Lights Out

John Coltrane, Naima




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Your Evening Sift

I lost a good friend to cancer last night. I take with me many memories of weekends hitting the golf ball around lush, green fairways with Tom. Tom had a bad slice and I bet he's still working on it even as I write this. Godspeed, Tommy. Here's your evening Sift.

A- Eye on Miami looks at the candidates for North Miami mayor.

My vote so far, if I were voting: Kevin Burns. Someone has to clean up the ethical/corruption problems running rampant in North Miami and he ran the City well last time around. He got that High School built. We will see what shakes out, the election is May 14th.

B- Yes, Bunny Yeager has a studio in Wynwood...reports Arterpillar.

C- South Florida Classical Review posts the South Florida classical calendar for March.

D- Swine opens on March 9th, says Eater Miami.

Eater just received news on the official opening date of Swine Southern Table & Bar. 5:30 p.m. on March 9 is when you should already be waiting by the doors. The southern food joint, Yardbird Southern Table & Bar's partner in comfort food, and the latest doing of the 50 Eggs Group (with so much more coming yet), is located at 2415 Ponce De Leon Blvd in Coral Gables.

E- Miami Dish chats a bit with New York Times columnist and cookbook author Mark Bittman about his new book, VB6: Eat Vegan Before 6:00.

What do you think has shifted in the national zeitgeist about plant-based eating, if anything? How are people in the U.S. approaching plant-based eating differently, based on your observations?

There are really very few numbers saying “oh, yes, Americans are eating better,” although there are some indications we may be eating less, or at least fewer calories, which is certainly a good sign. But there have been very few incentives for Americans to change the way we eat: the true costs of junk food are hidden in health and environmental damages (and some of those costs are being passed on to future generations) and there isn’t much encouragement for people to move to a plant-based diet. Still, it seems to be happening, however gradually, and ultimately it’s inevitable.

F- Who wants some PhinPhanatic gear?



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News That Makes The Little Limbaughs Sad

CNN:

A rally on Wall Street gained momentum late Wednesday as investors welcomed more upbeat housing data and a second day of dovish testimony from the chairman of the Federal Reserve.

The Dow Jones industrial average rallied 175 points, or 1.2%, to end at its highest level since October 2007. The S&P 500 jumped 1.3% and the Nasdaq gained 1%.

 
Remember, what's good for the United States and for Americans is bad news for the Little Limbaughs.

Even though he's a Kenyan Marxist who wants to confiscate your guns and replace your regular lightbulbs, take a look at your 401K, look at this graph and then ask yourself, "Am I better off than I was 5 years ago?"

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Some Memorable Marlin Stadium Quotes

"This is a win-win situation that I am certain we'll be proud of years from now." -state Sen. Rudy Garcia, R-Hialeah (March 2007)


"I've been waiting a long time to do this and it will be special. It's a great market. I think now the fans will have an opportunity to connect. There's such a young fan base here and an existing fan base, it's our job to go and get them." -Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria (March 2008)


"People have voted with their feet and wallet -- and they really aren't interested in watching the Marlins play." -Attorney attorney Roberto Martinez (July 2008)


"We are going to continue to have a payroll that matches revenues. We are very mindful of that as we put the team together. Larry is aware of the new schedule. But we do not use our payroll as an excuse to not having a competitive team. We expect to have competitive teams every year. We are not waiting to get into the new stadium to have a competitive team. We expect we will have one next year, as well." -Marlins president David Samson (November 2008)


"We keep hearing 'If you build it they will come.' I don't believe it. And this field of dreams is going to be a nightmare for our taxpayers." -Miami-Dade Commissioner Katy Sorenson (March 2009)

“We won. This is great for the community.” -Marlins fan Jose Miguel Garcia (March 2009)





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Thursday Morning Kickstart

Canyon cliff jumping...








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The Cooler

Here's your interesting news for this morning. Strangely, it all comes from the television news outlets.

A- CBS4: Consumer Reports best cars for 2013.

B- NBC Miami: Who needs a firearm?

Baillargon, a veteran of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, showed NBC 6 how he fought off Smith's attack, then sprayed him in the face with window cleaner.

“I look at him and I said I have to grab his eyes with the Windex,” Baillargon said.

He said he spritzed Smith with the Windex twice, then deflected Smith’s arm with his own – knocking the crowbar out of his hand.

C- NBC Miami: Brickell restaurant gets rid of servers.

Hamburgers and hot dogs are on the grill and the orders are are rolling in at D Dog House in Brickell, but a server isn't the one taking them. You take your own order with an iPad. They're installed at every booth.

[...]

When you're not ordering food, you can surf the Internet, play games, and even take pictures. At one booth, thousands have already done that since the restaurant opened in May.

D- NBC Miami: Thirsty in Hialeah.

Residents of the condo complex on West 81st Street have complained about sand in the water coming out of their shower heads, bathroom and kitchen sinks. Apartment dwellers have resorted to using bottled water for cooking.

"The sand is supposedly coming in all the faucets, drains, toilets, everything is getting clogged up," said Merci Gonzalez.

