Your Evening Sift

Well, hopefully I'm going to get back to including the Cooler at SFDB starting tomorrow. It was kind of a slow Thursday in the SoFla blogosphere but here are the highlights as I saw them, packaged up in your evening Sift.

A- Miami Bike Scene posts an interesting video about the Brian Piccolo Velodrome in Broward County.

B- Eye on Miami is claiming that Walgreens is running out of hand sanitizer because of the swine flu scare.

Staff at my neighborhood Walgreens said they are out of waterless hand sanitizers because of the Swine Flu panic. They suggested to a woman that she buy alcohol swabs (they had two packages left).

C- The Chowfather continues his "burger tour" and assesses the offerings at Michael's Genuine.

The burger was very good. Flavorful, juicy, cooked perfectly and served on a solid bun. I would probably pass on the white cheddar next time since it slightly overpowered the burger. (for my palate at least) In a nutshell, it's a very good burger and may crack my next top five but not as good as Red Light's.

D- South Florida Theatre Scene has his regularly scheduled review for the week.

E- MenuPages Blog: South Florida sits down with Chef Douglas Rodriguez of Ola.

Where are you eating out in South Florida these days?

Besides Michael's Genuine? I love that place. I’ve been to Sra Martinez, and all the new places at the Fontainebleau. I was at Prime Italian last week, and tonight I’m going to the W Hotel in Fort Lauderdale for the grand opening. But my favorites are Michael's Genuine and Pacific Time. I like Fratelli Lyon. I think the Design District has my favorite restaurants in Miami.

F- Southern District of Florida Blog notes that the Liberty City Six case looks like it may be another mistrial.

G- Both Bark Bark Woof Woof and Reidblog offer opinion on President Obama's news conference last night. From the former...

My impression was that here's a man with a hell of a lot coming at him and he's handling it well, at least on the outside -- calm, cool, occasionally able to make a joke, and still able to manage a lot of detail. The guy is Wonk Personified but not too narrowly focused that he can't grasp the overall picture. He has a deft touch, and if he can make self-deprecating remarks and yet come across as completely in control, that says he's not in over his head. It's no wonder that the GOP is in full-tilt freak mode, throwing everything they can at him and blaming him for all their woes.

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Where In The Hell Is Ipanemic?

Hard to believe that he's over 1/2 way there already.

Day Thirteen: Beaumont, Texas
Daily Miles Logged: 241
Total Miles Covered: 1,494
Total Miles Left: approximately 1,237

I get on Hwy 90/I-10. Four lanes. 50mph limit? Huh? Light traffic. And there it is in front of me: a massive bridge. I can do nothing now; I’m on I-10. I push Scooter to his limits and hope for the best. Thankfully, just as I started the incline, a pickup truck pulling a trailer pulled up behind me. I don’t know whether he had his hazards on before he came up behind me or not, but he stayed right behind me to the top of the bridge, hazards on, following behind as I crept up to the apex at 30mph..

The rest of the story is here.


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SFDB Debates

Today, I'm going to conduct a debate with those people who unequivocally say that George W. Bush kept us safe while he was president. [Yes, they are out there.]

I will start by presenting two dates and two images.

January 20, 2001: Bush sworn into office.



September 11, 2001: Over 3,000 Americans were not kept safe.




Debate.

Over.

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Hellos And Goodbyes

You know the drill. It's that time again to clean up the blogroll and add a couple blogs that I've been following for a few weeks now.


Hellos

I Heart Miami

I Heart Miami is a Blogger blog that gives us another resource to find out what's going on around Miami-Dade County, particularly on the weekend. Very little opinion offered here, just a very straight forward delivery of social events and happenings. I Heart Miami has been posting more or less weekly since September of 2008.


Miami Art & Culture

I prefer the look of the Wordpress blogging platform over most any other which makes Miami Art & Culture a blog that is very pleasing to my eyes. Like I Heart Miami, it's a blog that provides its readers information on events going on in Miami-Dade County, but focuses on the arts in particular. Miami Art & Culture has been at it since July 2008 and posts on at least a weekly frequency.

You will find Miami Art & Culture in the "South Florida Art Blogs" blogroll.

SFDB welcomes I Heart Miami and Miami Art & Culture to the blogroll.


Goodbyes

• The South Beach Bum: Moved.

• Cuban Home Cooking: Last post February 4th.

Hope you enjoy the adjustments.


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Hey, Jackie Bueno Sousa!

Take notes, would ya?

People used waterboarding for centuries and civilized nations have outlawed it. We prosecuted it in WWII as a war crime. We have signed international treaties banning it.

And so too, beating, hanging people by their arms for days at a time, depriving them of sleep for weeks, putting them in boxes and body contorting "stress positions, "dietary manipulation", sexual humiliation, forced enemas, severe psychological trauma and more are all torture. If you have lost sight of that and no longer know whether such things should be described as "harsh" or "brutal" then you have lost your judgment and are in danger of losing your humanity.

We call it torture because it is torture, by any decent standard. If those who perpetrated it want to defend it honestly then we can have a debate. But the idea that people who use words for a living and allegedly strive to tell the truth are even hesitating to call this what it clearly is tells us far more about the state of journalism today than anything else. If they can't even do this straightforwardly, then they have truly lost their purpose.

- via Hullabaloo

Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

Happy Day Before Friday. As is the usual routine here at SFDB on Thursday, the weekend widget has risen closer to the top of the right sidebar, so if you're looking for something to do this weekend, check it out.

Here's your very early morning Sift...

A- Man or Maniac? recovers his car that was stolen 2 years ago but it's not good news.

I can't decide if they played "destruction derby" with it, or if they just rammed into something as hard as they could.

B- Miamism profiles The 1800 Club and includes lots of photos.

When it comes to Miami Luxury Condos, The 1800 Club is at the top of the list. It’s location is perfect with endless bay views that take your breath away. It’s in the Performing Arts District, within walking distance to Bayside Marketplace, The Miami Airlines Arena, restaurants, cafes and nightlife. Designed by Bermello & Ajamil, and although I’m not a fan of their architecture, the small design flaws are made up by the views, views and more views of Biscayne Bay, The Port of Miami and Downtown Miami. The building is located across the street from Margaret Pace Park recently developed by the City of Miami with tennis courts, exercise stations and pedestrian walk-ways, basketball court, soccer fields, cricket fields, playground and barbeque facilities. (because of the park, the views will never be obstructed).

