely appetizing!

We also stumbled across other vendors, like one table that makes fresh pasta (didn't buy any because they didn't have the flavor I wanted), flowers, fudge and jewelry.

All in all, it's a stop for a Sunday afternoon. And you can go check out the gardens while you are there!

(tea)

(spices)

Happy Holidays from 305 Misadventures!

2009-12-23T00:14:00.004-05:00

To all of our readers, happy (belated) Chanukah, Solstice, Kwanzaa and Christmas!
I will be headed up to NC to visit with family, but wanted to leave you all with these photos I took at the Santa Park in Coral Gables!

305 Random Picture

2009-12-20T22:55:00.005-05:00

Remember that God-awful rain last week? You know, the rain that slammed South Florida for a few days and caused parts of the tri-county area to flood? So do I, because I had to drive in it and it wasn't fun. But I thought I would share this picture I snapped on the turnpike on the way to work. My friend and I, who carpool, commented how unusual it was to see such a vibrant rainbow, several days in a row. Now that her husband's car has been flooded out from that rain, I think I can safely say that I am fine never seeing a rainbow on the way to work again, if it means that the rains of doom will hit us like that again. But at least it should help our water table, no?

Regardless, this was such an intense site that people actually pulled off on the side of the road to take pictures.

South Florida Transit

2009-12-15T22:57:00.002-05:00

So in my journey to my new job, I have to drive north everyday. Now, I could pay homage to the Florida Turnpike, and the fact that it's TOTALLY worth paying the tolls to avoid traffic. I could preach that until the cows come in. Because ultimately, I abhor 95. I especially hate the cones. If you live in South Florida, you know what I am talking about. The cones divide the interstate for people who don't want to pay the tolls, and instead sit in horrendous traffic, and the people who either carpool, drive a hybrid, or deal with paying a toll that fluctuates based on traffic.

In addition to the fact that I have a real problem with the addition of tolls to 95, which has always been a freeway, I have a problem with the actual cones. Maybe it's because I wear glasses, maybe it's because I'm not used to them, but today I had to take 95 southbound, and driving at night next to the cones makes me really dizzy. It's actually really quite scary, because the light reflects off of them and it distracts me from driving.

Now for my soapbox rant that many have heard over the last few years. In my opinion, we would have been much better off putting the money towards constructing those lanes into making the metro rail a viable option to more people in Miami. If they would build a stop in Doral, North Miami, Miami Beach, West Kendall and Kendall, I think that would be a much better use of taxpayer money, more people would utilize public transportation and it would create jobs. If they went one step ahead and actually connected the Metrorail to the airport where you could connect to the Tri-rail, that would be even more phenomenal. Because one thing I have realized is that many people commute between the tricounty area for work. So why not invest into better public transit. This wouldn't even be as complex as someplace like New York. In actuality it would be very similar to a city like Atlanta. And if people regularly ride the MAARTA, (which I have been on, and it's not bad) they would do the same down here.

Spa Alert

2009-12-13T07:02:00.002-05:00

So I have this bad habit of slouching at my desk. I don't really do it when I am standing or anything, but I suspect that being short and having a computer set-up that is usually just a bit too far away has caused that habit. Needless to say, because of this habit, which has been paired with innumerable amounts of stress over the past few years, has created what I like to refer to as, "the Chilean Alps" all the way down my shoulder blades in the form of very painful knots.

Yesterday I made the executive decision to treat myself. Afterall, I just got a new job, I'm trying to get into a decent weight lifting schedule again, and I can't deal with the pain anymore. So I decided to revisit this spa in the grove called Aruj. I went once in grad school and had a great experience, but when Miami Spa Month started coming up, I took that as excuses to try other spas. I do want to say, this time around it was a good experience as well.

First of all, Aruj is an Aveda spa. If you aren't familiar with Aveda, you should be. I have been going to Aveda salons since I was a teenager, and they have been organic and earth friendly before it was trendy. But if you are familiar with Aveda products, you know that their spas are a total experience. When you walk into Aruj, it's the store front. If you book spa services, they escort you into a back area with dimmed lights, running water and the unmistakable scent of Aveda products: A sweet (but not Bath and Body Works sweet) aroma of herbs and spices. They also have low, instrumental world music playing and as you wait, you really should take them up on their offer for some hot tea.

As with any spa-oriented massage, Aruj offers scented and unscented massages. Unlike some other spas, they also have heated beds AND they have therapists who are not afraid to do deep tissue. I despise going to spas and getting a light massage, and I am relieved to say that was not the case this time.

So in my opinion, if you are in need a massage and a relaxing experience, head over to the grove! And you can stop at RedBerry afterwards and get some delicious frozen yogurt afterwards!

Art Basel

2009-12-07T09:17:00.003-05:00

So Art Basel has come and gone, and despite my crazy schedule this week, I managed to make it out to a party at the Delano and to Wynwood. All week my friends and el hombre have been hitting up the event, and I would have liked to have seen more, but alas, life gets in the way I guess.

The Delano party was neither here nor there. I mean, I love the Delano, and it was out by the pool, which I also love, but neither of us were really feeling the vibe so we left. (In case you were wondering, the Delano is my favorite hotel on South Beach for a number of reasons, and they have a fantastic pool area, so if you haven''t been, you should totally check it out)

On Saturday we took advantage of the fantastic cool weather and walked around Wynwood. The first thing I noticed was that there were nowhere near as many people coming through as there were last year. Even some of the regular gallery owners made that observation. Granted, last year was during the actual art walk, and we hadn't suffered through as much of the recession at that point. Unfortunately last year there were also several more pop-up galleries that I didn't see this time. Maybe they moved to the design district, or maybe they didn't come back at all

We saw alot of new graffiti and murals, some kickin' galleries, and some different things than we normally see on the art walks. We also found that some of the galleries, including one of my favorites, Praxis, kept the same exhibit from the previous art walk, which is both understandable and mildly disappointing. and of course I took pictures.

(I love Asian and Asian-inspired art, and still regret missing the Asia party they had)

I also really tend to like silhouettes, and this guy had several.... He is clearly Cuban, and had an awesome party that we wandered into when we probably weren't supposed to

(inscribed in this work, "I have seen every sunrise in my life")

This gallery was one that stood out to me that the people working it were incredibly bored

These were all over Wynwood

Wall Murals: These are all from the same building

And these are from the Wynwood Walls project, which was fantastic! I hope this continues to be a regular thing

Then these are just murals I snapped as walking/driving by

(They were selling ribs outside this one)

Lets get X-treme!

2009-12-01T20:36:00.003-05:00

So most people spend thanksgiving weekend eating, sleeping off turkey, possibly subjecting themselves to the horror of black Friday and watching football, right? Well, El Hombre and I didn't. We drove down to Key West on Thursday to spend thanksgiving at Fort Zach with friends, and then came back Friday afternoon. Somewhat random and useless information, I'm sure, but thanks to our friends, we discovered a new activity in Miami.... rock climbing.

Yes Miami does have an option for rock climbing, it's an indoor gym called X-treme rock climbing. I heard about this place a few times in grad school, but always forgot about it. It's in the warehouse district behind the Tamiami Airport and it's got pretty decent hours of operation. The place is a semi-open air area (which I imagine is awful in the summer) with padded floors and a pretty wide variety of climbing walls, from slanted forward, slanted back, straight up, and a variety of all sorts. It basically allows for a variety of rock climbing skill levels. Once you get the hang of what you are doing, you can follow paths on the walls, where different rocks are marked with different colors.

Going rock climbing was a ton of fun, but I do have to say, if you don't regularly do pushups, dips, etc, your arms will be sore (mine are still kind of sore) and if you don't do squats or lunges, your legs will probably be sore (thank god for bellydance and karate, cause those were my saving graces.) In addition, there was definitely an under 21 scene happening there, which is cool, at least they weren't outside doing smack in the parking lot, but at times they made me nervous when they were free climbing.

I definitely recommend going to this place if you are looking for something different and you like being active though! We plan to go back for sure. Until then, I am working on my pushups and dips....

