SFDB Saturday Night Turndown Service

Radical Face, Welcome Home


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Your Evening Sift

Hope you enjoyed your Saturday and got some things done. Here's your evening Sift.

A- Pillow Poems from Sex and the Beach.

B- The Miami Bike Scene shares some photos from the first 15 minutes of last night's Critical Mass.

A group of about 300 attended yesterday evening's Critical Mass ride which took them through Downtown, Historic Overtown, Wynwood, Little Haiti, Design District, Midtown, Edgewater and Venetian Islands. The rain and cloudy skies did not stop these cyclists from their last Friday of the month ritual which ends at BAR for a bike bbq party.

C- Ipanemic links to some of his photos taken at Lush South Beach.

D- Eye on Miami freshens up the place with a new look.

E- Beached Miami has last night's story from the New World Symphony that involved poets, weather, and a guy named James Franco.

But some time after 10, a black SUV pulled up to the New World Center and disgorged Franco, looking as annoyed as you would after sitting on the tarmac for a couple of hours. A line hundreds of ladies and a few gentleman long awaited inside. There were even scores of people literally stuck on the outside looking in.

F- It's not South Florida-related, but Nunez Photography does a heckuva job capturing Alcatraz prison in San Francisco.


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Starbucks Swipers

Keep an eye on your valuables while you're lounging around your favorite Starbucks. Courtesy of the New York Times, we get the latest chapter of People Suck.

From Times Square to the Village to Brooklyn Heights, Starbucks pops up again and again on police blotters. Officers have set up stings in the chain’s stores. A commander even asked one branch to put up a sign warning customers; the manager demurred, saying such a sign required corporate approval.

No doubt such a sign would dampen the mood.

“You can let your guard down — people are sitting down and talking and using their laptops,” said Capt. Mark DiPaolo of the 84th Precinct in Brooklyn Heights, home to a Court Street Starbucks that has been the scene of four bag thefts this year. “It is a comfort zone that people have.”

Another commanding officer said people who left laptops behind to use the restroom should not be surprised to return to an empty table.

While these kind of things can happen anywhere, Starbucks, and coffee shops in general, seem to have a different vibe to them that relaxes people and lowers their state of vigilance. Plus, who really likes to close down and unplug the laptop every time they have to use the restroom?

Be careful out there, folks. There are people looking to take advantage of you any chance they get.

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The Cooler

Sun-Sentinel cartoonist Chan Lowe has some rather insightful and articulate comments that accompany his cartoon today [E]. That and more in a rare Saturday Cooler.

A- Herald: Slideshow, Royal Wedding Party in Coral Gables. Remember, this is at 6 in the morning.

B- Herald: Passed over for 2015.

Tampa and Phoenix beat out South Florida as finalists for the 2015 Super Bowl, a surprise thumbs-down from the National Football League as lawmakers consider a tax-funded renovation at SunLife stadium.

It’s unclear why South Florida didn’t make the cut, since the NFL typically picks from among South Florida, Tampa, Phoenix and New Orleans when looking for a warm-weather Super Bowl venue.

[...]

Though foul weather is a major argument the Dolphins make for improving SunLife, the NFL apparently is willing to risk another Florida downpour during a Super Bowl. While the University of Phoenix stadium in Arizona does have a roof, the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa does not.

C- Herald: They write letters.

Releasing President Obama’s birth certificate has an unseen toll. Perhaps the most enduring effect of this racist controversy will be the sense of disconnection and powerlessness that this never-ending campaign will have on many of us.

Republicans have pushed through more legislation to erode our civil rights, seeking to weaken voting laws; enacting laws to allow racial profiling and race discrimination. The job situation has not improved measurably; women’s rights (especially pertaining to abortion) are being challenged again; two wars going on — and the Republicans waste our resources on an issue that was dead a long time ago and clearly racially motivated.

What’s more, they will now look for other ways to continue this. These days, I’m not embarrassed by being an American; I’m embarrassed that I have to share America with these people.

Marcelo Salup, Coral Gables

D- Sun-Sentinel: Gotta love humanity.

Road Rangers typically provide 1 gallon of free gas to stranded drivers, just enough to get them to the nearest gas station, FDOT officials said.

[...]

In 2008, when prices surpassed $4 per gallon for regular gas, Road Ranger records revealed some of the same drivers kept turning up, claiming they ran out of gas, apparently to get free fuel.

"There was a guy; he'd go from Road Ranger to Road Ranger getting a gallon here, a gallon there until, I guess, he got his tank full," according to Gaetano Francese, freeway operations manager with FDOT's District 4 office in Broward and Palm Beach counties.

To curb the abuse, the Rangers started requiring stalled motorists to prove their tanks were empty by turning their key. If their engine started, Road Rangers gave them no gas, figuring they should have enough to get to the nearest gas station.

E- Sun-Sentinel: Chan Lowe.

Because he is the president of all the United States, he will fly down to visit the devastation in the southern region of the country he heads, and he will shake hands with many people who may still believe he was born abroad, is a Muslim, or is otherwise unfit to serve. He will commiserate with them, and he will promise federal aid to those who, up until a couple of days ago, still screamed that the same federal government that they now approach in supplication was encroaching upon their lives.

In fact, they will expect President Obama and the federal government to come through for them in a timely manner. This is not an unreasonable notion, and presidencies as we have learned have run aground when they failed to perform this most basic of roles.

As Americans, we take for granted the comforting and abiding mantle of the federal government when situations occur that overwhelm our own puny abilities to cope. It is sad that it sometimes takes a tragedy for us to realize how important it is to support that institution, even with all its flaws.

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SFDB's Must See Movie

Coming this summer...




On July 24, 2010, thousands of people around the world uploaded videos of their lives to YouTube to take part in Life in a Day, a historic cinematic experiment to create a documentary film about a single day on earth.

Now, it's time to watch their story unfold on the big screen.

Directed by Oscar winner Kevin Macdonald, Life in a Day wowed audiences at the Sundance, Berlin and SXSW film festivals and during its YouTube world premiere in January. This summer, you'll be able to watch the movie in a theater near you.


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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

Good Saturday morning, readers. I'm getting an unusually early start to the day but I still found enough out there in the South Florida blogosphere to make this morning Sift well worth your time. Enjoy.

A- Over 20 new photos grace the pages of The Street this AM.

B- As UM's Rathskeller disappears into oblivion, Bark Bark Woof Woof shares some memories.