C- The Bicycle Film Festival is coming to Miami, according to Miami Bike Scene.

Your eyes do not deceive you. The Bicycle Film Festival, a celebration of bicycles through film, art and music is coming to Miami. The tentative dates are December 3rd-4th which coincide with Art Basel.

D- From Lola's Lips introduces us to another wine bar in Hollywood named Hollywood Vine.

I thoroughly enjoyed this bar. It was unpretentious, had a good turnout and the crowd was very approachable. The staff seemed very knowledgeable and patrons were allowed to bring in their dogs. It was definitely a much needed and stimulating change of scenery. I ended up meeting a couple interesting people, one of which was a total riot. The prices are extremely reasonable and the experience quality.

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100 Days Of "Fair And Balanced"

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Your Evening Sift

A- Foodtastic sweats it out at Bulldog Barbecue.

The biggest problem was that the air conditioner wasn’t enough to cool the crowded restaurant due to the open kitchen. It was uncomfortably hot despite the fans dispersed throughout the room. The server explained that they had ordered industrial fans that were to be installed soon. That may help, but I don’t think it will be enough when our Miami summer arrives. If it was that bad in early April imagine the dog days of August!

B- Transit Miami continues to closely follow the upcoming Venetian Causeway closing.

I just received a new press release from the County recognizing that pedestrians and bicycles also use the Venetian Causeway. It essentially tells all non-motorized users to use a shuttle that will get them from either end of the bridge to the Metrobus “stations” on Lincoln Road and in the Omni where they can connect to normal routes traveling between the two cities along the MacArthur. While this is helpful and part of what we were asking for, it still does not address the need to provide a safe access route for those of us who desire an alternative and/or can’t afford or rather not pay for a month worth of bus rides between Miami and Miami Beach.

If you read the comments section from the two previous posts you will realize that all us advocates are still being tossed around between the County and FDOT. It is increasingly evident that the County didn’t communicate to FDOT that the Venetian would be closed.

C- Jeff Eats loves him some Cheesecake Factory.

Over the years, I have eaten sliders, chicken pot stickers, meat loaf, grilled chicken, fried cheese, cobb salad, eggs...and of course cheesecake. This is just a partial-list...and let’s just say, I have never had a bad meal.

If you have eaten in The Cheesecake Factory…you know that I “speak the truth” when I tell you, that this a terrific restaurant. Big meal-small meal, dessert…this joint has you covered.

D- The Burger Beast visits Keg South and makes sure you understand that it's the one on South Dixie Highway and that he's really not reviewing it.

E- The South Florida Punch takes a quick look at Vino Hollywood, a wine bar in Hollywood.

Tasting machines offer over 60 wines on a rotating basis. Plus, hundreds are available by the bottle. This beautiful wooden bar provides some invaluable selections — many exciting options from the best corners of the Old and New Worlds. A few wines I tasted included a Rosso di Montalcino, a Rueda, a Pinot Noir, a Garnacha, all quite good….whoever selects the wines has a great set of taste buds and an eye for variety.

F- Reidblog generally likes the job that President Obama has done in his first 100 days, but says it hasn't been without disappointment.

The biggest disappointment so far has been on the subject of torture and secrecy, where the president has seemed to prefer to either prop up or sweep past the crimes of the Bush administration, and simply "move on." And while I think Amnesty International is being a bit too harsh when it says that the administration has sent a mixed message on human rights, there will be no moving on when it comes to torture, or the detainees at Gitmo and other U.S. prison facilities, and I suspect Obama will have to face the past, and deal with what was done by his predecessor, like it or not. Another disappointment has been on Wall Street, where the president's team seems so stacked with Goldman Sachs alum, that they can't bear to really take on the Big Boys in NYC.

G- MenuPages Blog: South Florida interviews Michael Schwartz of Michael's Genuine Food & Drink.

Where are you eating out in South Florida these days?

Anywhere Michelle's cooking. We like to go to Red Light. I love what my friend Sam Gorenstein's doing at BLT Steak. We don't eat out too much. A lot of time when we do it's with the kids, which affects our choices and experiences. We take the kids everywhere, and they eat what we eat, but it's never just a quick bite with them.

H- Carlos Miller, writing again for Miami Beach 411, describes his overnighter in the Rock Star Suite at the Clevelander.

The truth is, the Rock Star Suite is not exactly an executive suite at the Four Seasons. There is no Jacuzzi, no mini-bar and not even a bathtub although there are two large screen plasma television screens that drown each other out if you happen to be looking at different channels.

What sets it apart from the other rooms at the Clevelander is that it comes with its own Rock Star Host who is supposed to hook you up with whatever you need. I needed a bucket of ice because there is no ice machine on the third floor, so Kevin, the bellhop, retrieved it for me.

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Where In The Hell Is Ipanemic?

Days Eleven and Twelve: New Orleans and Morgan City, Louisiana
Daily Miles Logged: 99
Total Miles Covered: 1253
Total Miles Left: approximately 1,478

And while the internet at Starbucks there was interminably slow, the drivers made up for it on the road going out of New Orleans. I finally left my cousin’s place, took the ferry across the Mississippi River to Gretna, and got on Highway 90 to go to Morgan City where I was pretty sure there was a campground. My god, I though my death was on that road. I didn’t want to die in Louisiana.

The rest of the story is here.


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Breaking News: SFDB Locates The Origin Of The Swine Flu

Not in Mexico but in Huntington, West Virginia...at a Wal-Mart!




Another case of good intentions gone bad....

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South Florida Cartoons

Two good ones from South Florida's editorial cartoonists...


First, Jim Morin of the Miami Herald...




...and then, Chan Lowe of the South Florida Sun-Sentinel...




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Just What Democrats Need

...another Joe Lieberman.

Repubs lose a RINO, Dems gain a DINO.

[Sigh]


-graphic via the New York Times

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

Bloggers were kinda quiet last night around South Florida so, as a result, you can still hear the crickets chirping as you read your Hump Day morning Sift...

A- Miami Beach 411 opines on South Florida's status as "Medicare fraud capital of the world."