I'm back!

2009-11-29T23:34:00.003-05:00

Hello what few readers I may still have. I am dropping in to let you know that I am still around, but things with 305 have been on hold. But I have news! I got a new job!

Now, there was nothing really wrong with my old job. It was a great start from grad school, I met some really great people, but it just wasn't quite right. See, for the past 17 months I have been in the non-profit world, and I quickly realized that non-profits are great, they (usually) do lots of great things, my soon-to-be previous job included. But it's just not for me. The stress from loss of funding to the trickle-down effect that has on everything else, and the worry about job security is not fun when you owe lots of money to Sallie Mae in student loans.

However, my new job came through from a good friend of mine suddenly, and I took it. So I imagine my entries for 305 will start to change, as I will be spending much more time up north, instead of South Dade.

So yeah, yay for me! I have some stuff I plan to write about in the next few days, and please, I promise (for real this time) that I will be posting more!

-C-

Fantasy Fest: A Recap

2009-11-07T08:32:00.003-05:00

I know this post is late after the fact, but between getting relatively no sleep over the weekend and being slammed at work, it's had to wait. Last Saturday, El Hombre and I took a trip down to Key West for Fantasy Fest. This was a first time for both of us, but of course, living in South Florida you always hear about the debauchery, the people wearing next to nothing, or actually nothing. Well, I had assumed, as I always do, that these were highly exaggerated stories. I mean, how many people really will walk around wearing nothing but body paint? Well, the stories were in fact true. Alcohol flows freely all day, and in the 'Fantasy Fest Zone' it's no holds barred. There's open containers, nudity and people taking pictures of it all.

Now for those of you who are unfamiliar with Fantasy Fest, the culmination of this week-long party is Halloween. El Hombre and I went as zombies, with our ripped up clothes from Flamingo Plaza, and I like to think that we did a great job because people wanted to take pictures of us and we were fully clothed.

At this point, if you are at work, I would suggest bookmarking this link and coming back. because my pictures and video are not work friendly.

Anyway, I was one of those taking pictures of people that really should have been wearing more clothes.

But then I realized I could catch more via video:

There were also street performers!

This was at the end of Duval where not many people congregated.

I would have taken more video and pictures at night, during the Fantasy Fest Float Parade, but I ended up IN the parade on a friend-of-a-friend's float. It was awesome. I got to throw beads at everyone and growl and yell, zombie style, in the faces of people who tried grabbing them from me. I primarily gave my beads to kids (because it was hard for them to grab) and people who took pictures of me (because yes, I am that vain.) As we were walking around the floats before everyone took off down the street, El Hombre and I realized that each float had four things in common: They all had a DJ, they were all painstakingly well made, they all had some form of a bathroom and they all had a mobile bar. So of course, you see alot of drunk people in the parade as well. HILarious. I saw a couple friends up dancing on the float, most of which would never do so unless copious amounts of alcohol were consumed in the process.

These are the few float pics I could grab while I had the chance:

The last two were our float. Which was the best because we were part of it (along with a famous former football coach who shall remain nameless)

Fall time!

2009-10-19T21:50:00.002-04:00

So my bellydance show is over, and Sunday, El Hombre and I decided to take advantage of the fall weather by scoping out Halloween stores and pumpkin patches.

Like I said, fall is one of my favorite seasons, and I love shopping for pumpkins. Not only are the colors the best, but nothing takes you back to your childhood like the excitement of Halloween, pumpkin carving and candy. We elected to stop by the Big Brothers Big Sisters lot on US 1 and 27th. I personally like shopping there because at least I know my purchase is supporting a non-profit as opposed to some skeezy company.
Anyways, that lot has a huge selection of pumpkins, dried corn, gourds, weird squashes and hay. We didn't purchase any big pumpkins, but we did pick up a few things. We were there among a sprinkle of people, mainly young families picking out their pumpkins and taking family pictures (my cordial southern side actually volunteered to take family pictures.) And of course I took pics:

(scope out the pants, btw)

my creation from our purchases.

In regards to Halloween stores, your best bet is the Spirit Halloween store in South Miami. They also have one in Coconut Grove, but it's nowhere near as big, nor as spooky. There's also a random Halloween store on Sunset and 117th, in the same complex as TJ Maxx. We have been scoping out the different places for outside decorations. As for costumes, ours will be homemade, and I bought everything at Flamingo Plaza. Super excited to make myself all creepy and weird looking!

Teen Violence

2009-10-15T23:24:00.003-04:00

***Warning: This post may contain language that is considered offensive by some***

Is anyone else as highly disturbed by the extent of violent acts going on in our community as I am? Over the past couple of years, we have seen some really nasty incidents pop up, all over South Florida. From girls mercilessly beating another girl unconscious, the cat killer, the kid getting stabbed at Coral Gables High and now these kids who set another one on fire. Seriously, what the fuck is going on? Where are the parents, guardians, etc?

I know that many get offended when you trace these things back to the parents. They try to blame music, tv, movies, video games, whatever. But really? Who lets the kids have all these things? Where do they get the money to buy them? And what does it say about the family values, if a kid is so easily influenced by these things? Because I can tell you I have watched alot of violent movies, listened to some angry music and played video games. Both now and when I was a teenager, and I never thought it was acceptable to set another kid on fire. So I call bullshit on that argument. Sorry. Deal with it.

Now what I truly see to be the problem is lack of role models. Have you seen who your kids idolize? Miley Cyrus dances on strip poles at the teen choice awards, and all these pop singers talk about women as if they are nothing more than a two-bit whore. Do you really want your children to think that's acceptable? And I am talking about kids as young as 4 or 5. They may not really understand what it means now, but those catchy lyrics and dance moves will stay with them longer than you realize.

What are the schools doing to help? Well unfortunately with all the cuts they have been making, I am sure it's not so easy to mediate all these problems. And with continuous cuts that nonprofits are taking from donations and grants, those organizations that serve the at-risk kids are having to cut services and make their circle of service much, much smaller.

So what can you do? Well, other than accept that it is entirely possible that one of these terrible and disgusting acts of violence could be committed against your child, by your child, or witnessed by your child is the first step. The second is get involved. I have many friends and acquaintances who already do this with their child. Eventually their kids may be faced with a bad situation, but they will have the foundations to know right from wrong. If you see that your child has trouble adjusting, find out why. If they have alot of energy or build anger easily, for God's sake, put them in some sort of sport where they work it out in a disciplined environment.

If you don't have kids, but you have a little bit of free time, find out how you can get involved in these community organizations that serve at-risk communities. From Big Brothers Big Sisters to Girl Scouts, there are plenty of opportunities to mentor kids, serve as a role-model and help them build self esteem. Or find an organization who's mission you support and give them a donation.

It's getting pretty scary out there, and unless South Florida wants to start losing tourism again, over the fears of violence that we faced in the late 80s, early 90s, everyone has to step up to help make a difference. We have no other choice.

The Haunted

2009-10-09T23:48:00.003-04:00

Hello my lovely readers! I have been away for a bit, for a variety of reasons. As you can infer from previous posts, one reason is that I have been sick. The other reason is I have been extremely busy!

One thing that's kept me very busy is dance rehearsals. See, I have been practicing and practicing with others from the Lotus Dance Studio for a show called The Haunted. We have poured countless dance hours over many many weekends to create a dark, ghostly, beautiful haunted show.

So if you want to support local dancers and get a strong and spooky show, come out!

Sick in South Florida

2009-10-02T04:28:00.003-04:00

So yesterday I got kicked out of work, actually escorted out. No, I didn't get fired, no worries there! I had a little cough, congestion and they knew that El Hombre has had flu for the past several days. At first I thought it was funny until it started to hit, and I mean it hit. Fever, chills, congestion, exhaustion, the whole nine yards.