And I was there when it opened; it was my sophomore year. The Rat was built in the corner of a parking lot next to the student union and near the Ring Theatre, so we theatre students had watched it being built as we made our way over to our then-hang out spot in the Hurricane dining room. When it had its grand opening, we participated in some of the ceremonies. It was a nice place to go for lunch, but after rehearsals -- especially the late ones as we got close to opening a show -- we went to Bill & Ted's, an old-fashioned bar in a little cinder-block building situated in the corner of shopping center parking lot near the intersection of Red Road and US 1. It was smaller, quieter, and the beer was cheaper.

C- Eye on Miami presents their nominees for Best Looking Elected Official in South Florida.

D- Chillin' backstage with Kool...at Beached Miami.

E- Mike LaMonica analyzes car commercials...and pulls a fast one.

What if anything separates them? The offer? The music? The tone? To me, most suffer from a certain uniformity. Many scream. And when you get to the dealership there’s one car available at the price mentioned in the commercial — and it’s gone.

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Your Evening Sift

Welcome to Friday night, readers. Hope you all have some great things planned for the next couple days and if you don't, check and see if something suits you in the SFDB Weekend Widget over in the right sidebar. Let's get your weekend off on the right foot with a solid evening Sift.

A- We launch the Sift this evening with Brickell Life telling us about yesterday's Miami Corporate run.

It's a great opportunity to see another side of your colleagues, gain a little sweat equity with the boss, and grab a beer and a burger afterwards to celebrate a 3-mile run.

B- Nikon Miami shares a couple more macro photos.

C- South Florida Lawyers covers Surfside's war on bloggers and makes me laugh.

D- Random Pixels followed the local news of Bob Norman's move from the Broward New Times to WPLG this afternoon.

UPDATED @ 2:50pm: Random Pixels spoke with Norman just a few minutes ago. He says Channel 10 approached him about working for the station. "They asked me if I'd be interested in bringing my brand of journalism to the station and I accepted," said Norman. He rold me he's excited about the new challenge but adds, "It's not easy leaving New Times after 13 years."

E- Burger & Beer Joint has the best burger in Miami, according to Eater Miami's polling.

With 502 votes, Burger & Beer Joint slid(er) to victory in our quest to find the best hamburger in Miami. No small shakes, Pincho Factory and El Mago de las Fritas garnered a respectable 352 and 380 votes, but in the end B&B prevailed and now moves on to Eater's national competition to crown the best burger in these United States of America.

F- Beached Miami takes a look at the news this morning and tells it like it is.

How can we tune into a wedding of inconsequential strangers several time zones and (seemingly) centuries away from us, when only a state away from us Floridians hundreds of Americans lie dead and thousands have just lost their homes?

G- Eye on Miami has a reminder that the Royal Poincianas are blooming.

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Flashback Friday

1978-1982...





Opening from Mork & Mindy


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The Big Picture: Tornadoes

It's been 19 years since Andrew tore through South Florida so maybe my memory is a little off, but the pictures coming out of Alabama are making Andy look like a piker.

More at The Boston Globe.

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SFDB Question Of The Day

The weekend is here. I'm planning on attending the FAT Village Artwalk tomorrow night, watching my first Netflix movie rental [I know, pathetic], and definitely stopping by my favorite local restaurant in town.

The question is an easy one today....

What are your plans for the weekend?

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Great Moments In Twitter History

Is it over yet?

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SFDB Morning Chuckle

-Cyanide & Happiness


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The Cooler

It should be an interesting evening getting around town for you folks in Miami-Dade. And isn't it Critical Mass tonight? Oh yeaaaaah.

A- Herald: Get ready for a lousy rush hour tonight.

Friday’s afternoon and evening commute will be trickier — and likely slower — than usual, thanks to President Barack Obama coming to town.

Obama, who will be delivering a 7 p.m. commencement speech for Miami Dade College’s North Campus graduates at downtown Miami’s James L. Knight Center, is scheduled to arrive at Miami International Airport at 5:35 p.m.

Airport traffic will likely be affected by both his arrival as well as his 9:05 p.m. departure.

B- Herald: I wonder if the food get's a makeover, too?

The Rusty Pelican, a Miami landmark restaurant for nearly 40 years, announced that it is closing temporarily on July 5 for a major redesign expected to take between three and four months.

Specialty Restaurants Corporation, which has owned and operated Rusty Pelican since its 1972 opening, plans to spend more than $6 million upgrading and modernizing the property known for its waterfront views and as a special event destination.

C- Sun-Sentinel: Just what the Dolphins need to be winners!

A new center!For the third time in four years the Miami Dolphins used its first-round pick to select a lineman. And the team didn't even have to leave the state to find the piece they needed - Florida center Mike Pouncey - to inject some punch into last year's anemic offense, which struggled running the football.

Instead of selecting a quarterback (four were taken in the first round before the Dolphins were on the clock), a skill position player like tailback Mark Ingram, or trading down in the first round (no takers), the Dolphins selected the Lakeland native with the No. 15 pick.

D- Sun-Sentinel: Video, the Sun-Sentinel hits Congressman Allen West with some tough questions in their "hot seat" feature.

E- Sun-Sentinel: I didn't even know it was still open.

The wooden roller-coaster in Dania Beach visible from the Interstate-95 since its opening 11 years ago has closed, according to Boomers, the entertainment company that shared the property with the ride.

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

I know, I know. Most of you have been up since 4 AM watching the royals and patiently waiting for your morning Sift. Sorry. I slept in. Don't forget to check out the SFDB Weekend Widget in the right sidebar. I just updated it this morning and will continue to do so when necessary throughout the weekend. Let's get going.

A- Carlos Miller turns 4...I mean, Miller's blog turns 4 and he says he's working on a book. No word if it's fiction or not.

However, nothing replaces the adrenaline rush I get when I post a story that I know will go viral, such as the one last week of the Las Vegas police officer attacking a man for videotaping him.

So I really don’t see myself neglecting PINAC, even though sometimes I’m tempted to do so.

In fact, I am putting together a proposal for a possible book deal. After all, I have plenty of material.

B- Bark Bark Woof Woof tries to explain the reasoning of the birther movement and, specifically, Pam Geller.

There is also the considerable financial loss these people would face if they had to admit that after all these years and all the pixels expended they were wrong; that Barack Obama really is one of us. Pamela Geller couldn't get a gig on a 4-H cooking show on basic cable in Petoskey if she had to publicly admit she was wrong, even if she admits it to herself. There's a whole industry invested in Birther, Inc., and it would be very bad for business if they had to go the same route as Big Tobacco and concede that the product they sell is dangerous and causes cancer.