A recent USA Today article called Miami the “ground zero” of scams in this country, as most scams that get picked up here quickly seem to pop up elsewhere around the country within months. So glad we can be a trendsetter in that arena. And while Miami’s elderly population is not what it may have been, say, 20 years ago, it’s not too tough for a crooked doctor (or someone posing as one) to make the short drive up I-95 to that honeypot of old folks, Palm Beach County. I’m just surprised it took as long as it did for “Medicare Fraud” and “South Florida” to become as synonymous as it has.

B- Republicans don't "get it," according to Bark Bark Woof Woof.

If Stephen Colbert is only pretending to be a right-wing nutball and the conservative audience can't tell the difference between him and someone like Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly, that tells you something: either Mr. Colbert is a comic genius, or the conservative audience is too stupid to know the difference. Tough choice.

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Your Evening Sift

It was another busy day for blogging in South Florida. Join me in reviewing some of the highlights in your evening Sift.

A- Brickell Life discusses a proposed trolley system in the City of Miami.

Simply put, a free trolley system through the Brickell, downtown and the Omni neighborhood is an opportunity and not a liability for the city. It will assist with traffic flow in the commercial areas and provide both residents and tourists the means to easily move between the neighborhoods without using a car. Unlike Metromover, a trolley will be able to permeate side streets and different sections of the city that are currently unreachable by the rail system like Brickell Key, Brickell Bay Drive, Flagler Street, and the new downtown condos, among others. It will literally open up accessible public transportation to tens of thousands of people who otherwise have been unwilling to walk block after block in our tropical sun to find a convenient rail station and then walk additional mileage to get to their original destination.

B- Miami, bro is heading off on a journey.

I'm leaving on Monday and driving through parts of the southern and western U.S. I'm not posting my itinerary because my father thinks some old perv will want to "meet me in St. Louis" as they say or maybe they don't say that in this case where in his mind I'm beaten to a pulp, violated and left for dead.

Hey, maybe she'll bump into Ipanemic.

C- Hidden City tells us about [almost] everything he's been up to these last 3 months.

For the last three months there has been a pachyderm in my parlor. It would not be ignored, no matter how much effort I put into it, and when you are faced with something that huge, it's hard to concentrate on anything else. Fortunately, it's tenancy is coming to an end in a couple of days, so I can start to breathe again.

D- Mayor Manny heralds the arrival of three new "pocket parks" to the City of Miami.

E- Coconut Grove Grapevine says that the Grove had a very European feel to it during this past weekend's Bike Miami Days.

The Grove had a very European flair about it during Bike Day. More than one person told me that, too. There was just something about the people, the bikes, the lack of many motor vehicles. Commodore Plaza's resturants were full and it was just a day for friends to have a good time visiting with friends.

The streets were buzzing and people weren't looking for the things we always talk about, that we always say we are lacking -- certain stores, restaurants, parking, etc.. It seems that just having a bunch of friends enjoying the day, the Grove, the whole vibe, is all that was needed. It did not come down to material things.

F- Mac's Club Deuce demonstrates that there are deucers all around the world.

G- A new steak place named Steak 954 is opening north of the 305 in the new W Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, according MenuPages Blog: South Florida.

Chef Jason Smith, formerly of Table 8, is in the kitchen. In the dining room you'll find a 15-foot-long reef aquarium with a school of jellyfish. The restaurant opens for lunch and dinner on Thursday and will add breakfast in the coming months.

H- Another Eos review is written up in the SoFla blogosphere, this one from The South Florida Traveler.

Eos will offer you a truely unique dining experience and bring a taste of NYC to the heart of Miami. Would I go back? Most definitely. What kind of crowd will it draw? A sophisticated foodie crowd, a place where you’d want to impress all those around. It may be too complicated and NY-style for some. Pricing? I have some concerns, but this is definitely somewhere where you can go in order a few bites and come out without spending a lot, but it’s also a place where all those small bites add up — as there are so many “must try” dishes. Be ready to indulge and take yourself on a culinary awakening.

I- Local Motion Miami interviews Miami artist R.E. Sanchez, who is exhibiting "Stabbing Hate" at the CS Gallery in North Miami Beach until May 24th.

Do you believe that Miami is an 'artist friendly' city that promotes local talent? Please elaborate.

Miami has grown a lot since I moved here five years ago. I think more artists are moving here and discovering that it is still uncharted territory. Every time I walk around Wynwood, I see new galleries popping up from nowhere. My experience has been that it is very hard for young artists to find quality galleries to represent them.

J- Bark Bark Woof Woof comments on the latest Republican who has decided that he's not a Little Limbaugh.

It's the party of Rush Limbaugh, Sarah Palin, and people who casually throw around words like "secession" and "Fascist" because it has a nice ring to it.

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How Sick Is Your City?

In times like these, this might be rather useful...

SickCity harnesses a simple, but impressive idea: use Twitter to gauge how sick people are in a particular area. Using Twitter to find out if the flu is spreading within 10 miles of New York City, for example, is as easy searching for "flu near:NYC within:10mi." Putting it all together is what SC has done well, compiling information on various diseases as they spread in cities around the world.

Haven't seen Miami come up yet.

Oink.

- photo via Dependable Renegade, site via 10,000 Words

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SFDB Ecard Of The Day

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The Cooler

Astute readers of SFDB will notice that the Cooler hasn't been around much lately. Out of all the things that I do here at SFDB, the Cooler is the most time consuming. So when my schedule is tight or harried it's the first thing to go. This week has been especially bad and will continue to be tough for me so don't expect to see the Cooler through next Monday.

But I did get one put together for you this morning.

A- Herald: Video, Fleet Week.

B- Herald: That's what they all say.

The Forge, one of Miami Beach's landmark restaurants, abruptly closed its doors Monday as part of plans for a major renovation.

Owner Shareef Malnik said he expects to reopen the 40-year-old restaurant sometime between October and December after a multimillion-dollar renovation that will include everything from new furniture to a new menu.

''We're not going anywhere,'' Malnik said. ``The Forge is part of Miami Beach. It would be a pretty big waste to throw all that away and not reopen.'

The majority of Malnik's 100 employees didn't learn of the closing until Monday. Only some of the long-term employees will receive severance packages, he said.