So what did I do? Duh! Chicken soup. All my friends know that I love soup, I can eat it at any point of the day, no matter how hot or cold it is. And I am a big believer that chicken soup is the best thing when you are sick, partially because it's comfort food, and partially because it has protein and veggies and you get fluids at the same time. So what does this have to do with anything? Well, for years I have been extolling my love for Cuban chicken soup. As soon as I don't feel well, you can usually bet that I'm going to whatever Cuban restaurant that's closest to get it.

But now things have changed. There's a restaurant on Sunset and 102nd Ave called Don Burrito. It's a Mexican restaurant (NOT Tex Mex) and their soup is delicious, hearty and comforting. Unlike Cuban chicken soup, it doesn't have noodles, and the broth is more clear and less salty. It's got huge pieces of chicken, mixed with carrots, diced tomato and onion and big chunks of avocado. It's served alongside a small bowl of rice with diced mixed veggies, which I usually dump straight into the soup to add to the texture. And of course it comes with a side of lime to squeeze into it.

The service is usually a bit slow, but it's totally worth it. So if you find yourself hit with a nasty cold or flu, or you just are a little obsessed with soup, OR you just want to find a new Mexican restaurant you should check it out!

Happy October South Fla!

2009-10-01T12:10:00.003-04:00

One of my favorite times of year :) I hear there is something spooky happening at Vizcaya towards the end of the month. I am going to check it out.

Jimbo's - Miami's Own Circus

2009-09-30T13:31:00.005-04:00

So I meant to write about Jimbo's eons ago. And I just happened to come across a picture that reminded me of it. It's such a weird/cool/un-Miami-like of a place, it doesn't feel like it belongs here. And so close to South Beach, it's sort of ironic. It's really close to where I live, yet I always forget it's there. The combination of the house boats, rundown school buses, the woods, Veterans, cats, smoked fish, cans of beer, bocce ball, the music, fish-hungry cats, hippies and non-hippies....it's definitely one of the more unique places I've been in Miami. I have a couple of friends who are working on a documentary about Jimbo's. I would not suggest going in the middle of summer as I have before (the bug's will git ya!) but maybe now, once it cools down a bit, may be the time. I need to make a visit soon.

A day of moving hell

2009-09-29T23:26:00.002-04:00

I normally don't write about personal stuff here, but today is different. Those who know me know that I move like a gypsy. Well, over the past week I have been moving from the non-glamorous side of South Miami to Westchester/Kendall area. It's not really far, and I don't have alot of large furniture, but it's been a pain because I have been working then moving then whatever the rest of my schedule has entailed.

Today I finally finished, but whatever higher power that exists definitely tried to make it damned near impossible. I didn't have to rent a uhaul from scary brujeros, but at least that would have been entertaining. Instead I woke up, sliced the hell out of my foot on a part of broken mirror (thanks to my bigger, more evil cat) and had to stay off it for an hour or so. Meanwhile, El Hombre has a bad cold and doesn't feel better. So the idea of getting a truck and moving my bed and sofa was not appealing. However it was more appealing than waiting to do it after work tomorrow. So we persevered.

After all was done, and I made multiple trips to Publix to get a steam cleaner (and switch out the one that decided to vomit water all over the place.. apparently it has the flu or something), I elected to pick up medicine and chocolate for El Hombre at Target. And all I have to say is, you know you are in South West Miami when your cashier's name is Misleidy. At least it made me laugh.

Fall in South Florida

2009-09-22T17:46:00.004-04:00

It's been almost imperceptible, but it's been happening. Slowly the nights are getting longer and the weather slightly cooler. School has started, the roads are busier and while it's still hot, it's not quite so sweltering. Football season is here, and the 'Canes are off to a great start (#9 baby! Movin' on up!)

I love fall. It's my favorite season. I love the spookiness that comes with Halloween, the excitement of football games (unless, of course, you are going for the Carolina Panthers, then you just stick to college) and rush of new things starting. I don't know about everyone else, but I always feel like there's a new beginning in fall. Maybe because that's when the school semester starts and I am so regulated by the years of elementary, middle, high, undergrad and graduate school years. Maybe because my job runs along with the school year now. Maybe it's because I was a fall baby, but things for me start in the fall.

I also love the richness of the changing season. You don't see it here, and I confess that's what I miss most about living in the Carolinas, but the colors of the leaves, reflected in the colors in fall fashions are my favorites. Yellows, oranges, reds, matched with deep baritone-rich browns, purples and olive greens are so much more interesting and pretty than the pastels of spring.

So happy first day of fall everyone! Lets hope the tensions surrounding us (ie the sudden surge of violence in schools) starts to melt away. I, for one, am excited to see where life takes me! Cheers!

Christina

Buttercream Cupcakes and Coffee

2009-09-15T22:42:00.003-04:00

I have often mentioned my love for the Buttercream Cupcakes & Coffee location in South Miami. However, my friend Rose really knows how to put into words the deliciousness of Buttercream.

In addition to being delicious, the location also has a neat vibe and excellent customer service. I totally recommend it to anyone passing through!

Best Picnic Spot in Miami?

2009-09-15T18:04:00.002-04:00

A few months back we were flipping through the "Best of" issue of the Miami New Times and El Hombre clipped some of the things we wanted to check out. One of which was the recommendation for the "Best Picnic Spot in Miami." MNT reported this spot to be Black Point Park down in Homestead, so we went to check it out. Now don't get me wrong, it's not a bad spot, but I would never go so far as to call it the best in Miami.

We drove in and found some parking. We kept looking for the picnic area, and all we saw were some tables around the water. What was kind of cool about the spots is that you can see the boats coming in and out from the marina, but really that's not such a unique site if you camp out by the water.

What was nice was the little path we took all the way out into the bay. Alot of people were there fishing, boating, etc. We ended up sitting down on the ground and watching the boats and eating our sandwiches. It was a nice day and we did have partial shade but our view was somewhat marred by Turkey Point, and there wasn't a soft spot, we had to sit on a gravelly ground.

I won't complain about mosquitos because this is Miami and it is summer, but when you are writing up a recommendation spot for picnics, things to consider would be availability of soft ground, shaded picnic tables and the proximity to the water.

What I would recommend the spot for is fishing, boating and kayaking and canoeing (if you like ocean kayaking that is.) They also had bike trails, but I suspect the ones at Oleta are better.

But I did snap some pictures:

(That's some serious litter, and yes I did pick up and throw away a few people's litter)

Leaving Town

2009-08-22T19:00:00.002-04:00

Hello! I have left the 305 for the weekend and am heading up north. I'll be posting on our travel site since I have nothing South Florida related to write about (except that the Marlins are playing tonight - but not in South Florida) but will be back soon with some new 305 stories and photos!

:)

Out of office

2009-08-20T00:03:00.003-04:00

So I just wanted to let all of you know that as of tomorrow, I will be going out of the country to Italy, so I won't be posting here for a few weeks. El Capitan will be taking over for a bit.

xoxo

Christina

Pinecrest Gardens

2009-08-19T09:07:00.003-04:00

As you may have well figured out by now, I have lately been on a mission to find low-cost things to do here in Miami. There are a number of reasons for this, but the most important is that I am going to Italy in the next few days for two weeks and I am trying to save my money for that. So El Hombre, who sadly has to stay behind and find his own misadventures, and I have been taking advantage of all the free parks, gardens, fests, etc. On our way back from Fairchild one day, we passed by the Pinecrest Gardens and decided to put that on our list of things to do.

The Pinecrest Gardens, located on 57th Ave., is the former location of Parrot Jungle Island, or whatever they decide to call themselves this month. After PJ moved, The city of Pinecrest took it over, maintained and restored some areas, and made it free to the public.

As you walk in, you have a choice of windy paths through lushly landscaped plants. It's much less manicured looking than Fairchild, not to say that it's overgrown, because it's not. As it formerly had "jungle" in it's name, it's intended to look as such. You can still see remnants of it's former owners, in the signs, bowls and play areas for children. Which, as we were winding through the plants, and looking at the fish and turtles, we overheard some teenagers making out in a hidden bowl (ah.. young love.. because it was really hot to be all smooching up on someone) and the joyful shrieks of children playing in the "water park" area. We sat and watched the kids for a bit, me reminiscing about how great it was to run through sprinklers with my friends and family in the summer, how that was the ultimate awesomeness for any little kid.