C- Your state representatives are busy looking after your interests, according to the latest from The Reid Report. Oops. Did I say "your?" I meant to say "the NRA's."

The Republican legislature, which spent this week passing a half dozen bills restricting abortion, is poised to send three spanking new laws to Gov. Rick Scott’s desk that will ensure that once the forcibly born are of shootin’ age, they’ll be able to display their hardware free from persecution by the law.

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Blogger Commenting System Problems [UPDATED]

Some of you may have noticed that the commenting system is only allowing you to use your Google ID. This problem has been noticed by many Blogger users and appropriately reported over at the Blogger help boards.

About 3 PM Brett from Blogger announced...

To clarify- sometimes we may take 2-3 days to respond to issues which aren't mission critical or affecting many users. In this case, we looked at it right away and are currently finalizing our fix. It should be resolved very soon and I'll let you know when that happens.

Thanks for your patience!

-brett

Yeah.

And we're still having problems as I write this.

We can put men on the moon, but cellphones still drop calls and the almighty power of Google stands helpless against the daunting challenges of Blogger's commenting system.

Maybe tomorrow, readers. No doubt the Google boys have retired for the evening and are downing martinis at some swanky bar in Mountain View.

They'll get to it eventually. Just as soon as they address the "mission critical" stuff.


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4/29/2011: Resolved.


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Your Evening Sift

As I did my chores around the house this evening and cooked dinner and worked on the computer, I couldn't help but think how unordinary life is for so many Americans in the southern part of this great country this evening. Keep them in your thoughts, readers. Here's your evening Sift.

A- We get going this evening with a bunch of new photos over at The Street.

B- Foodies take note, Life On The Line is the book for you, according to Savoring South Beach.

Overall, if you have an interest in the evolution of fine dining in the United States and also enjoy an interesting personal narrative, this is a wonderful book and one that I would highly recommend.

C- Jeff Eats checks out Flip Burger Bar in North Miami and weighs in on the "upscale burger joints."

One quick observation, “upscale burger” joints are-now the latest American craze. Eventually this “business” or shall we call it a fad, is going to play musical chairs and a ton of these outposts are gonna fail. As a huge burger-fan, old Jeff Eats will enjoy the game for as long as it lasts…knowing-that no matter what happens, the Five Guys 3-minutes from my house will be around for a very-long time.

D- New foodie trends are sometimes do-overs, Food for Thought seems to be saying today.

E- Lots of macro-like photos over at Nikon Miami.

F- Radio or Not posts an audio clip and tells us about her arrest at an Al West town hall speech on Tuesday night.

When I arrived, I was informed that all questions had to be written on cards, which would then be chosen and read aloud by West staffers. Constituents would not be able to speak directly with our congressmen. Honestly, if they had advertised that it would be a lecture as opposed to a town hall meeting, I would have stayed home.

G- Sex and the Beach motors up to the Mai Kai in Lauderdale for the Zombie Jamboree that kicked off the Rum Renaissance Festival.

A good Zombie is not your ordinary fruity cocktail. Forget your average strawberry daiquiri or piña colada here; this is the mother of all tiki drinks, and while it does contain fruit juices, this vintage beverage also packs a buzz, hence its namesake. All Zombie's feature various rums in combination with other liqueurs, juices, falernum and bitters. A Zombie is a classy, elaborate tropical concoction with intense flavors -- quite the cut above the watered-down slushy drinks you'll find at the average bar.

H- South Florida Theatre Scene says it's a good weekend for children's theater in South Florida in his weekly round up of all things theater.

I- Random Pixels examines what drove traffic this week at his blog.

J- The Southern District's U.S. Attorney's Office is spinning the verdicts in a recent trial, the Southern District of Florida Blog maintains.

The USAO isn't supposed to care if it wins or loses. It's supposed to care about Justice. But in recent years, DOJ has really ramped up its spin to the press. I understand wanting to get your side of the story out there, but this seems a bit over the top. No?

K- Get your daily slice of swamp education at Go Hydrology!

L- Chef Jeff McInnis, formerly of Gigi fame, has found himself a new place says Eater Miami.

It's called Yardbird Southern Table & Bar. McInnis, whose official role there will be as chef and partner, will debut the restaurant in the fall on the corner of 16th Street and Lenox Ave.

M- For the second night in a row, a South Florida blogger is dealing with a broken air conditioner...and some other things...at Discourse.

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Plum TV: Common Threads

First brought to us by Mango&Lime back in October, Plum TV briefs us on Chef Michelle Bernstein's very worthwhile Common Threads program.





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Town Hall Meetings: Compare And Contrast

2009: Democrat Steve Kagan conducts his town hall meeting...



2011: Republican Al West conducts his town hall meeting and only takes written and screened questions...



As seen from another angle...



The woman who was escorted out after yelling [and filming] was South Florida blogger and liberal talk show host Nicole Sandler. She was subsequently arrested and spent the night in Broward County Jail.

This is not to debate the level of civility contained in either clip. I think we can all agree that it's a shame what our politics has degenerated into these days.

But I think it's amazing the barrage of insults that the Democrat somehow managed to weather and survive back in 2009 while a decorated former Army soldier like Republican Al West who respectfully served his country has to let the Broward S.O. do his heavy lifting for him after receiving less than a minute of shouted questions from big, bad Nicole Sandler.

That's some bravado, Al.

But then again, maybe he's just been neutered.



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SFDB Morning Chuckle

-angryblacklady


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The Cooler

Lots and lots of news this morning for you. Enjoy.

A- Herald: Moving on.

The Heat advanced to play Boston in the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs with a 97-91 victory over Philadelphia on Wednesday. Game 5 of this first-round series was no work of art for Miami but it matters little. The Heat dispatched the East’s seventh-seeded team with relative ease and finished 7-1 against Philadelphia this season.

B- Herald: Because, after all, it really is all a joke, isn't it? Well, no, not really.

But perhaps none of the candidates represent such a sharp contrast from the status quo than Luther Campbell, the former frontman for rap group 2 Live Crew behind raunchy numbers like Me So Horny and Pop that Coochie.

On Wednesday Campbell pledged unflinching candor as a political leader and said years as a music entrepreneur prepared him well. When moderator and veteran television reporter Michael Putney asked how voters could take him seriously, Campbell said he’s grown up. “I’m now 50,” he said.