E- WPLG: Life in South Florida.

NORTH LAUDERDALE, Fla. - The Broward Sheriff's Office released surveillance video of two men robbing a group of people playing dominoes.

The robbery happened at the DN Consultants office at 6041 Kimberly Boulevard about 7:30 p.m. Jan. 12.

Video showed the two men walk inside the building, police say. Once inside, the robbers point their guns at the group of about 15 people and take their purses, wallets, electronics, and cash before running out.

F- WSVN: Hialeah's new police cars.





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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

It was slow in the SoFla blogosphere last night. Your morning Sift should only take a minute.

A- Bark Bark Woof Woof starts us out today with a couple highlights from yesterday's gun control hearings in Washington.

B- Miami Condo Investments takes us inside Rony Seikaly's luxury, 3 bedroom plus den/4.5 bath South Beach condo that's on the market for $6 million.



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Your Evening Sift

An SFDB Wednesday night Sift is presented for your enjoyment.

A- The "funky Walgreens" on Collins Avenue is officially under construction, according to Curbed Miami.

Taking inspiration from the nautical themes of neighboring art deco hotels by greats like L. Murray Dixon and Henry Hohauser, and the midcentury-meets-PoMo fantasias of some of Miami's more inspired 80s architecture, the store is psychedelic. It's also scheduled to be open by this summer.

B- Hello, I'm Scott has sold his nameless but very functional scooter.

That poor scooter was just a machine to me. I never developed the bond with it I had with the other. Which is probably very much okay. People have a love affair with their vehicles and given the amount of time as I spent on that vehicle, I probably should’ve developed a deep emotional attachment. But I didn’t. That shiny silver 49cc little-scooter-that-could was a transport vehicle and nothing more.

C- On Two Shores says the debates on gun control are very similar.

Like I said, nothing to do with factual arguments, common sense, or public support; everything to do with a small special interest group that is incredibly adept at gaming our political system.

D- South Florida Classical Review shares their two Critic's Choices for this week.

E- South Florida Food and Wine checks out the hot new Burt & Max's in Delray Beach.

Burt & Max’s is a vamped up adaptation of its east ancestor, Max’s Grille. The décor is inviting and attractive, the open kitchen is neat and efficient. The bar is quite the showpiece of the restaurant, with both indoor and outdoor seating. And as a side note, the bar is equipped with handbag hooks and electrical outlets; prime for charging that smartphone so guests don’t run out of juice as they “tweet & eat”. Running the side length of the restaurant is chic and enviable patio seating (once the Marketplace is fully operational, this will be ideal for people watching, think Mizner Park) complete with a cigar bar.

F- What $350K gets you at 500 Brickell these days, according to Miami Condo Investments.

It is a beautifully remodeled 1 bedroom/1 bathroom condo at 500 Brickell with dark, wide-plank hardwood floors throughout, window treatments, light fixtures and a custom kitchen backsplash. The 738 square foot unit has stainless steel appliances, a stacked washer/dryer, two closets and a south-facing balcony which spans the entire length of the condo. The bathroom features a Jacuzzi tub and separate glass-enclosed shower.

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The Concerns Of Critical Mass Riders

Here's a great video that appeared on The Miami Bike Scene yesterday that shows that a lot of Miami cyclists know that they're putting their lives at risk each and every time they get on their bike.



I think the difference between these youngsters (most of them) and older folks is that the latter have come to realize that they are not indestructible and don't want to depart this world wedged in the front grill of someone's Toyota heading out the Rickenbacker.



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Wednesday Blog Notes

Time once again to highlight a few blogs/blog posts from South Florida folks that currently aren't appearing on the SFDB blogroll.

Miami Nice

Miami Nice continues to crank out some great posts including this one that takes readers inside Beehive Natural Foods, or just "The Hive," out on Bird Road and 57th Avenue.

The faces are friendly, the juice bar has its own language and culture - take the many samples handed to you and ask about the specials - and the pace is slow. Don't be scared of the vegan empanadas. That's all you need to know. Oh, and order the rainforest smoothie. Lime, ginger, banana and some other amazing secrets.

Miami Pop

Miami Pop has been posting since September of last year in a video heavy format that highlights popular events going on around South Florida.

Here's how they describe themselves...

Miami Pop Media captures the essence of the dynamic and vibrant communities comprising South Florida.

We are a 360° luxury, lifestyle Media Company

With a coffee-table look and feel, our luxurious editorial coverage focuses on fashion, entertainment, arts/culture, automotive, yachting, sporting events, design, real estate, dining, trends and personality profiles. This hyper-local, compelling content takes readers deep behind the scenes and into the stories that impact our area. We profile the region’s most exciting and influential people, and our bold layouts and stunning photography deliver a resounding editorial “pop”. Our unique and sophisticated editorial approach distinguishes us from any other media in the area.

Kinda like the old Plum TV, maybe?

I discovered them through an Eater Miami mention of their excellent post on the opening of Lucali Pizza on Miami Beach.