Then as we winded around we found a lookout of the park, a concession stand, some swings (my fav), a playground and a petting zoo. The petting zoo had a few pigs and goats. And was kind of disappointing. But overall it's a nice way to spend an afternoon.

Miami Beach Beer Boots

2009-08-07T16:07:00.001-04:00

The other night I was watching a baseball game at Finnegan's on Lincoln Road with a friend and we started to get hungry and wander Lincoln for a bite to eat. It was REALLY busy for a Sunday night and we walked up and down and finally came back and settled on the wonderful Hofbräu Beerhall. I think it's on the corner of Lincoln and Jefferson - not exactly sure. This is a great place to go and people watch. The food is really good if you're into sausages, potatoes and sauerkraut. And they have a good selection of beers. Some of them come on the small side (a half liter) while others are on the larger side (enourmous mugs of frosty ale and boots filled to the brim! Someone told me they were two gallon boots? I'm not sure but they're huge!). Everytime I've been here it's been on the quiet side, but this past weekend it was loud and fantastic.

The group at the table next to us, after they had finished their boots, started to try them on. It was hilarious, although the server did not think putting the glass boots on their feet was all that funny. They were all encouraging me to try a boot but I had to decline. It was getting late and work beckoned the next day. There was an Englishman drinking a boot alone. He was wearing a Decendents shirt, which drew my attention to him, since I rarely see them in Miami and used to listen to them all the time back in the early days. Most of my photos from the evening came out a bit dark but I managed to get a couple:

The English Descendents man with boot.

Our neighbor avec le boot (you can see the glass if you look really closely).

Looking through my mug and the lights of Lincoln Road.

Miami Sunsets

2009-08-06T13:32:00.006-04:00

This was the scene yesterday from my abode. Beautiful!

Stumbled upon this...

2009-08-05T23:10:00.004-04:00

There are many things I love about Miami, and one of my favorite things about this (or any other city for that matter) is stumbling upon little local spots off the beaten path. On our way to Fairchild, we passed this little market on 57th, and I pointed it out as a place to check out on our way home.

The little fruit market in question is the Pinecrest Wayside Market. It's across the street from the canal, and just down the street from the old Parrot Jungle, and it reminds me alot of Robert is Here, only much smaller. It's an open-air sort of market with fruits, veggies, sauces and shakes. But what struck me was not so much the produce, but the ambiance. There were several people there, just sitting out with each other, enjoying a shake or a mango or a sandwich, just relaxing. Taking in the whole scene, spending time with each other. You don't always find that in the City of Miami. That's more of a vibe you catch in the keys or South Dade. Even when people are sitting outside, or at a park, there's an underlying since of urgency that I didn't catch here.

I didn't try any of the shakes because after walking around in the heat all I wanted was water, but I intend to check them out next time.

In the meantime, here's some photos:

Marlins Fun!

2009-08-05T11:53:00.024-04:00

Friday night I went to the Marlins/Cubs game. I had forgotten how much fun the games are - especially when the weather is tolerable and you are not sweating to death. Thankfully, in a few years, we won't have to face the wrath of the South Florida sun in order to enjoy our baseball games :) The Marlins played the Cubs which usually draws a big crowd. There was even an appearance by the dreaded goat to jinx the Cubs. I think there were only a few Marlin fans in the section I was sitting in. I was surrounded by Cubs fans who ended up being pretty cool. It was a fun night had by all, especially since the Marlins won! I am thinking about buying season tickets for next year (I say that every year but this time I am serious). I took a bunch of photos and have some hilarious ones of the Mermaids in awkward positions (check them out below) and a video of the hefty Manatees.

Friends and enemies.

Billy the Marlin and Lil' Billy.

The Mermaids.

The Mermaids part two - frozen in time.

This guy was awesome. He walked around all night with cotton candy on his head.

Hanley Ramirez - he didn't have the best of nights.

Dan Uggla.

Billy the Marlin with a birthday friend. See all the Cubs fans around me? They were everywhere!

I never get tired of seeing/hearing his name - Milton Bradley. His parents had to have known.

This guy was sitting in front of me. His shirt said "Relax - The Land of Fish and Chicks." Classy!

Cody Ross - crazy outfielder.

Jorge Cantu.

The Manatees. Oh my.

Loooooooooouuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.

Yay - Marlins win!

Fairchild Tropical Gardens

2009-08-03T19:48:00.004-04:00

If you read the Miami on the Cheap blog, you probably know that Sundays are free at Fairchild Tropical Gardens during August. Not surprising since it's 'bout hotter than hades outside.
Last year, El Hombre and I tried to take advantage, but we got poured upon, and really didn't see much. Fortunately this time we had much better weather.

For those of you who aren't familiar with Fairchild, It is an 83-acre garden in Old Coral Gables. It's been open since 1938 and it features many tropical plants, to include succulents, palms, fruit trees and much much more. You can take a tram tour (which we did last time) which gives a great history of the gardens, as well as what is going on in terms of plantings, etc. The park also has a rainforest, sunken gardens, a succulent/cactus garden and a section for Asian plants. It's way to big, and much to hot to walk the whole park, but it is most definitely worth a visit. In fact, walking around the park makes me envious of all the time Maria got to spend there, and I can see how she was inspired to pen Volunteering at Fairchild

I took tons and tons of photos, so if you are interested, please feel free to peruse my flicker slideshow below. Oh yeah, and if you do take advantage of the free day at Fairchild, remember these things: Take plenty of water, wear comfy shoes, try to go early (I think they open at 9 a.m., and support the gardens, even if it's only a few dollars. All of us non-profits are suffering right now)

New blog alert

2009-08-02T20:21:00.001-04:00

Hello lovely blogosphere!

I just wanted to let you know that I have started a second Misadventures blog, called Misadventures Abroad. This blog is going to be more about travel experiences, and I have invited another friend of mine to join on, along with me and El Capitan.

Hope you enjoy!

Christina

Coconut Grove

2009-08-02T09:24:00.003-04:00

Coconut Grove is really trying to push itself out there as a place to go at night. From billboards to block parties, they are trying to get a crowd out other than the Thursday night college drunkfest kids, and I have to say, it's commendable.

Both this past Saturday, and the Saturday before, El Hombre and I have ended up at the Commodore Plaza block party. It's actually pretty interesting, and I think the Grove should extend these summer block parties into the fall when the nights are a bit cooler (although has anyone noticed that night time has been fantastic lately?)

We actually ended up at the block party last night by accident. We had read on the Miami on the Cheap blog about the art stroll in Mayfair Plaza and decided to check that out. It was ok. There was a blues band that was kind of interesting, and the people walking around were also kind of interesting. It's nice to walk around, but if you want to look at art, it's not terribly competitive, at least not yet.

While we were there we strolled over to Commodore Plaza (which, if you are not familiar with the names in the grove, it's the street that Mr. Moes and Green Street are located. Last week they had Spam Allstars, and this week they had some other band that I didn't know, but they weren't bad.

When you go, the street is shut down, the shops are open a bit later, and there are some artists, street performers and a psychic. It's a nice alternative to places like Lincoln Road or Mary Brickell because it's not so packed, and you can still sit outside and enjoy a drink and a bite to eat. You also can be more relaxed in dress than going out in either other place. People in the Grove are generally there to chill out and enjoy the experience. It's not showy nor is it a meat market.

Also I should point out now that RedKiwi in the Grove is super delicious. Frozen Yogurt with fresh fruit toppings? Yum.

Only in Miami

2009-07-30T23:07:00.003-04:00

Typically I only stop in gas stations for one of three reasons. 1. to get gas. 2. to run into the bathroom on a long road trip and 3. to get a quick snack or drink, or to pick up beer on the way to a last minute shindig.