Campbell then leaned toward Putney, the esteemed 70-year old South Florida political reporter, and added: “I’m pretty sure, Mike, you’ve had some parties too.” A burst of laughter quickly followed.

Of course, the county’s current woes are hardly a laughing matter. The latest example is the federal government freezing some $185 million in grant funds to Miami-Dade Transit — with little indication when the matter will be resolved — because of questions about shoddy accounting and poor financial controls. Transit Director Harpal Kapoor stepped down Tuesday.

C- Sun-Sentinel: Chan Lowe.

D- Palm Beach Post: What's old is new.

LAKE WORTH — A new Publix in Lake Worth will celebrate its opening with a ribbon cutting at 7:30 this morning. The doors open at 8 a.m.

[...]

The store's art deco façade is reminiscent of some of the original Publix Super Markets, which include neon lighting and signs.

E- Palm Beach Post: Life in South Florida.

PALM SPRINGS — Authorities charged a woman and a teenage girl Tuesday with felony battery for allegedly pushing an 11-year-old boy riding his bicycle into busy Forest Hill Boulevard, where he was hit by a car earlier this month.

Yoanelis Candelaria-Perez, 18, and Tiffany Monroe, 16, were also charged with aggravated child abuse, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.

Monroe has been placed on house arrest while Candelaria-Perez remained at the county jail in lieu of $5,000 bond.

Monroe of West Palm Beach and Candelaria-Perez of Palm Beach Gardens were running in and out of traffic on Forest Hill around 9 p.m. on April 4 , a Palm Springs Public Safety report says.

The teens were being chased by a group of girls they allegedly owed money to, the report says.

The girls chasing Monroe and Candelaria-Perez told police they saw the teens run toward three boys on bicycles and push one of the boys off his bike.

The 11-year-old fell into the eastbound lanes of Forest Hill and was hit by a car.

F- NBC Miami: Really? A "mega mall" on Brickell?

The massive Brickell CitiCentre consisting of more than five towers will rise from the land bordered by Brickell on the East, Southwest 1st Ave. to the west and between Southwest 8th and Southwest 6th St.

The complex will be bigger than the Dolphin Mall's 1.4 million square feet of retail space, bigger that Sawgrass Mills Mall -- in fact about double the size of Sawgrass -- at 4 million square feet.

G- WPLG: Life in South Florida, Part 2.

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- One person was taken to a hospital after a road rage shooting in Miami Gardens on Wednesday, according to police.

Miami Gardens police said the incident involving the occupants of a U-Haul truck and a Nissan began on the Palmetto Expressway.

Police said the two vehicles exited the Palmetto at 57th Avenue, pulled over near 163rd Street and started arguing.

According to investigators, some of the occupants got out of the vehicles, and shots were fired. One person was injured.

H- WPTV: Medicare is un-American to Republican Al West.

BOCA RATON, Fla. - If those opposed to Rep. Allen West have their way, the 2012 election will be fought on his recent vote to privatize Medicare starting in 2023.

They got loud during a town hall meeting the congressman held Wednesday night in Boca Raton.

[...]

"I gotta tell you something: if you support Medicare the way it is now, you can kiss the United States of America goodbye," said West.

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

Well, this week is flying by for me, readers. The SFDB Weekend Widget in the right sidebar is a great reminder of how close we are to Friday and I encourage you to check it out and make your plans for the weekend. Let's get to your Thursday morning Sift.

A- Carlos Miller, writing for Miami Beach 411, states the reasons why he's going to vote for Luther Campbell for mayor of Miami-Dade County.

To me, he’s just the most likeable candidate. And the most trustworthy. And in Miami-Dade, that goes a long way.

B- Obalesque has some thoughts on yesterday's events involving a certain birth certificate.

If birthers can’t accept this simple, demonstrable fact even after it’s been demonstrated, how will they accept Global Warming, evolution, or the balk rule? What hope is there that they’ll ever grasp the wisdom of birth control, the stupidly obvious fact that not every Muslim in the world is a crazed terrorist, or that reality teevee isn’t reality?

C- Under The Sun presents their contribution to O, Miami and National Poetry Month.

D- Beached Miami asks a favor from those of you riding in tomorrow's Critical Mass.

I’m asking you, fellow Critical Molecule, to send me at least one picture from the ride to post in this month’s Critical Mass photo essay. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy. A shot from a camera phone is plenty good. The idea is simply to piece together how different people are experiencing the ride. I think this can be a really cool alternative to the way we normally cover Critical Mass. If enough people take part, we’ll have a photo mosaic of the April ride.

E- Republican senators in DC will get a chance to commit to yanking away Medicare and preserving large tax breaks for the rich in a bit of political genius that Bark Bark Woof Woof describes.

Since the members of the House have been having so much fun going back to their home towns and explaining to their constituents why they voted to end Medicare as we know it and yet again give more tax breaks to the rich, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has decided to let the Senate Republicans in on the adventure.

F- Eye on Miami backs Julio Robaina for Miami-Dade County Commission.

We have both known Rep. Robaina since he was the Mayor of South Miami. He was very popular and environmentally conscious. Although we disagreed on some issue while he was in the State House, we were happy with his support for Growth Management and the Department of Community Affairs. He said, when I spoke to him Wednesday, that he supports holding the Urban Development Boundary and he doesn't want those Godawful FPL poles cutting through District 7.

G- The Reid Report has a great clip of Lawrence O'Donnell calling Donald Trump out as the carnival barker and liar that he is.


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Your Evening Sift

Wow. So sifting tonight was rather epic. There's a whole lot of ground to cover so let's get to it. Hey, and don't forget about the SFDB Weekend Widget in the right sidebar that is also rather special. Enjoy your evening Sift.

A- Haven is due to open soon on Lincoln Road, according to Eater Miami.

Slated to open Friday, May 6, Haven Gastro-Lounge is a sleek 'n' chic 2,000 square foot, 120-person venue featuring open kitchen and chef’s counter and all sorts of high tech bells and whistles that have nothing to do with the food like a ceiling grid of 1,000 color changing frosted replicas of the ice cubes used by Haven’s mixologists. About that food, executive chef Todd Erickson, former Zuma sous chef and a CIA grad who was once called the Best Chef Under 30 by the Dallas Observer.

B- Liam Crotty Photography describes the hard life of a South Beach photographer.