C- Palm Beach Post: Dolphins cut QB John Beck.

DAVIE — Quarterback John Beck's unsuccessful career with the Dolphins is over. Miami released him Monday, two years after he was the No. 40 pick in the NFL Draft.

Beck, who didn't get into a game last season as the third quarterback behind Chad Pennington and Chad Henne, became expendable when the Dolphins used the No. 44 choice Saturday to draft West Virginia quarterback Pat White.

The final blow to Beck's chances to remain a Dolphin came Monday. An NFL source said the team plans to give University of California quarterback Nate Longshore a tryout when the three-day rookie mini-camp begins Friday.

"We wish him well," General Manager Jeff Ireland said of Beck.

D- Palm Beach Post: Aren't there already laws like this that people ignore?

MIAMI — Several bills that would have restricted drivers who talk or text message on their cell phones appear to be headed toward a dead end in the Florida Legislature.

The bills would have banned drivers from sending text messages and required them to use a handsfree device while talking on their cell phone. There were also bills that would have made it illegal to use a cell phone in a school zone or for drivers under age 18 to use them.

None of the bills is expected to pass as the Legislature is focused on the budget with Friday's deadline to end the session.

E- SunPost: "New Site Coming Soon"

F- Local 10: Video, racing cops, legally.

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

It was a productive night in the South Florida blogosphere. All the good stuff is highlighted in your Terrible Tuesday morning Sift...

A- Computer Colonics rambles on about the Keys and about some the restaurants there.

Anyway, after the stop and go crawl through Islamorada, the whole world opens up at Craig Key and for a few miles you feel free of the oppressive police stalking and strange aura of subdued wealth trying to hide that permeates Islamorada. Craig key is what the Keys were when I was a kid. RV parks. Concrete Block houses right on the water for rent. The water practically at the road with seaweed drying. You feel like you could stop anywhere and jump in the water and no one would harrass you for the impulse. There aren’t a million “No Parking” Signs. It’s just … beautiful, simple and nice.

B- A night alone at the Hard Rock turns into a patriotic celebration for Lola.

As I wandered around feeling utterly alone and observing the chaos, I came upon the pond at the Hard Rock in perfect time, as if the music and the fireworks started on my cue. As I stood there surrounded by uniformed sailors I watched and listened in awe, and for those few exploding minutes, I no longer felt alone. As if I am five years old, I am still moved by the magic of fireworks and the camaraderie of patriotism.

C- Mac's Club Deuce posts a few images from the newly renovated Clevelander Hotel while Miami Beach 411 actually stays the night there. From the latter...

Saturday night, we were lucky enough to be one of the first to stay in one of their new rooms. Again, the staff was impeccable. After being escorted to our room on the 5th floor, the first thing we noticed was the size of the room. Actually, the whole design of the room kind of reminds one of one of those old sci-fi shows from the 70s. They are small, yet sleek and very space efficient. Frosted glass, strategic mirrors, low beds and clean design all add to the feeling of more space than is actually there. Besides, who needs much space when visiting Miami Beach, just a place to sleep and shower.

D- Discourse is having problems with a sign that the UM is posting in its bathrooms.

E- The Venetian Causeway is going to be closed all of May and Transit Miami is concerned about the impact.

While it is understood that maintenance is essential to keeping the bridge safe, the loss of this major east-west link presents several challenges for all of its users, especially pedestrians, bicyclists, and moped operators who depend daily upon the Venetian for a safe link between the City of Miami and Miami Beach.

Superbee details how this event is going to affect him personally.

F- Free burritos at the new Chipotle in Miami Lakes on Hump Day, according to MenuPages Blog: South Florida.

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Your Evening Sift

For a Miserable Monday, this isn't a half bad evening Sift. Enjoy...

A- Miami Bike Scene does Bike Miami Days justice with a most excellent video set to a nostalgic theme. Meanwhile, Coconut Grove Grapevine has more photos and some commentary about yesterday's festivities. And Sweat Records thinks Bike Miami Days are the best days.

B- Artlurker conducts an interview of artist Jon Peck as part of their ongoing "At Large" series that explores what has happened to artists who have moved away from Miami.

Do you value Miami more or less having moved away?

My feelings for Miami haven’t changed. I miss it a little more when it’s 20 degrees outside, but I’m not sad that I left. Miami is incredible. I talk about it all the time. Although the community of artists is relatively small it’s stacked with heavy hitters. I can easily count on both hands the number of artists there—my age alone—that I admire and respect as being some of the best artists I’ve ever had the privilege of personally knowing. I aspire to be as good as they are everyday.

C- Wow. Sweat Records posts what parties are happening this week while Soul of Miami has all the jazz and blues events.

D- Douglas Eames, new to Central Florida and writing for Miami Beach 411, addresses 5 myths about living in the central part of the Sunshine State.

Central Florida can be every bit as seductive as South Beach. For starters, it’s the world capital of natural springs. Nowhere else on the planet can you find more of these cool, transparent fountains of youth than the wilds just north of Orlando. Add to it the appeal of living on the edge of the Ocala National Forest and the deal gets sweeter.

E- I Shot The Chef cooks up something called "Bulls Eye Cheesecake."

F- Jeff Eats gives Burger King's sliders a thumbs up and sparks some slider discussion in the comments.

To make a long story short…I gave Burger King a shot, trying its new product “BURGER SHOTS” which are sliders that come 2-to a package for $1.39 and $1.64 with cheese. Not bad, not bad at all. I ordered 4 cheese-burgers covered in ketchup/mustard and topped with a pickle slice and like I just said, they were pretty decent.

G- Miami City Diggs shows us the views from atop select downtown Miami condos.

H- Mood Vane offers some commentary and photos from the Pretty Faces CD release party show at Propaganda this past weekend.

The Pretty Faces looked its usual slim and trim self, which made me think about how easy it would be to fit into a car with them for a long drive, and they immediately proceeded to rock, well pop, us the hell out. My favorite part about the show was that the band played a nice, long set; The Pretty Faces played for at least an hour. The songs on Another Sound are poppy, catchy headbobbing fare, and the covers — many folks expressed surprise that the band played covers at all during its CD release party — were very light, danceable tunes like Rick Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl” (which is quite a humorous song choice for a band with husband-wife members, especially when the wife is universally acknowledged to be a hottie) and a song by The Cars.