So when my cohort, JoFi suggested we meet up for dinner at the gas station, I was a bit, well, perplexed. You see, JoFi is someone I would typically refer to as a "foodie," so eating tapas in a gas station doesn't seem like his style. But I also sometimes forget that my cohort also has a taste for the offbeat experience as well.

So we met up in the back of the BP off of 17th street. Now, when you walk into the gas station, it's your typical setup. But when you walk into the back, you see the lights are darkened, and there's an entire wall of wines. Apparently, the restaurant El Carajo (I am always amused by their name) has a little mini restaurant in the back of the station. Complete with the full menu and no indication of such from the outside.

The food was actually pretty decent. I would never have thought I would sit at a full-serve restaurant in the back of a gas station. And I really never thought I would be brave enough to eat ceviche and drink wine, but both were surprisingly good. We also got tortilla and sliced fillet. When you go, you are able to pick a bottle of wine from the wall and they will open it (for an additional charge, but really it doesn't turn out any more expensive than any other normal restaurant. Our service was decent enough and there were a few other tables of people. JoFi explained to me that on the weekends, the gas station is packed to the brim.

He also explained that before it was a restaurant, the back of the BP was a garage, and you can still see where the lifts were, behind the brightly painted faux brick facade.

Would I go again? Of course. It was entertaining, decent food, and just the right amount of cheesy decor. Really, where else will you be able to sit down and eat in a gas station?

For All Things Beer

2009-07-27T17:18:00.002-04:00

I came across a relatively new South Florida blog today - South Florida Beer Blog. If you are a fan this is a great site. It is also fabulous because Dave lists upcoming events at local bars and restaurants. Here is the link: http://www.southfloridabeerblog.com/.

Miami Spa Month

2009-07-27T09:20:00.002-04:00

I think that Miami Spa Month is possibly one of the greatest things the city has come up with. Is it because I get ridiculously stressed out over things because I have the tendency to take too much on? Probably. But that's not important. What is important is that Miami Spa Month is fantastic.

I posed about a week and a half ago that I am going to be taking a bit of a rest from blogging, simply because I am taking a rest from running around like crazy all weekend. But I wanted to write about this experience, in case anyone wanted to take advantage of the last few days of the month (Spa Month lasts from July 1-July 31.) So where did I go? The Palms Hotel, and I highly recommend it.

First of all, the Palms has one of the best deals, you get either a massage or a facial with a manicure/pedicure. Most places only offer a massage or a facial or some body treatment, which to me is not worth $100 on it's own. Secondly, the Palms is an Aveda spa. That's huge to me. Anyone who knows me well knows I am very brand loyal, and that I have been going to Aveda salons since I was young (for haircuts.) I just really like the product, their mission and the whole experience that comes with an Aveda salon. For example, they were environmentally oriented before it became cool a few years back.

Anyways, I digress. As you walk in, there's the unmistakable scent of an Aveda salon/spa, a very relaxing herbal essential oils scent. The service was impeccable, and the whole spa was just very chilled out, with low down-tempo lounge world music playing. Between the massage and my nails, they have you wait in the "relaxation room." Basically it's a room with lounge chairs inside and outside, water (laced with lemons) and fruit. I decided to lounge outside on a chaise. It's been raining all week, so it was overcast, warm and there was water flowing from a nearby fountain. The combination of all these factors kept me totally relaxed and not all hyped-up ADHD like I normally am when I have to wait around for something.

Overall, I highly recommend the spa. Going back to the service, just the fact that they had such phenomenal service on Miami Beach alone is worth it. But the whole air of the place doesn't help either.

Helloooo!

2009-07-21T11:36:00.002-04:00

I'm back from my long hiatus and have oodles and oodles of photos to post. I'll be posting them this week. I've updated my profile picture as well. I hope you all like it. :)

A short respite

2009-07-16T23:25:00.002-04:00

I haven't been around lately, in case you hadn't noticed. Unfortunately life is stressful and getting in the way of posting. Typically I gather the bulk of my posting material on weekends, but I have been so stressed out that all I want to do is relax and be low-key. That and I have been so stressed out that my entire back is full of knots and I have been living on Vitamin A(dvil) and those Icey Hot patches. Not fun. Especially when you have so many knots that it becomes painful to type and you typically sit in front of a computer all day.

I've tried going to the chiro, exercising, massage -- nothing seems to work. So I think I may try a Spa Miami destination for some deep tissue massage, and if anyone knows of a decent acupuncturist in Miami, I am happy to take your suggestions! Until then, I will probably be a little less regular here, so add us to your rss feeds if you haven't already so you can stay in the loop once I get back to more regular posting.

-c-

It's Back! Miami Spa Month

2009-07-09T09:04:00.003-04:00

July is Miami Spa Month! For a little over $100 (I know, still not THAT much of a bargain but it's better than the full price) you can visit some of the best spas in Miami and receive treatments like facials and different kinds of massages. Check out the link to participating spas: http://www.miamispamonth.com/participants.htm. I think I may be visiting the Biltmore for their spa package :)

Post 4th of July 305 coverage

2009-07-07T21:59:00.004-04:00

Forth of July is one of my favorite holidays (behind Halloween of course.) There are so many good things around it - It's a celebration that calls for BBQs, gatherings with friends, fireworks and general summer shenanigans.

This year has been really up and down for both me and El Hombre, so we took the long weekend to enjoy the new kitten, go to a couple BBQs and try to catch fireworks. We also decided to explore a new beach: Bal Harbor Beach. Now, it never occurred to either of us to go to Bal Harbor for the beach. We both really like Hollywood if we feel like going for a drive, or we generally end of on different parts of Miami Beach. But Bal Harbor got the Miami New Times Best Beach recognition, so we figured, "why not?"

Let me tell you, it's definitely the way to go. It's got wide beaches, and surprisingly, it wasn't overcrowded. There were lots of shells and the water was really clean and clear. It also stays shallow so you can go pretty far out into the water if you so desire, and still see your feet.

Here's some shots:

I spotted the crab, upside down in the water, so El Hombre decided to check it out. It had been stepped on or something, so El Hombre decided to have some fun with it.

(ew)

After the beach, we went to a BBQ with friends, set off some fireworks and then headed downtown to catch the City of Miami Fireworks. We decided to avoid the absolutely horrible traffic by parking in Brickell and taking the MetroMover. Let me tell you, we were crammed like cows in a cattle car with a bunch of other people ready to throw down. Despite not being able to move, it was really entertaining to have everyone hoot and holler everytime we turned a corner, and shout like we were on a roller coaster when we went up the big hill. Unfortunately the City of Miami fireworks show was a massive fail because it apparently was only 15-20 minutes long, so we completely missed it. We ended up walking around the park to Bayside, watching families chill out in the grass, kids rolling down the hills and everyone milling around.

After I almost got beat down for wanting to use the bathroom sink to wash my face at Bayside, we elected to get back on the MetroMover and go home, where we observed the terrible terrible traffic.

IF we decide to go next year, we definitely will do the metromover thing again. We didn't sit in a lick of traffic the entire way home. But from what I heard, all the other areas that did fireworks were able to put more money into it, so I don't know that I would do the whole downtown thing again.

Moshi Moshi

2009-07-03T18:06:00.004-04:00

Funny story. You know, if you are a girl in your late 20s, in a committed relationship for about a year and a half, I guess people get anxious. Because I posted a status update that said, "Christina has some news to announce soon" and EVERYONE apparently thought I was pregnant. Not engaged, not getting a new job. Pregnant.

Now El Hombre didn't help much by adding to the fury with a post, "It involves a little one." This only set people off more. I started getting text messages like crazy and one of my best friends called from North Carolina at midnight to ask what was going on. Once I logged in and saw the fury, I decided to mess with people a little more, and I'm sure my friends who didn't know about the kitten plan are not so amused right now. Well, sorry to disappoint, but there is a new little one and El Hombre's and my little family is growing. Check out little Moshi:

She is two pounds and 8 weeks of pure cuteness. Last weekend we went to a nursery down on Miller to look for new hedges for El Hombre (we lead such exciting lives sometimes) when he pointed out the kittens. She was the only one with these really cool thick stripes and was so super cute. So I thought about it all week and decided that my current cat will learn to love her too.