Up until that point, all we had decided on was: the client was Peggy; the model was Connie; I was the photographer; and we were doing a shoot in South Beach on Wednesday April 27th. So, champagne flute in hand, we started talking about all the specifics for the shoot 24 hours away: locations, background, the fashion accessories Peggy wanted to shoot for her website, time of day, how much artificial lighting would I use, wardrobe, etc. When you’ve got three experienced professionals talking through all the details, you can cover a lot of material quickly. In fact, so quickly Andy had to open a second bottle of champagne.

C- Beached Miami shows us some of the special books you can view at the UM's Richter Library.

As an object, the book has always had a strong allure for me. Even an everyday mass-marketed Penguin may seduce me with a certain grain of paper or well-executed binding. So it didn’t take long for me to start salivating in the special books collection at U.M.’s Richter Library after artist Sam Winston’s O, Miami event on April 13. Comprising more than 50,000 books, the collection has far too many pieces to peruse in a single visit, so I went back a week later to tour the shelves with head of special collections Cristina Favretto as my gracious guide.

D- South Florida Food and Wine says Nakama Asian Kitchen is where you need to go if you want authentic Thai food.

Nakama Asian Kitchen is about as bona fide Thai as you're going to get around these parts. The menu is written in both English and Thai, and the business is run by 3 family members who do everything, cook it, serve it, clean it. The cultural differences with regard to owning a small business is amazingly different between this particular Thai family and American small business owners. They are not interested in marketing or advertising to grow their small store front to a larger one or even open a second location; the owners seem to be content with serving their core Thai/Asian cliental the very best food from their country in America. Nakama Asian Kitchen is all about quality, getting it right and being 110% authentic Thai.

E- The Burger Beast is aching for a a burger from the Grease Burger Bar in West Palm Beach that is sure to help take another 2-3 years off his life.

The Grease Beast is a 10oz Cheddar Cheese Burger imprisoned between two grilled cheese and bacon sandwiches. Its also got onion rings, cheese fries and ranch dressing.

F- Randoms Pixels links two stories of lawyers behaving badly in South Florida...one from the present and one from the past. Meanwhile, South Florida Lawyers piles on with a copy of the complaint from the present fiasco.

G- Radio or Not! drops in after spending last night in the Gray Bar Hotel and leaves a video behind.

Since I spent last night in jail and, thanks to the sickeningly awful people at the Broward County Jail was subjected to three hours in solitary confinement in a 7×10 room, and then maced. Nice, huh?

Anyway, I’ll have more on how it all unfolded on the show tomorrow, and then in a lengthier written piece after I get some rest, food and a shower.

H- The Reid Report and Bark Bark Woof Woof wrap up today's birther bash at the White House. From the former...

So here it is, you dumb, hayseed, birther hillbillies. Click here for the short form, and here for the long form. Read it, digest it, and then please go away. And take Donald Trump with you.

I-Superbee's A/C is broken and he is not a happy camper.

I guess the moral of the story is, "Kids, never buy anything. If you don't own anything, there's nothing to break and have to replace -- and get the hell out of South Florida if you can't take the Climate."

(Exit Date estimated in 2013).

The word of the SuperBee.

J- Midtown Chic-a gets married.

I know most, if not all couples say their wedding was one of the best days of their life. And before our wedding actually happened, I didn't understand the full grasp of why that was, so I'll break it down from my point of view.

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SFDB Political Tweet Of The Day

-via Dependable Renegade

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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.

There was another small but fine collection of posts that made it to the final cut this week. The Final Four is diverse and contains some blogs you haven't seen very much of in past PotW discussions Let's get to them, readers. 

Runners-Up: Catalina Jaramillo's You Are Always Here garnered a lot of well deserved attention in the South Florida blogosphere and mainstream media but I especially enjoyed this post from The Heat Lightning and the big pictures that went along with it. Liam Crotty Photography graced us with an incredible set of images that he took of Miami gallery owner Bernice Steinbaum who, coincidentally, is a person that I think Bill Cunningham would have commiserated with very well. Which takes us to my last runner-up, Beached Miami, and their fine review of Bill Cunningham New York, a movie that just completed a short run at O Cinema.


Winner:  Ipanemic's tales of life on South Beach can be intriguing or sexy or, like this past week, just plain scary. Peppermint Candy is a post with a lot of lows after Ipanemic has to lay down his scooter when one of South Florida's stellar drivers cuts him off on Washington Avenue on Miami Beach. But nestled in amongst all the carnage and the pain and the frustration is a nugget of goodness that somehow manages to bring a smile to your face. It's what quality writing is about and this week it gets Ipanemic the SFDB Post of the Week.


'Til next time, keep on blogging!

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Revelations

It appears as though Fox News had an epiphany the other day...





We can only hope they follow up this bombshell with others like...

Glenn Beck and his acolytes are deranged.

Racism drives the Tea Party.

The moon is not made of cheese.

We'll be waiting.

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SFDB Morning Chuckle

-via apple arts



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Just Because...

...it is.




U2,  Beautiful Day


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The Cooler

Congressman Al West solidified his standing as Congress' biggest invertebrate last night as he had people with different opinions removed from his town hall meeting. That and more in this morning's Sift...

A- Herald: I feel so sorry for them.

Something peculiar is going on with the Republican party, nationally and in Florida. After a phenomenally successful 2010, Republicans can’t seem to find any giant killers to take on Barack Obama or Bill Nelson.

Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour’s surprise decision this week not to run for president was just the latest reminder of how uncertain the GOP field remains and how many Republicans see Obama as tough to beat. Grass-roots activists look at Mitt Romney or Tim Pawlenty and pine for a star like Jeb Bush or New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.

Meanwhile, the field challenging Democratic Sen. Nelson — George LeMieux, Mike Haridopolos and Adam Hasner — is sufficiently weak that activists continue to speculate about a wealthy self-funder jumping in, just as Rick Scott shocked the establishment by beating gubernatorial front-runner Bill McCollum in 2010.

“In Florida, practically every relevant Republican backed McCollum for months, only to see the rug pulled from under him by a wealthy bald guy who came out of nowhere. That left a lasting impression. People are waiting longer to commit to one candidate,’’ said Republican consultant Ana Navarro of Miami. “Self-funders can pop up at any moment and they can win. It sure would be nice to have a Republican knight on a white horse come riding to our rescue, but I sure hope that if that person’s out there, he or she is at least dusting off the saddle by now.”

B- Herald: They're out there.

A Davie man is facing hate crime charges after an attack on an openly gay man that police said was the bloody conclusion to an ongoing dispute fueled by the victim’s sexual orientation.