I- Jaded in Paradise is considering moving on.

It comes down to this: Jaded wants to quit Latte Land and stop feeling, jaded.

Thank you for reading and commenting thus far.

It’s been fun but it’s also time to move onto a new project, caffeine or not, I’ll share a few more stories before closing down the shop.

J- Local Motion Miami has some photos from this past weekend's toy piano event at Vizcaya.

K- Cheeseburger in Key West has a decent burger, according to The Burger Beast, who didn't mind a pigeon stopping by.

Marcela loved her burger which I didn't try because I don't care for pineapple and I hate avocado (I know, I know, hate is a strong word) . I tried my burger, and I thought it was really good. Then, Marcela tried my burger and did not want to give it back. Actually, she told me that even though she liked her burger, she wished she had ordered mine. All in all, we liked the place...

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Where In The Hell Is Ipanemic?

Day Ten: Metairie, Louisiana
Daily Miles Logged: 152
Total Miles Covered: 1154
Total Miles Left: approximately 1,577

As I left Gautier and started the drive toward Biloxi, I began to see the remnants of Katrina. I had seen them earlier, but they became more evident, the farther west you traveled. Empty lots where houses once stood were now vacant except for the foundations. Boats in impossible places, never moved. Buildings partially or entirely destroyed still and left to decay in their spot. All the way into New Orleans, this was the scene along Hwy 90. And all of this was in the midst of a beautifully scenic drive along the coast.

The rest of the story is here.


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Jackie's Unpleasant Experiences

Miami Herald columnist Jackie Bueno Sousa is all over the place this morning as she desperately tries to explain to us why waterboarding and the torture techniques approved by the Bush Administration weren't really torture or might have been torture or, if they were torture, it was "torture light."

Interrogations were "unpleasant experiences, to be sure," says Ms. Bueno Sousa, thus successfully reducing the attachment of electrical current to one's genitals as something akin to the indigestion one gets after ingesting a large taquito at Taco Bell.

News flash for Ms. Bueno Sousa, who is apparently willing to sacrifice her credentials as a journalist for a pat on the back from Miami's still shrinking body of conservatives: human beings died as a result of these "unpleasant experiences" that you and others like you treat so dismissively. Perhaps you don't know that. Perhaps you would rather ignore it.

But it's a fact.

It was torture. Hard core and neanderthal. For Ms. Bueno Sousa to call it anything else does two things: it insults the intelligence of Herald readers and brings down the reputation of the Herald one more rung. Readers who have any level of intelligence object to the first one and the Herald can't afford the second.

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SFDB Post Of The Week

SFDB selects its Post of the Week by going back and reviewing all the Sifts that we've done over the past 7 days. We find the best post of the week and note the runners ups as we judge them to be.

The posts that I considered for this week's PotW were an eclectic mix of everyday life, legal opinion, and even a foodie review. It was a good week for blogging in South Florida, which means a very well-deserved PotW winner.

Winner: Carlos Miller demonstrates once again that his best work doesn't occur when he is meticulously documenting cops behaving badly but rather when he focuses his camera lens on the humanness of South Florida's residents. This week, Miller posted a video of fellow blogger Ipanemic as he departed for a trip across the country on a scooter. The angles, the editing and the music were perfect and provided readers a great look into this uniquely personal challenge taken on by Ipanemic. It's a great tribute to Miller's photography skills and talent and for that reason, I'm happy to recognize Carlos Miller with yet another Post of the Week.

Runners-Up: Food For Thought continues to outperform any other foodie blog in South Florida, this week submitting a comprehensive and detailed review of Sra. Martinez. You can read all the internet pundits unlearned opinions on torture and those who practice it, or you can read a law professor's insightful views at Discourse in a post titled, It's Often The Cover-Up That Gets You. And finally, Superbee's Philosophy's description in Sunday Melancholy Cures of what he and a friend did last Sunday afternoon to cheer themselves up hit all the right chords with me and provided a true taste of South Florida living at it's finest.

'Til next time, people, keep on blogging!

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

Not too much was written in the South Florida blogsosphere while you slept. Here are the highlights as I see them, packaged up in a very short Miserable Monday morning Sift.

A- Transit Miami comes through with a few photos of yesterday's Bike Miami Days in the Grove.

Our nation leading sixth Bike Miami Days turned out to be the best yet, with thousands of Bike lovin’, orange wearin’, livable street advocatin’ Miamians enjoying the day. Highlights are numerous, including the unveiling of two new art racks, a rally featuring nearly a thousand orange clad participants, the raffle and bike decorating contest, and the parade itself conducted in honor of the events co-host, the Dutch Consulate and their annual Queen Beatrix celebration.

B- Soul of Miami has the flyer for an interesting-looking performance about the life of Tupac Shakur that will be given this coming weekend.

From Carbonell nominated and critically acclaimed South Florida actor / playwright Meshaun Labrone comes The Hate U Gave: The Tupac Shakur Story, an incendiary journey into the mind of Tupac through the playwright’s eyes. The intensity unfolds inside the mind of a man imprisoned by his past, society, self, reality, and regret, as he fights to wrestle away freedom from the enemies that lie within. His adversaries are reflections from his thoughts, each character representative of the demons that haunted his life, mind, and soul until his death.

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Favorite Fever Foto Of The Week

- miami-fever.com

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Your Evening Sift

And like that your weekend is over, folks. Drown your sorrows in your evening Sift.

A- Miami Bike Scene has a video of the April Critical Mass ride complete with police intervention.

Great ride this past Friday for Miami Critical Mass. Around 65-70 cyclists showed up & participated in the monthly ride. The group rode west towards Coral Gables & back east to downtown passing through Little Havana's "Viernes Culturales" which similar to Critical Mass, is the last Friday of each month.

B- Food For Thought discovers NAOE in Sunny Isles.

This was, quite simply, one of the most unexpected and special dining experiences I've had in Miami in quite some time. The food was creative and delicious with adventurous and magnificently fresh ingredients. The chef and hostess were earnest, friendly, and absolutely charming. I enjoyed this so much, and was so pleasantly surprised, that I was afraid to go to sleep last night for fear that it would all turn out to just be a dream.