So no, not an exciting story about Miami, so sorry. But I thought I should share!

My take on Michael Jackson

2009-06-25T21:47:00.002-04:00

Today was crazy. I mean, today two iconic people passed away. I think we all were ready for Farrah Fawcett to pass. She had a rare and terribly painful cancer. But Michael Jackson? The man has been on a downward spiral since the early 90s (remember Free Willy everyone?) but he is truly an icon. I remember being a kid and rocking out to Thriller on cassette tape in my mom's van, and on record at our house. My brother, now a musician himself, used to put on his "fancy clothes" and dance to Michael Jackson (he was six.) And I will always remember how we used to go into our playroom, put Thriller on the record player and turn off all the lights for the Vincent Price part, just to scare each other.

It's strange, knowing that a pop music icon that you listened to almost obsessively as a child has passed on. Especially when it was so unexpected. He wasn't old, he didn't appear to have any sort of cancer. The only indicator that he may go young would be how much he mutilated his own body, and how badly he feared germs. I don't know if he ever molested those kids, and I won't lie, I wouldn't be surprised if he did, but that's not the point. Now it really feels like the end of an era.

And on a final note, I find it interesting that this story broke with a non-traditional medium. However most of the people I follow on Twitter, and many I met today at a networker event all said the same thing: I won't believe it until it's reported on the AP Wire, CNN or similar. So maybe the traditional media is not one of the deaths we are seeing, but merely a transformation. Either way.

South Point Park

2009-06-24T21:07:00.002-04:00

I realize that I am late in the game with this post, as everyone else in the blogosphere posted about the opening of South Point Park in South Beach, but I just went for the first time since the grand opening and I'm throwing my $.02 in.
Since I moved off South Beach, almost three years ago, I haven't been back to that area, but before I used to go walking at least three times a week down to the southernmost tip of South Beach, sit on the rocks and relax. Only a few times did I ever wander up towards the park, and I remember it being picnic tables and grills, sort of a smaller version of Crandon Park in Key Biscayne.
On Sunday, El Hombre and I went on a mission to get me out of my irritable, cooped-up mood that I had been in all day, and on the spur of the moment, we elected to explore South Point Park.
I love it. I think it's so cool. I like the windy paths through the trees:
complete with benches to occasionally rest on.

I like the combination of tall buildings and the views of Fisher Island through the palms:

And I love that the path becomes elevated so you can catch a view of the water:

There's also a pretty cool playground for kids:

With funky benches for parents who want to relax and watch their kids play:

There's also the path that borders the water, with these things that light up at night:

and a view of downtown, through the port authority:

As we wandered down the hill, and towards the beach, I also caught some cool pictures:

We wandered out onto the rocks that jut out into the water where we saw many groups of friend camped out, enjoying the last few rays of the late afternoon sun, people fishing and taking pictures.

We also found a hidden cutey face!

South Point Park is awesome. The whole vibe was very laid back and fun, with kids running and shrieking the way they do when they are having the time of their lives, couples of all ages strolling, holding hands and laying on their backs in the grass, and families gathered around tables and benches. It's cool to find such a chilled out and happy environment in South Beach.

Driving in Miami

2009-06-22T21:19:00.002-04:00

Today I was pretty stressed out at work. Really stressed out actually. So I went out to eat by myself. All was going ok, I was eating my salad and checking my email on my phone when I decided I felt like walking from Panera to PetSmart to go look at the kitties up for adoption (I'm a cat person so looking at the kitties makes me feel better.)

I was walking along and I saw a crowd of people gathered around, taking pictures of something and gaping. It wasn't until I stepped on glass until I saw this:

Apparently an elderly driver gunned the gas instead of the brake, rode over the parking curb, the side walk, plowed down a pretty heavy-duty sign and went straight through the window. Fortunately nobody was hurt, but damn! That's alot of car power, I mean, looking at the pole completely flattened and the damage on the car, the guy had to have really hit the gas hard.

I feel sorry for everyone involved, but really this is a sign that we need more strict regulations on drivers licenses, because while it sucks to realize you are getting old and your freedoms are waning as you have a more difficult time getting from place to place, if your motor skills are getting that bad, you shouldn't be behind the wheel of a car.

Thrifting in Hialeah

2009-06-21T10:19:00.003-04:00

What could be a more interesting experience as a Gringa (who speaks very little Spanish) in Miami than an experience in Hialeah? Especially one that entails going to a collection of thrift shops on a weekend? Well, I did just that, with El Hombre in tow. We headed up to Flamingo Plaza, which is heralded as some of the best thrifting in Miami, to see what they had going on. We found gentlemen selling plants off the back of trucks, people in old cars with a PA System advertising pizza and lots and lots of shops with all sorts of things in them, including old stoves, bar chairs, wedding dresses, underwear and more. Many of the home furnishings, vhs tapes and board games reminded me of my childhood from the early 80s, like this:

Random things like this:

And who doesn't need a glass boot-shaped cup?

In addition, many of the clothes they had were your standard, basic pieces that people don't want, can't wear, etc, but then there were some truly glorious pieces:

(El Hombre was trying to decide which one would match his hat best)

I wish I could have grabbed pictures of the many late-80s wedding dresses with stains and huge bows, but I couldn't get around the crowds and I sort of felt bad. But I took advantage when I saw one in the window:

Outside of Red, White and Blue, which is by far the best and biggest shop, this guy was playing some tunes:

Kinda reminded me of Charleston.

South Florida Blogging

2009-06-14T11:22:00.002-04:00

This past Monday I had the opportunity to sit down with some of Miami's local bloggers to catch an early bird of Miami Herald's new section that showcases bloggers in South Florida.
The site, an aggregator, features more than 200 blogs across South Florida, to include blogs from the New Times, Miami Herald and the Sun-Sentinel along with local bloggers like yours truly.

You may be thinking, "yeah, well, so what?" Yes the Sun-Sentinel already has something similar, but this is far more interactive than a list that is lost on a website. Each blog is in a category (or two) and if you are interested in a certain blog, like parenting, you can click on that section and it will bring up all the blog posts that have recently been updated. You can rate the entry, see the ones with the most comments, etc. And if you click on the "read more" section, it takes you too the blog. So those of you fellow bloggers don't have to worry about your traffic going down.

"How do I know the Herald isn't publishing blogs it approves of?" The system is automated to pull from rss feeds. And if the Herald is willing to post blogs that are critical of it, like Herald Watch then you can be rest assured that you will be included as well. As long as your blog isn't focused on selling things/advertising things.

It's really cool to see that the mainstream media are becoming more accepting of social media now. Don't get me wrong, nothing can replace tried-and-true successful journalism, but that industry is not just tied to paper and ink anymore. Plus it was nice to sit down with Vice Queen Maria, Carlos Miller, Bark Bark Woof Woof, Mango and Lime, Brickell Life, and Dayngrous Discourse and hear everyone's idea.

A stroll around the Gables

2009-06-12T19:05:00.003-04:00

As you may have heard around the blogosphere, last week was the great storm of Miami. Seriously, it was ridiculous and I ended up with major cabin fever. So when it finally cleared up, El Hombre and I decided to go for a walk around the Coral Gables Golf Course right before sunset. Despite the thick humid air and mosquitos, it was fantastic to get out and stretch our legs. There were lots of other people biking, running, walking and hanging with their families. We saw kids chasing lightning bugs and groups gathered, talking with neighbors. Clearly everyone else was eager to get outside too.

The golf course itself is not that exciting, and has to be kind of boring to play because it's very flat (especially compared to the places in North Carolina) but it has tons of these massive Banyans that have to be a bitch of a trap:

I love Banyans because I think the sheer size of the canopy is really really cool and there's nothing like seeing all those roots hanging down. The first time I saw one of these I was fascinated.