John William Koontz, 62, was ordered held without bail Tuesday.

He was arrested Monday after police said he walked up to Miguel “Angel” Rodriguez, 46, outside a CVS store in the 5200 block of Southwest 34th Street in Davie and repeatedly punched and kicked him while shouting insults.

“I’m gay, that’s what I am … and now he uses that against me,” Rodriguez said in a telephone interview Tuesday.

C- Herald: Morin.

D- Herald: They write letters.

‘Exercise’ bungled

Last week, on April 19, the Blackhawk helicopters were flying low and close to buildings in the Brickell area for more than two hours. Though I learned that it was a Homeland Security exercise, for about the first hour I was genuinely worried that there was a dangerous situation. Earlier, all the Miami Police could tell me was to contact Homeland Security because they didn’t know what was happening.

There are two points to be made: 1. The community should have been notified by advance notice — police phone lines were flooded with frightened callers. 2. This exercise ran until almost midnight on a weekday — seriously?

I support every effort to keep our city safe, but this was not handled very well.

Gloria Gonzalez, Miami

E- Sun-Sentinel: Video. Remember when Republicans shouted down Democrats at town halls back in 2009? Remember how many were escorted out of the room? Republican Allen West couldn't take the heat last night and had people forcibly removed for doing the exact same thing.

F- Sun-Sentinel: Perhaps the worst defense evah.

Dalia Dippolito never planned to have her husband killed, her attorney told a jury on Tuesday. Rather, she thought she was acting in a reality show orchestrated by her husband to achieve fame and publicity.

G- Sun-Sentinel: Chan Lowe.


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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

And welcome to Hump Day. After a thorough review of the the South Florida blogosphere, I present your morning Sift.

A- Food for Thought checks out Route 9.

Having now been to Route 9 three times over the first three months, my opinion is exactly as I said a couple weeks ago: it's neither as good as the Miami Herald review made it sound, nor as bad as the New Times review made it sound. You can choose to focus on the things it does well, or on the places where it comes up short, and either way I think you'd be missing the whole picture. It's a comfortable neighborhood place where you can get some simple, unfussy foods along with some good wines and beers. It's run by an earnest young couple who are taking their first shot at running a restaurant and are eager to please. Only three months in, the inexperience sometimes shows, but they're on the right track.

B- Obalesque opines on the music of the last half century.

Look: I liked the 80s, and I love the music that defines it. The 80s were beri beri good to me — I fell in love, got married, left my home town for the first time ever to relocate here in the nation’s dicktip, bought a house, made some money…..all to the tune of Dire Straits, Madness, Tears For Fears, and Echo and the Bunnymen. And many many more. Fun stuff.

But by the end of the decade I detected a distinct change in the tone and ambiance of popular music, not quite as radical as what happened when the 60s morphed into the horrid, disco-heavy 70s, or when the grease washed away from the 50s to allow the 60s to bloom, but clearly audible. And maybe these slippered academics have put their finger on it. Suddenly, it was all about nobodies all into themselves. It became the un-60s.

C- Go Hydrology! finds more evidence that water levels are at an all time low in the Everglades.

D- PhinPhantic has the sad news that Jim Mandich has passed.

The Miami Dolphins have always had his voice. A lifetime Phin, Mandich was the Dolphins start TE during the 1970′s including the Phins undefeated ’72 season. In his retirement, he reached to more generations of fans as the vocal broadcaster who coined the TD phrase “Awwwright Miami”.

E- A new soul food place is getting ready to open on Miami Beach, according to The305.Com.

F- Bark Bark Woof Woof discusses the causes of the birther movement.

It doesn't matter if it's Winston from Alabama or Donald Trump or Pat Buchanan, there is always going to be a segment of America that will never accept the fact that Barack Obama was born in the United States, grew up and went to college, including Harvard, and then was elected president. They will continue to say that all he has to do is produce the evidence, and they'll be quiet, but the truth is that no amount of facts or proof will satisfy them, and every time more evidence is produced, they'll say it isn't good enough.

There's a very simple reason for this, and we all know what it is, even if Chris Matthews or Mike Signorile is too polite to say it: it's because Barack Obama Is Black.

G- The Reid Report compares and contrasts town hall meetings in Florida and Wisconsin.

When it comes to federal representatives, things look pretty much the same in Florida and Wisconsin: Republican lawmakers home on recess face angry constituents at their town halls, and are forced to defend their vote to turn Medicare into a voucher program. But at the state lawmaker level, things in the two states couldn’t be more different.

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Your Evening Sift

It's been a rather rough evening for me so we're just going to get right into your evening Sift. Have fun.

A- Ipanemic starts us off this Tuesday evening with a post that could be titled "When Bloggers/Photographers Collide."

B- Sex and the Beach shares a video that provides some tips on how to spot a social media douchebag.

C- Miami "psych rockers" Lil Daggers has unveiled their latest Miami-based music video over at Beached Miami.

The “King Corpse” vid dizzyingly follows a hooded convenient store thief through the backstreets of Miami while his dickhead boss chases him. I’d never run that much for vengeance or booze, but it’s nice to put the Daggers’ music to a particular crime.

D- Eater Miami is letting its readers pick the "best burger in the city" in a number of different categories which eventually leads to a Champion who then goes to the Nationals...or something.

E- Because Lord knows there aren't any decent places in downtown Miami to live for under a million dollars, go check out what $1.8 million gets you at the ICON Brickell at Miami City Diggs.

Two units were combined to create almost 4000 square feet of living space with views of the Miami River, The City and Bay Views. The units features high end appliances sub-zero refrigerator, Wolf kitchen appliances, Italian kitchen cabinetry and floor to ceiling windows.

F- FTL Collective posts some local music for your Tuesday evening.

G- Wow. South Florida Theater Review prepares to shut down.

Consequently, I’m very sorry to report that I will, unfortunately, be forced to shut down South Florida Theater Review next month unless significant advertising support appears.

I realize that this has been a difficult economic time for all arts groups, not least regional theaters, and everyone is struggling. But so are we.

H- South Florida Food and Wine enjoys her dinner at Brulé Bistro in Delray Beach.

Brulé is a few short blocks away from the hubbub of Atlantic Avenue and yet just a leisurely stroll to where all the action is. Brulé is where the locals go; not quite the "hidden" gem, more of the gem "everyone talks about" since it hit the Delray dining scene three plus years ago.

I- Spokes 'n' Folks finds evidence of why the Miami buses never run on time.