C- Coconut Grove Grapevine has some early photos up from today's Bike Miami Days event in the Grove.

D- South Florida Classical Review says Madama Butterfly is a must see.

Seconds after the curtain fell Saturday night, a male usher at the back of the Ziff Ballet Opera House had his glasses off, and was wiping tears from his eyes with the back of his hand.

Such was the devastating, emotionally shattering impact of Shu-Ying Li’s remarkable performance as the doomed Cio-Cio San in Florida Grand Opera’s handsome, evocative production of Puccini’s Madama Butterfly, which opened last night at the Adrienne Arsht Center.

E- Some Cranky Guy pictorially shows us the birth of a Monarch butterfly.

F- Incertus provides some thoughts about Florida's new Jesus license plate design.

As I said in my post last year on this subject, if you want to decorate your car from headlights to tailpipe in religious stuff, go right ahead. If you want to turn your SUV into an animatronic re-enactment of the Passion, go for it. I'll probably even take pictures and blog about it. But keep it off the damn license plates. See--even if that "I Don't Believe" license plate existed, I wouldn't have one, because that's not the place to make a statement of that kind. My bumper, or my rear window, or even my hand gesture while I'm driving is the place for those types of statements, because that's personal space for personal expression. The license plate is a state document, and there shouldn't be any religious argument on it.

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Where In The Hell Is Ipanemic?

Day Nine: Gautier, Mississippi
Daily Miles Logged: 114
Total Miles Covered: 1002
Total Miles Left: approximately 1,729

The roads started getting hilly. The foothills of Alabama, I suppose, one could call them. I can get Scooter up to 50 going downhill, although I keep him at 45 because 50 makes me nervous. Only in that I expect Scotty to scream in the background, “She’s breakin’ up, Cap’n!” Of course, I’m sure Scooter wouldn’t break up. But why chance it? I’m in no rush.

The rest of the story is here.


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Lingerie Football League

Oh, brother.

Bringing new meaning to full contact, the 10-team Lingerie Football League will kick off this fall with two games at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise.

Seven-woman teams will play each other clad in bikini tops, short shorts and helmets, starting with the Miami Caliente and Chicago Bliss on Sept. 4 in Chicago.

You can check things out, including South Florida's own team, the Miami Caliente, at the very Flash-heavy Lingerie Football League website.

I would like to go to one of these things just to see if the IQ on the field can possibly exceed that of what's in the stands.

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

Not too much for you this quiet Sunday morning. Enjoy your morning Sift...

A- Miami Condo Investments does a follow up on a foreclosed Miami condo that had been listed at a ridiculously low price a couple months ago.

B- The Faux Foodie gushes over Il Gabbiano.

Actually it was an amazing evening. Priceless...

Everything was just perfect, but the service was impeccable...a complete perfection. Il Gabbiano is certainly setting new standards in Miami for high-style New York Italian food with a side of razzle dazzle.

C- Generation Miami defends their criticism of Mario Diaz-Balart by presenting even more examples of his foolishness.

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SFDB Saturday Night Turndown Service

The occasion calls for something a little different tonight...




So long, Bea.


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Your Evening Sift

I have a short Sift for you tonight as we're midway through the weekend. Enjoy.

A- The new restaurant at the Viceroy Hotel in Miami has a name (Eos) and one its first reviews by All Purpose Dark.

But the true taste explosion came in the form of the lobster risotto which was plated tableside with sea urchin roe, caviar and egg yolk. The result was a rich, briny, hearty dish of oceanic flavors. The salmon a la plancha (above) was prettily presented with a Greek salad of feta, cherry tomatoes, olives and fennel and barely cooked so that the fish still retained a sashimi-like texture.

Driving home from the Viceroy that night ( in a slight food coma) my mind swirled with questions. Could this food possibly be too sophisticated for Miami?

B- Random Pixels has some thoughts on some of the most recent departures from the Miami Herald staff.

A few names jumped out at me.

One being that of Georgia Tasker.

If some one's keeping a list of South Florida journalism icons, Georgia must be pretty close to the top.

She's been at the Herald for 40 years and has been the garden writer since 1979, writing elegantly about South Florida's gardens, ecology and all things green.

C- Some Cranky Guy shares some of the pictures he snapped today at an antique car show in Broward.

D- South Florida Classical Review has the news that the Florida Grand Opera has terminated its Superstar Concert Series.

Florida Grand Opera is pulling the plug on its Superstar Concert Series, a project launched with much hype and lavish promotion this season, due to the company’s ongoing financial crisis.

”The Superstar Concert Series had a deficit of $268,000 on a budget of $740,000 for the three concerts,” stated FGO general director and CEO Robert Heuer, in an emailed answer to questions about the series’ status. “Both ticket sales and fund raising failed to achieve their goals. Given the current difficult economic times, the Opera cannot take the risk of additional deficits next year.” Heuer also indicated that the possibility of competition from the Arsht Center’s new classical series, to be announced shortly, was another factor.

E- Apparently there are UM students that like to jog very early in the morning, according to this post from Discourse.

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Popular Euphemisms Used During History

"Enhanced interrogation" sounds like a questioner who just shouts at you a little louder under the bright lights, not someone who is busy trying to fill your lungs with water. I heard somewhere that it was the Nazis who first invented the term.

And they sneer at Obama for emulating Lincoln.

- Chan Lowe, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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Where In The Hell Is Ipanemic?

Day Eight: Gulf Shores, Alabama
Daily Miles Logged: 62
Total Miles Covered: 888
Total Miles Left: approximately 1,843

The accents became much thicker coming into Alabama. Also, true to southern hospitality, nearly every motorcycle rider waves in this state. You know, they stick their hand out to the side as they pass. Two fingers. I do the same thing. Because, you know...camaraderie.

The rest of the story is here.


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100 Days Of No

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Your Mid-Afternoon Sift

Welcome to Saturday afternoon at SFDB. Pull up a chair a check out some of the posts that were generated overnight and this morning.

A- Miamism continues their video reviews of mojitos, this time they say the one at Brosia is almost perfect but has one small technical problem.

B- Dolce Miami compares the maximum tax rates of past presidents and wonders who are the real "socialists."