We also found this historic site, which we explored but never found the fig tree:

This is a nice walk and there are lots of really nice houses to scope out. But next time I will wear repellant.

Bad sign over US1

2009-06-10T23:22:00.003-04:00

So I have this weird part of my personality that's pretty obsessive compulsive about things and I tend to focus on things that are ridiculous or off-base a bit. When you combine these elements of my personality and then show me something that is poorly taken care of that ticks off that perfectionist in me, I have to snap a picture.

I get that the letters fell off. But fix your damned sign guys, you look like idiots. But thanks for making me laugh. And yes, I get that I'm immature.

Mr. Clucky - Don't Go!

2009-06-10T10:50:00.003-04:00

I'm not sure if you have been following the Mr. Clucky case in the Herald, but let's hope that he's allowed to stay where he is. He's been through enough already - give the guy a chance! If he goes to the Grove, that wouldn't be that bad, but he's a Miami Beach staple. You can't take him away from Mark and his bike! To read one of the Herald's articles, click here. The story has made the national news - I just saw a video on CNN.com.

Goombay Festival

2009-06-08T22:57:00.004-04:00

As we all know by now, this was a rainy weekend, one that made me glad I no longer live on Miami Beach. Even though we weren't flooded out where I live, we were still cooped up indoors, leading to a massive case of cabin fever. So Saturday, after the rain subsided, El Hombre and I decided to scope out the Goombay Festival in Coconut Grove. For those who may not know, the Goombay Festival is one of the largest black heritage festivals in the US, and is basically a celebration of the Bahamian culture. Bahama Village in Coconut Grove is one of the earliest settlements in Miami for those of you who may not know.

In many ways, most street festivals have the same basic setup: Live Music, vendors, food stands and entertainment, and this one was no different. Instead of arepas, there was conch, fried fish and crab (which I would have chowed down on, had I not just eaten at Big Cheese.) There were also these Miami Fair standards:

We also walked in at the perfect time to catch the parade:

I loved the costumes! So colorful! And the lead guy (photo above) was cheesing it up for all the cameras and having a blast.

One thing I noticed was the ambiance was very chilled out. Maybe it was because of the rain that has kept everyone inside all week, but everywhere you looked, people were laughing, meeting up with friends, enjoying food and dancing to the music.

One thing did not go unnoticed though:

Big Brother was definitely watching everything going on.

What did upset me was the amount of garbage on the ground. It was senseless, as the city provided plenty of trash cans along the street. I hate seeing so much litter, I think it's trashy and it reflects a lack of pride in your community. This is something I see throughout Miami-Dade County, but it just seemed so much worse during this event.

After we walked the length of Goombay, we took advantage of the clear evening to walk around the Grove, where I was able to snap these photos:

(Love that the Grove has a bike culture)

Cupcakes

2009-06-04T18:52:00.005-04:00

The other day I met up with my friend Rose to enjoy Buttercream Cupcakes and Coffee. See, it all started over a Facebook debate over whether Mishi's has the best cupcakes. I disagreed with her, claiming that Buttercream had the best. So in order for her to make an informed decision, she joined me in South Miami.

I would like to point out that El Hombre gets very excited when he sees this box:

Because it usually means that he will find something like this inside:

(Vanilla, Triple Chocolate, Oreo, Orange)

Or:

(Triple Chocolate, Guava, Vanilla, Oreo)

One reason why I advocate for Buttercream, other than how fantastic their cupcakes are, is that you can sit outside and enjoy your beverage and cupcake, in cute pink chairs and tables. It's on the prettier side of Sunset, between the circle and Sunset Place.

And of course, I had to give Rose the 305Misadventures tour of South Miami/Coral Gables, since she had never been in the area. So we toured up Sunset to the circle, down Old Cutler to Red Road, wound around Sunset Place, through to Coral Gables where we saw the backroads of the neighborhoods, starting from the Biltmore and ending by the ruins. The ruins, by the way, are under construction so I will have to stop by again in the next few months to see what's going on over there.

I would like to say that showing off my side of the city on a breezy dusky evening, with windows rolled down is quite a fun way to spend time with friends. Especially after cupcakes :-)

The Electric Pickle: Shockingly Bad

2009-06-01T19:17:00.003-04:00

Saturday, some friends and I went to the Electric Pickle, formerly Circa 28, in the Design District/Wynwood area after a lovely evening at the ECOMB benefit at the MiMo Gardens. There's no polite way to sugar coat the experience. Even by Miami standards, the service was ridiculously bad.

We went in, after paying a cover (reduced to $5) and hit up the bar. My friend orders her drink, a very simple drink really, and it was made badly. Not incorrectly, badly. She asked me to taste it, and even with my compromised sense of taste (I am heavily congested and cannot really taste anything) I could tell it was heavy on the syrup. So she asks the bartender to remake it. He refuses. Now I put the drinks on my card because I didn't want to bitch about a minimum, so I took immediate interest. In between his offering her more lime (which was the problem in the first place) and telling us no, he walks away to take photos with people. Literally in the middle of a sentence. So, let me get this straight. We paid $10 between us, and $26 for two drinks in the bloody design district and you are going to tell me no, you aren't remaking the drink? AND you expect me to tip you? Sorry my friend, that doesn't work for me.

So we go upstairs. Might I add my friend was in a cast? The bartender upstairs says she can't remake the drink since she didn't make it in the first place. Understandable, but seriously? The bar isn't even half full and the music is sucking and I am questioning why we didn't just go to Vagabond in the first place. She sees us annoyed at this point, maybe even magically hears about the terrible reviews we are planning on giving the bar and tells the manager, who was behind the bar the whole time, the situation and he rectifies it. As we walk away, they see my friend is on a crutch and the girl apologizes again.

We go downstairs and listen to the music, which is only ok. My friend asks if they can play an 80s song and the DJ, who has been spinning 80s the entire time, looks at her blankly and tells her nobody would know it. Really? I had more fun at the bloody Denny's on Biscayne Blvd.

This bar, which has changed names and owners more times than I can count already has the odds stacked against it, so what gives? Judging by the emptiness of the club, it won't be around for long. But maybe someone should give them Bar School 101 - Don't charge a cover, play mediocre music, hire ridiculously rude bartenders that can't make a drink and expect to survive. NOT when you have a bad location and places like PS14, Vagabond, White Room, and everything popping up in MiMo.

A Memorial Trip to Key West

2009-05-27T22:12:00.003-04:00

I have been longing for a vacation for quite a while now. Between the stress from work, everyday life and the economy, I have just needed a break. The kind of break where I just chill out and relax, without access to email and the internet. This past weekend, El Hombre took advantage of the long weekend and headed down to Key West to see friends and have a mini-vacation.

If you don't already know, it is virtually impossible to be stressed out in the Keys. That vibe just doesn't exist there and that's why I love going. This was actually my third time staying overnight, but I had many first-time experiences. Including trying oysters, which I have always been too grossed out by the texture to even try them. But I wasn't given a choice. El Hombre and I went with one of his friends to Alonzo's Oyster Bar and got a medley of tasty, very fresh seafood. There's nothing better than sitting down at a table overlooking the water after a blistering hot day, having a glass of wine and chowing down on sesame seared tuna, conch ceviche, crab claws and oysters.

Fishing, as evidenced by this pic, is a huge pastime and industry in the Keys, so you know your seafood will be good:

While there we rented bikes to get around, which is the best, and arguably the only way you should see Key West. Forget scooters, you can get horribly injured, and parking a car is a nightmare. With bikes you can get around everywhere, tie them to any loose pole and explore. Riding at night is my favorite, once the temps in the 70s and 80s, the wind blowing and the only sound is the occasional creak of the bike, the crickets and the frogs.

While there we also got to see one of my favorite bands, Suenalo, play two nights at the Green Parrot, a local dive on Whitehead Street. As usual they were awesome. I dance half the night away, hurt knee and all. Saturday night the bar was packed, so we stood outside. The rain opened up, cooling off the whole scene, and the band played on, through the thunder and lightning. It added a whole different vibe to the atmosphere as everyone packed in.