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The Mentally Impaired GOP

I've been waiting for Americans to wake up from their TV and fast food-induced stupor to the realization that the Republican Party has launched a relentless assault on just about every social program that Americans have come to cherish. Having had some success with reigning in unions in the Great Lakes area, they apparently are flush with empowerment and emboldened enough to take on more sensitive programs like Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security, while at the same time "courageously" guaranteeing that their wealthy and corporate base keeps receiving their tax cuts and subsidies.

With a population preoccupied by a lot of things other than politics, they've largely succeeded. Until now.

Check out the exchange that Congressman Sean Duffy (R-MTV) recently had with some of his constituents at a town hall meeting.





Not a good sign when your audience is frowning and has their arms crossed. On a side note, did you notice how many folks under 45 there were in the room? Strange, because they stand to be affected most by these cuts and revisions.

In any case, I'm glad to see that the hypocrisy and the hypocrites are finally being challenged.

From the BooMan...

If they tell you it will be okay to vote to kill Medicare, don't believe them, you idiots.

Medicare is necessary because old people get sick and require expensive drugs, treatments, and surgeries to sustain their lives and their quality of life. It doesn't make sense to insure old people, especially people who already require expensive care. Insurance is a profit-industry, and they aren't going to pay for people's health maintenance out of the goodness of their hearts. The amount of money it would require to make an insurance policy profitable for an eighty-year old cancer patient with diabetes would probably be in the seven figures. That's why we do something different. We have people pay into Medicare during their working lives so that they can spread the cost of old-age out and make it reasonable.

You can't give an eighty year-old cancer patient with diabetes a voucher (calling it “premium support”), think that it will pay for a seven-figure medical bill, and say that you've solved the budget problem.

When you vote for a system like that, the people will vote you out of office.

Republicans are licking their chops and can't seem to wait for 2012 and the prospect of gaining even more control in Washington. But it's a strange strategy that they're employing.

Stealing from the have-nots and giving to the haves.

Kinda like a dyslectic Robin Hood.

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SFDB Blog Share Day [UPDATED]

It's Blog Share Day here at SFDB.

For those who haven't celebrated Blog Share Day before, this is the day you get to suggest a blog that you would like to see on the SFDB blogroll. Leave a link in the comments and I'll take a look at it. The only criteria I have is that it is South Florida oriented and not a spam blog or a blog set up only to sell something. At the end of the day, I'll update this post with links to the suggestions that I've received and maybe even add it to the blogroll in the near future.

In addition, any discussion of blogs and/or blogging is also welcomed. Drop your thoughts in the comments.



******

Okay, here are the links that were dropped in the comments.

Say Six!

Tamarac Talk

The Social Media Puto

Blanca Stella.com

Counter Politics

Thanks for the suggestions, folks.


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SFDB's You're Old If You Remember...

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The Cooler

Kind of a slow news day, readers. Enjoy.

A- Herald: They write letters.

Rubio regressive

Re the April 24 Political Scene brief, Marco Rubio’s role model? Jesse Helms:

Does the senator’s endorsement mean that the Ku Klux Klan and the denial of civil rights will be making a comeback?

Bunny Feinberg, Miami

B- Sun-Sentinel: Life in South Florida.

MONROE COUNTY— A Florida Keys woman is accused of defrauding her own mother out of more than $10,000 in order to undergo a breast augmentation procedure and set up credit lines at retailers such as Victoria's Secret, Old Navy and Walmart.

C- Palm Beach Post: They felt like they were missing something.

WEST PALM BEACH — Palm Beach County School District officials are investigating how a 5-year-old boy was left on a school bus for about two hours today resulting in him being taken to St. Mary's Medical Center.

The kindergartner, who attends Benoist Farms Elementary in suburban West Palm Beach, was found on the bus at the school district bus compound at 2775 Homewood Ave., near Congress Avenue and Gun Club Road, in West Palm Beach.

The boy was found two hours after he was supposed to be dropped off at school at 11:30 a.m., said school district spokesman Nat Harrington.

D- Palm Beach Post: Charlie Sheen has lots of fans in South Florida.

Sheen had more than his share of South Florida fans completely unfazed by bad reviews.

“I was curious. And like every American male, I fantasize about all of things he’s about, like the sex, the drugs and the prostitution,” explained Mike Zyla, 40, of Deerfield Beach. He added the bad reviews didn’t bother him. “I spent the money. I knew what I was in for.”

E- CBS4: Pretending to be the po-po.

MIAMI (CBS4) – A Miami man is facing serious charges after police say he tried to pull over a motorist while posing as a police officer.

Daniel Alberto Barros, 22, was arrested early Monday as he tried to flee from police.

According to the arrest affidavit, Barros was driving a car outfitted with red and blue lights when he attempted to pull over a woman in the area of Southwest 137 Avenue and 26th Street.

Barros allegedly pulled aside the victim, flashed a gold badge, and through an open window, said, “Why are you speeding?”

The victim, who has not been identified, told police she did not believe Barros was a police officer and called her stepfather, who is a police officer.

F- WPLG: Just wondering if he mentioned his stripper tax and marijuana legalization ideas?

NORTH BAY VILLAGE, Fla. -- Former rapper and candidate for Miami-Dade mayor, Luther Campbell, kicked off his campaign with a fundraiser in North Bay Village.

Campbell told Local 10's Baron James that he wants to be taken seriously as one of the 11 mayoral candidates.

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

It was a slow Monday night in the South Florida blogosphere. This will only take you a minute.

A- The Green Parrot shares an Easter picture from Key West.

B- Luis Posada Carriles is Obama's headache now. according to The Cuban Triangle.

The Bush and Obama Administrations deserve credit for bringing charges, but their strategy did not pan out, and we are back at square one. We have a person whom our government views as a terrorist living freely in our country, not being extradited, and not being charged here for terrorism – either for the 1997 hotel bombings or for the 1976 downing of the Cubana airliner in Barbados, for which Posada faces charges in Caracas.

C- The latest hissy fit by Fox News is so easily addressed it's laughable...at Bark Bark Woof Woof.

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Your Evening Sift

I do so much like getting Mondays out of the way and moving on to Tuesdays. You all had a lot to say today so therefore you get an extra long evening Sift. Enjoy.

A- Swampstyle posts from an art show in Russia.

Boots on the ground, pedestrians beware. When is Moscow, the motoring public rules the street. Yet it warms my illegal butt to see that locals can park for Free just about anywhere in this busy city. In other words, sidewalks are fair game. It appears the one rule is do not obstruct traffic. On the downside, car congestion slows traffic down to the speed of cold molasses.