Since the post-World War II period, the maximum tax rate has trended downwards, but remained high even amongst the staunchest conservatives:

Eisenhower: 91%
Nixon: 70%
Ford: 70
Reagan: 50%

Taxes for the highest-earners hit a 77-year low with Bush Senior at 28% and was then increased to 31% and subsequently 39.6% by Bill Clinton. Bush Junior then immediately enacted the tax break that set it at 35%.

So compared to historic levels of taxation, by both Democrats and Republicans, of levels beyond 60, 70, 80, even 90%, why is Obama the socialist?

C- Miami Fever happens upon a VW on its roof and, of course, gets some shots.

D- As the torture debate continues to unwind in political circles, Reidblog has some links to some relevant discussion on its effectiveness.

E- Ipanemic is also filming as he heads west.

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Your Evening Sift

The weekend is here, peoples. I spent most of the day at the Miami Beach Golf Club chasing a little white ball around beautifully manicured grounds, every now and then (84 times to be exact) catching up to it and smacking the crap out of it. It was a great way to kick things off. Hope your day was just as good. So put your feet up and enjoy a most excellent TGIF Sift.

A- The City of Miami is now on Twitter but Mayor Manny is still apparently trying to figure out how to hyperlink to it.

Anyone interested in receiving Miami Tweets can sign up for a Twitter account on http://www.twitter.com/ , if they do not have one already, go to “Find People” and search for City of Miami.

B- Radio or Not breaks the news that progressive talk show host Randi Rhodes is going to be back on the airwaves soon.

C- South Florida Lawyers comments how that liberal mainstream media [in this case, the Miami Herald] acts not-so-liberal when it comes to discussing torture.

Listen, when President Obama and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid both oppose investigating the United States officially incorporating torture methods as national policy, it's not simply a "left/right" issue. Believe me, we all know plenty of Dems played a role in allowing this fiasco to unfold.

It's a constitutional issue, an issue of the application and vindication of the rule of law, an issue of moral imperatives versus "pragmatic" or political compromise, an issue of our shared vision of what this country is or should be.

It's a right or wrong issue...

D- If you're a girl, a gal or a lady, and you like to shop for clothes, Miami Beach 411 has some recommendations for you.

You may arrive in Miami new to the nightlife scene and notice that virtually every girl going out to a club is wearing a dress. The majority of SoBe club girls subscribes to the same concept-short, skintight, lots of cleavage, and paired with sky-high platforms or stilettos. Animal prints and rhinestone sightings are common here in South Beach. Why do women in Miami seem incapable of putting an outfit together of say, a sexy silk top with trousers or a trendy camisole with skinny jeans and a vest?

E- Food for Thought posts an excellent history of Sra. Martinez and does a superb review of virtually their entire menu. Check the comments for an entry by Michelle Bernstein herself.

Portions can be on the small side, and prices have crept up a bit from when they first opened, with most items involving a protein around $15. Since a typical meal may be 3+ dishes it is certainly not a cheap meal, in contrast to the Spanish tapas bars it is patterned after. But it'll be a good meal, and the place also lends itself to having a little snack and a drink at the bar instead of a full-blown meal, perhaps even before a meal as you head off to one of the Design District's other eating establishments.

F- South Florida Theatre Scene has a rundown of the upcoming summer season.

G- Flablog informs us that Florida legislators have approved a Jesus license plate.

This is what it's come to. The Senate dropped what it's doing to approve a new State of Florida Jesus license plate in honor Florida's Official State Religion, proceeds of which will go to an Orlando-based organization that funds religious schools. This was advocated by the Senate's leading theocrat Sen. Ronda Storms, R-Valrico, and the scourge of baggy-pants-wearing-youth Sen. Gary Siplin, D-Orlando, who is not a felon.

He has a link to a picture of it and, well...you gotta see this, folks.

H- The latest Republican meme that Bark Bark Woof Woof tells us about is one that is sure to catch on down here in South Florida.

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Where In The Hell Is Ipanemic?

Day Seven: Pensacola, Florida.
Daily Miles Logged: 116
Total Miles Covered: 826
Total Miles Left: approximately 1,905

A Short Story

Cute and furry Marsh Rabbit. Wearing his brown coat all day, and with his small stature he plays in the forest. Sometimes he pops his head out into the place where the humans are.

He had all day to run across that barely traveled paved road. All day he had to scamper across. Yet he waited until I came by on Scooter. He dashed in front of me in the glare of my headlamp as if to say, “Look at me! I am a Marsh Rabbit! Did you see me?”

I did see you, Marsh Rabbit. You were cute and furry and wearing your brown coat. You ran very fast.

But not fast enough. You made a delicious sandwich. A little gamey, though.

Nature: 0, Scooter: 1

(I kid. I didn’t hit the rabbit.)

The rest of the story is here.


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Friday Flashback

Billy Joel, Miami 2017

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South Florida Cartoons

-Chan Lowe, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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Who Would Jesus Torture?

Yesterday, I got into a conversation about torture with a Republican. Besides being Republican, he is a strict Roman Catholic who does weekly confession. And he approves of torture.

Here's what confuses me.

Why are some of the most religious and pious people in America so supportive of torture? And, while we're at it, the death penalty? What is it in their minds, indeed, what is it in the Bible that they read excerpts from each and every week, that reconciles these behaviors as acceptable and in keeping with the teachings of Jesus Christ? Or does Jack Bauer supersede their God in these matters?

I don't even bother trying to reason with these folks any more, figuring they'll only grasp their hypocrisy when they stand before Him and have to answer for it.

And they will.

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The Worst Media Moments of Obama's First 100 Days

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The Cooler

I'm crunched for time so I only have a few things for you this morning from the mainstream media.

A- Herald: Catching up to Transit Miami, who covered this story first.

Along a two-mile stretch of railroad track in Miami, one 100-foot slice sparkles with clean rails, shiny rocks, agave plants, and new white fencing.

Beyond that tiny patch of tidiness, to either side, lay signs of inner-city decay: stacks of rubble, tin and plastic cans, twisted piping, needles, sleeping vagrants.

Property owner Brad Knoefler, who took a leap eight years ago by spending $1.2 million to turn a decaying Overtown warehouse into a stunning SoHo-type building of lofts along the tracks, helped spiff up the shiny stretch.