On the way to the Green Parrot from Alonzo's, I had to stop and be a total tourist. It's just in my nature:

The most photographed and most stolen sign in Key West

Another restaurant we tried was Bo's Fish Wagon. This place was built up all weekend, and we were not disappointed when we finally tried it. They had the best conch fritters I have had so far. Super delicious. They also have a blackened cheeseburger and a fried grouper sandwich, both are awesome. This is a small building, built off a wagon across from schooner's wharf. It started out as an actual wagon on Duval, but about 10 years ago the owner moved it across from the West Marine Store. I highly recommend it. Plus it's cool looking:

And on Memorial Day I finally got to go boating. I have been in South Florida for 5 years and have not been on a boat yet. It was amazing. The water was perfect, the weather was perfect. We boated out to a sandbar and hung out, swam and repeatedly coated ourselves with sunscreen with a few other people who apparently had the same idea:

And on our way back home to Miami, I saw the greatest sign ever.

The three things you always need to get in drive through, right?

Bike Miami Days

2009-05-19T22:27:00.003-04:00

Last Sunday was the last Bike Miami day of the season (whatever that means) and for the first time I was actually able to go. After living in Charleston, SC for four years without a car, I am a big advocate of alternative means of transportation, particularly via bicycle.

We parked the car on South Miami Ave, close to Key Biscayne and biked into the city. First of all, South Miami Ave has a nice bike path, but it needs to be longer. But it's a pretty drive, especially on the weekend when traffic is light.

Biking through Brickell and Downtown is cool because you see the city from an entirely different perspective. It was a hot day with a nice breeze which was both cooling and added resistance to the ride. We stopped by displays to sample empanadas and iced tea, saw some bands, and witnessed the dance-off for the free bicycles, proving once again, that people will do anything for something free

One nice little touch was the communication via chalk on the sidewalk, old school style:

Speaking of the river, these are some pics I snapped from the bike. I have never really explored the river area and I liked it.

And in case you haven't seen the video yet, these people pulled a Ford Fiesta with a bike. I bet his legs were hurting later!

And before we biked back to the car, we rode down to the bay to check out the boats by Bayside and relax by the water:

And as tempting as it was, we didn't stop in on our way back... But I never realized how brightly painted the building is...

New Blogger alert

2009-05-19T18:11:00.001-04:00

Well not really, but I want to let everyone know about the addition of my friend, Midtown Chic-a to my blogroll. She's a super cool chick, and she covers a wide variety of beats in Midtown Miami.

Miami Parks

2009-05-13T22:09:00.003-04:00

El Hombre jokes that I always write about farmer's markets and street festivals and I realized, he's right. But it makes sense because I love to be outside, I like people watching and I like to browse among potential treasures, making these things so easy for me to capture. But I never write about parks. I like parks, I always enjoy going to them, but I never actually go with the intent to blog about them. Which is interesting because I feel like Miami actually has a pretty strong "park culture." People go all the time to grill out with friends or family, and anyone who has been to Tropical Park knows this is the case.

The other day I was on my way to downtown for work and I got there half an hour early. So I elected to drive around, and I rediscovered this park close to the Arsht Center. I have driven past it a number of times, but never actually walked it. It's a well-manicured park on the bay with areas to grill, a playground and basketball courts. I walked back and forth on the boardwalk, looking at the water, and snapping pictures.

The entrance

These three chairs were sort of balanced between the northern, center and southern parts of the park, along the boardwalk.

The boardwalk:

These hunched over trees are awesome

This is only one of the fantastic views from the boardwalk

A Belated Happy Birthday

2009-05-12T16:24:00.002-04:00

Happy Belated Birthday to 305 Misadventures!

Misadventures was born on May 6, 2008 and since it's inception, we have covered a wide variety of topics in South Florida, from weather and food to art and festivals.

Since I started up this blog with El Capitan, I have uncovered many sides of Miami that I wouldn't have otherwise, and I've enjoyed sharing my escapades with you all.

Thanks for supporting us!

Cuban sandwich update

2009-05-12T09:26:00.001-04:00

1. Havana Harry's
2. La Palma on 8th Street
3. Sergio's on Coral Way
4. Puerto Sagua on the Beach

more to come....

Nostalgia

2009-05-11T12:35:00.002-04:00

Yesterday El Hombre and I went to the beach. Normally we try to vary where we go, but I was exhausted from karate and bellydance, so we settled with the usual spot at 7th street on South Beach. I'm not sure why, because that's our default, but yesterday was a different experience because it reminded me of coming to Miami on vacation right after college.

To give you a quick history of "Christina's decision to move to Miami," I had been to Miami on vacation four times before I elected to move here. But three of the trips were not your typical, "WooHoo! I'm a college kid on vacation in South Beach! Let me drink my face off!" vacations. I stayed the first time in Coral Gables, the second time in South Beach (spring break) and the third and fourth times in Homestead. Excepting my spring break trip, every time I had been here before, I was here for karate. I decided on that first trip, when I was 20, that I was moving to Miami after college. That was it.

Somehow yesterday brought back the memory of my last trip to Miami that cemented my decision to move here once and for all. I came down in a crappy Ford rental car from my college with my two oldest friends, Stacey and Laura. That trip was amazing, I had just graduated, I was with good friends and we explored much of South Florida. We went to Key Largo and Key West, Coconut Grove and South Beach. We met and flirted with cute boys, ate amazing food and chilled on the beach. I was there for my first big karate test, and between the stress of graduating college, the test and all the worldly problems of a 22-year-old with no idea what she was going to do next, I just wanted to have fun.

On my last day of that trip, Stacey and I took the car and drove to South Beach between my karate trainings. We were laughing at the radio because they kept talking about how it was a dark day. Yes there were a few clouds, but they dissipated by the time we got to the MacArthur. We parked at 7th street, grabbed our towels and camped out on the beach. To this day I will remember sitting on the beach with my friend that I have known since I was four, laughing at the aged yogi behind us who was meditating in the sand and thinking, "yes, this is where I need to be." We jumped in the water and swam out to the end of that sand bar and stood facing the sand, and at that point I had a moment of clarity.

Somehow in that moment I realized that I wanted an adventure. I wanted to move to this place and make it work, come hell or high water. I realized that life is constantly moving and changing, and all that matters is to make the most of it, because you will never know what you will be doing in the next 5, 10 or 15 years.

And somehow that was the foundation on which this blog was built, at least for me.

The Search for the best Cuban Sandwiches

2009-05-08T14:33:00.001-04:00

Here is the list so far:

1. Havana Harry's (delicious!)
2. Sergio's on Coral Way
3. Puerto Sagua

Beach snacking

2009-05-07T21:40:00.002-04:00

One of my New Years resolutions was to spend as much time on the beach as possible. This is probably the only resolution I have/will keep this year.

Normally I don't take pictures of the beach because, well, it's the beach. I only do that in the winter to tick off the people who make fun of me for living in hurricane land.

This, however, amused me somehow.

Who wants some ceviche on the beach? Forgive me, but I somehow doubt the refrigeration system is, well, up-to-par.

Shake that!

2009-05-06T21:11:00.003-04:00

Those of you who either bellydance or just have an interest in it, probably know that this weekend is packed full of awesomeness because of Spirit of the Tribes

Those of you who don't know anything about bellydance should know that this is the largest tribal fusion dance fest on the East Coast. Tribal style and tribal fusion dancers are not your typically pink, shimmery, shiny belly dancers. They are more earthy, strong and may fuse bellydance with hip hop, industrial/gothic or international styles of dance. Basically it's just plain awesome. And two of my teachers will be performing. Alina and her crew from Lotus Dance Studio and Alicia of Bellycraft.

The only thing that stands in my way of a full weekend of pure bellydanceocity is the fact that I am also packing in a karate camp. Monday I will be broken. LoL.

I will leave you with some vids of my fantastic teachers:
Bellycraft

And Lotus (they are American Tribal Style, not fusion)