B- The Heat Lightning shares a video of the absurdly long line to get into the Borscht Film Festival. The only thing that would make it more fun for the people standing in it is crazy heat and humi...oh, nevermind.

C- The Green Parrot posts a few images from this weekend's performance by the Spam Allstars.

D- Eye on Miami sniffs out who is giving to Miami-Dade Republicans. Some comments, too.

E- Some things never change in South Florida, as Random Pixels demonstrates in his latest installment of The Way We Were.

F- So I'm guessing that Nikon Miami's latest post contains some photos of Jimmy Buffett concert goers.

G- There's a social media-related death in the news and Obalesque provides his commentary. And there are comments.

Still, it’s highly disturbing, and yet another reminder how easy it is to get fatally distracted, whether it’s Facebook, texting or yapping on the phone while driving, or watching high school girls’ softball games wearing nothing but a long trench coat. High tech or low life, you’re taking a chance.

H- South Florida Lawyers finds himself an interesting case that he needs some help researching.

I- The venerable Chef Allen's has closed its doors in Aventura, according to Eater Miami.

J- Savoring South Beach explains why Planet Sushi is for the adventurous sushi lover.

But tradition isn't what you would expect from this neon white restaurant with loud music along club-heavy Washington Ave. It cries out that you will have an interesting, trendy experience, and it doesn't fail to deliver. Will you be wowed by flavor perfection, no, but will you get to try some interesting combinations that don't break the bank, absolutely. I have never had anything bad at Planet Sushi but I have also never felt like my world was rocked.

K- The Delano has Boy Writes Miami swooning.

The crowd is generally favorable. You’ll find whatever you’re looking for. Are you into young, attractive professionals? Check. Are you into escort-like Barbies? Check. How about divorcée cougars with a room already at the hotel? Check-mate. Inside the lobby you’ve got a bar, loud music, and the somewhat younger crowd. Outside you’ve got a bar, pool, and a more laid back atmosphere.

L- Everything you wanted to know about the Riverwalk Trust’s Burger Battle 2011 but were afraid to ask....at the Burger Beast.

M- Shorter Coconut Grove Grapevine...

The food trucks are good for the Grove in part because they bring respectable people like lawyers and doctors into Coconut Grove.

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Plum TV: The New Miami Art Museum

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SoFla Social Media Sunday

After hearing about Bill Cunningham New York at Beached Miami this week, I made a mental note to get more information about what appeared to be an interesting documentary. But naturally I forgot.

So when I got a direct message from @SteveBM [Blind Tastes, Blind Mind] yesterday afternoon recommending the movie, I checked the O, Cinema schedule and found a 5:30 showing that I could definitely make. But not before I checked out the location of Jimmyz's, a place I had read about at Sex and the Beach, and found that it was within walking distance of the theater. My evening plans were made.

Great movie. Fine dinner.

Thank you, South Florida social media.


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SFDB Morning Chuckle

-etsy


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The Cooler

It's Monday, which means that the local news sites won't contain any current news until around noontime. Here's what I could dig up.

A- Herald: Morin.

B- Sun-Sentinel: Florida, still waiting to join the modern world.

A recent study by the Pew Center for the States found that only 23.5 percent of Medicaid-enrolled children, age 18 and under, received any sort of dental care in 2008, the most recent year for which federal data were available. (In Idaho, the top-ranked state, 61 percent of eligible children saw a dentist.)

In a separate 2010 study, the center gave Florida an "F" grade for failing to enact stronger policies to improve access to dental care for disadvantaged children.

The state has struggled with the problem of access to dental care for more than a decade.

In 2000, a federal General Accounting Office review of dental disease among low-income groups found that only 11 percent of Florida adults on Medicaid made a yearly trip to the dentist.

Florida's essential problem: too few dentists are willing to treat low-income patients.

That's because they say the Medicaid reimbursement rates, fixed by the state Legislature, are woefully inadequate.

C- CBS4: Thanks, Apple!

A break in the case came after a security camera captured two men in a silver colored Jeep pulling into the parking lot of the Fish House in Key Largo on April 2nd. The Monroe County Sheriff’s Office said one of the men, Ovalle, is then seen breaking a window in another vehicle, reaching inside and removing a black case with a laptop computer and several other items inside, including an IPhone. Investigators made note of the extensive tattoos on his arm.

Investigators said the victim had an application on her IPhone which tracks the phone. Using the app they were able to track the phone to a Homestead trailer park where it showed the phone to be in a back bedroom. Detectives went to the trailer and knocked on the door. The woman who answered said the bedroom at the back belonged to her son, Fernando Ovalle. She said he wasn’t home, and she would not tell detectives where he was.

They discovered, through investigations, that Ovalle drives a silver colored jeep. Pictures on Ovalle’s MySpace page show extensive tattoos on his arm matching those on the surveillance tape.

D- CBS4: Just when you thought the tourists had thinned out.

FT. LAUDERDALE (CBS4) - About 2,500 sailors will descend on Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale on Monday for the Broward Navy Days Fleet Week.

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

Get the coffee started because Monday is here whether you're ready for it or not. Enjoy your morning Sift.

A- Miami Favs heads to the rodeo and discovers another one of her favs.

there was also a little market where, mainly women, were selling more sequined merchandise. and there was a bar dedicated only to beer. and cotton candy. and people singing country music on a stand alone microphone, awkwardly near the tractors. and then there was the rodeo. the bright lights. the cheers. the oohhhs and ahhhs. as an animal lover, it was more than hard to watch. and i got more than one dirty look when i would erupt cheering for the animal on the field and laugh when the cowboys did horribly.

B- Superbee shares his grandmother's recipe for Jordan Marsh blueberry muffins.

However, the following recipe was transcribed by my mom this morning from the stained index card she's used for the past 32 years. She's starting to e-archive her recipes. These muffins are the best blueberry muffins you will ever taste. NO. JOKE.

C- They're getting ready to pass a law in Tennessee that outlaws discussing homosexuality on school grounds, says Bark Bark Woof Woof.

Not talking about it, especially in high school when kids are not just aware of their sexuality but start acting on it, is a roadmap to disaster and pain. Getting them to talk about it openly and in a non-judgmental matter removes the stigma and the mystery, and provides them with the information that they're going to find out anyway but in a far less dangerous way. As anyone over the age of five knows, forbidding someone to talk about something is the surest way to get them interested in it.

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