Now, working with fellow property owners and developers, Knoefler is pressing myriad government agencies for $1.3 million to create a greenway along the larger rail corridor that knifes through a historic but bedraggled stretch of Miami.

B- Herald: It's raining men.

A man on a motorcycle crashed into a wall while taking a turn on Interstate 95 on Thursday and fell to his death.

The man, identified by officials as 25-year-old Osmin Andres Bejerano, crashed the Ducati motorcycle he was riding at about 3 p.m., according to Florida Highway Patrol.

Witnesses told FHP that Bejerano was taking southbound I-95's ramp to the Palmetto Highway's westbound lanes when he turned his head and looked back. He then slammed his Ducati into the arching ramp's left wall and was thrown over the wall. He fell about four stories and landed on the parking lot of the Woman's Detention Center, according to FHP spokesman Pat Santangelo.

C- Herald: Good eats in SoFla, according to bestselling authors.

Their on-the-money assesment makes you hopeful about the Key lime pie at Quinn's, an upscale steak house inside Ocean Drive's Park Central Hotel.

''Its graham-cracker crust is buttery beyond belief; its one-two punch of sweet and tart is dazzling,'' write the Sterns, who also give props to the Key lime pie with ginger snap crust at Key West's Louie's Backyard as well as the versions at Key West Key Lime Pie Co. and Joe's Stone Crab. (Joe's gets the stone-crab nod, too, of course, along with Keys Fisheries in Marathon.)

D- Sun-Sentinel: Smoked.

Rain, lightning, drought and heavy smoke combined to shut down Alligator Alley, South Florida's east-west lifeline. Suddenly the four-lane superhighway that in less than two hours whisks drivers across the vast expanse of the Everglades from Gold Coast to Gulf Coast (or vice versa) was closed. Zero visibility from a lightning-sparked brush fire that consumed 7,650 acres by Thursday night forced thousands of motorists to make long, time-consuming detours at both ends of the swamp-spanning highway.

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

I'm up early and ready to deliver your TGIF edition of your morning Sift. Enjoy.

A- Keeping up a theme begun yesterday by Brickell Life, Blind Mind says that flying has become a drag.

My last 4 flights have really sucked due to fellow passengers being inconsiderate. First there was the parents who couldnt get their kid to stop kicking my seat to the point where I had to turn around and say, "Dont do that again." The dad finally reacted after ignoring this for 2 straight hours and got the kid to stop. Then there was the kid from India who talked loud NONSTOP for 2 straight hours on an 8am flight to Charlotte. This kid didnt take one goddamn breath. I knew his whole effing life story by the end of the flight which technically qualified me to bludgeon him to death with my luggage because he was that lame.

B- Eye on Miami gives us their thoughts on "State of Play."

I saw that Russell Crowe Movie "State of Play" tonight. It was about a real, hard-boiled reporter working an intricate story for a dying newspaper. Crowe's character even had to deal with a young blogger working for the paper. He asked her, when the story they were both working on was about to break, why she wasn't off blogging it. She said to him, this story was meant to be in newsprint. In other words, too good to be blogged.

The movie made me sad.

C- Obalesque tells us what he thinks is amazing about the "saggy pants ordinance" that was recently ruled unconstitutional by the State of Florida.

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Your Evening Sift

We're almost there, folks. Here's your Night Before Friday Night evening Sift.

A- You know it's Fisher Island when the "deals" are, for the most part, in the millions, as Miamism posts. Except for the 1 bedroom, 1 bath, 710 square foot steal at $690K.

Who would have imagined it? Fisher Island Luxury Real Estate Deals? Bargains amongst the country’s wealthiest zip code? The answer shouldn’t surprise you, but even the rich can find themselves in financial binds.

B- Rakontur says a new documentary has been released that "outs" Florida Governor Charlie Crist, among others.

From director Kirby Dick (yes, that’s really his name), comes a new documentary called, “Outrage,” world premiering tomorrow night at the Tribeca Film Festival. The movie profiles recently “outed” politicians, such as former New Jersey governor Jim McGreevey and U.S. Senator Larry Craig (R-Idaho), who was arrested for allegedly soliciting sex in a men’s restroom at the Minneapolis airport. The doc also makes a headline grab by freshly outing several allegedly gay political figures including our own Florida Governor Charlie Crist.

C- Miami Beach 411 is having a meetup at the new Clevelander tomorrow night and you're all invited to attend.

D- Brickell Life has finally realized that the romanticism of flying is over.

Maybe I'm just jaded, growing older and becoming the curmudgeon that I've always bemoaned. But, despite dirty planes, cramped seats, passengers with too much carry-on baggage, people who hog the armrest, lost luggage, short connections, indifferent flight attendants, late departures, and airplane cabins that smell like 3-week old pickles - my innocence is not lost. I still love to look out the window and see my country unfold below me. And every now and then, who doesn't like to pretend that they could fly the plane.

E- Cuban-American leaders from around the country are denouncing Mario Diaz-Balart for recent comments critical of those Cuban-Americans who send aid to their families in Cuba, according to Generation Miami.

F- Ye Olde Falcon Pub in Davie isn't all that special, according to The Burger Beast.

Overall it was a standard affair with an interesting character (our waiter) who looks like he should have been in Trainspotting , which could be cool thing if this is your neighborhood bar.

G- Something called Blognetnews is putting together the Herald's blog aggregator, according to Random Pixels.

H- Miami Every Day Photo has the 411 on the fragrant jasmine flower that you can find around SoFla.

Jasmines like hot and humid conditions during the day and cool temperatures at night, which they do not often have here in Miami, but they are doing wonderfully nonetheless.

I- Incertus shows us a clip of Fox News' Shepherd Smith dropping the f-bomb on air and winds up talking about the acceptance of torture by a certain portion of the American public.

Dick Cheney still defends torture, as do many other Bush administration officials. There are think tank hacks and "national security experts" who argue we benefited from it and that the ends justified the means. And I have no doubt that many Americans, as long as they're divorced from the reality of what torture means, as long as it's an abstract notion, as long as they won't see the details, will support it too. Not all, not even a majority now, but many. There's a crazification factor of roughly 25% in any population, after all.

J- South Florida Theatre Scene has their weekly wrap up posted.

K- Lots of new photos up at The Street.

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