Lynn's Little Bit Of Trivia--Lake Worth

Lynn Anderson is a Lake Worth conservative who likes Allen West. She's been blogging using the Blogger platform since 2008, covering local Lake Worth issues and politics as well as the national scene. You won't hear too many kind words about Democrats here, but the local coverage can be interesting at times.

Yesterday, while walking in our downtown with my Respectful Planning t-shirt, I was inspired by those who stopped or stared and read the message. They all were in agreement--keep our great downtown small. It was an easy "sell."

Where do you see yourself fitting into the fight to keep your downtown a low-rise city? Are you spreading the word to all your neighbors? Are you walking and talking about the issue that has become a blood bath in Lake Worth...a bloodbath of lies from developers and their friends who love The Lucerne and who all want a final hold on what we have--a friendly, small downtown with charm galore and the reason why people visit in the first place.

We have no place here for developer types whose only motivation is building up our prime real estate in the downtown for their greed...making money off our little and very vibrant downtown, their only motivation for their subterfuge--illegal banners not withstanding. They can make plenty of money from building 4 story buildings but some people never make enough of it; they want more of it and they want to do it off the backs of you and me and our great little city. We have the entire Dixie Highway corridor for them. They can go at it.

I think I've found Palm Beach County's Eye on Miami, kinda sorta.

Lynn gives SFDB a run for its money as far as frequency of posting goes so you won't have to wait too long between updates.



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Your Terrible-Tweet Score

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The Cooler

Just a few stories of note from this morning's mainstream media feeds. Enjoy your Cooler.

A- HuffPo: You wanna talk about a waste of taxpayer monies?

A federal appeals court upheld a lower court's injunction on Tuesday against Florida's effort to make welfare applicants pee in cups to prove they're not on drugs.

In a strongly-worded opinion, U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit affirmed a lower court's October 2011 finding that Florida failed to demonstrate a special need for drug testing poverty-stricken parents who apply for cash benefits from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.

B- CBS4: Pit bulls don't bite people, people bite people...or something.

You do not, repeat, do not have a pit bull problem,” said animal activist Dahlia Canes while speaking to the commission. “You have a spay neuter problem, an animal abuse problem, a dog fighting problem and an irresponsible ownership problem but you do not have a pit bull problem!”

C- NBC Miami: Avoid Flagler and 109th this morning.

Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jose "Pepe" Diaz has teamed up with local business owners to offer drivers some relief Wednesday on the final day of '14 Days of Neighborly Love,' offering gas for just $2.27 a gallon at one gas station in Sweetwater.

Drivers started showing up at the Finish Line on W. Flagler Street and W. 109th Avenue when the station opened at 6 a.m., but that was too early for the cheap gas. The $2.27 a gallon price starts at 10 a.m. and lasts for a limited time.

D- WPTV: I've always thought that Bud was watered down.

So Gowran was shocked to learn that the company which manufactures his favorite beer, Anheuser Busch InBev, might not be so honest.

The beer-manufacturing giant is facing $5 million class-action lawsuits for allegedly watering down Budweiser, Michelob and other brands.

"I think they're probably trying to save money, is the reason why they do it, and that's not honest," said Gowran.

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

They say this weekend is going to be a little chilly. I'll believe it when I feel it. Let's take a look at what went on in the South Florida blogosphere last night, shall we? Here's your morning Sift.

A- Bark Bark Woof Woof explains why Republicans supporting marriage equality isn't something he's getting all excited about. While Obalesque also joins in, here's the former...

At the risk of sounding churlish and ungrateful — I’m glad they’ve come out in support; it beats the alternative — don’t expect me to stand up on my chair and raise a big ruckus like some people. With the exception of the two members of Congress — and Ms. Ros-Lehtinen has been on the record in support of the cause for years — very few of these people have a lot of influence in the current government. They also represent what used to be the mainstream of the moderate GOP which, in today’s climate, represents a fringe view. They are safe to take this stand now that they know it won’t mean much to the people who are the ones who are trying to keep DOMA and Prop 8 in place.

B- Some pretty amazing glacier calving at Eye on Miami.

C- Foodalogue prepares a delicious-looking stuffed rigatoni dish.

D- Sean Was Here is back in town from a trip to Costa Rica and gets things going again with an image from Club Deuce.

E- The Chowfather reveals his top choices for meatballs in South Florida.



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SFDB Late Night Politics

Stephen Colbert on the dangers of having too much knowledge about guns.

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

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Your Evening Sift

A short, compact Sift for your Tuesday evening. Enjoy.

A- Miamism has all the details on One Ocean for those of you who can afford a $4 million plus condo.

One Ocean is the latest and greatest development in the South of Fifth area of South Beach that everyone is talking about. It’s another Jorge Perez/Related Group development but this time no stone has been left unturned. What I mean by this is that this project has all the bells and whistles – from amazing architecture, interior design, amenities and landscape architecture.

B- Tropicult tells us about the Downtown Hollywood Mural Project and includes a couple videos.

Word is that the Downtown Hollywood historic arts and entertainment district is transforming into a vibrant live music hot spot. This year, the City of Hollywood also initiated the Downtown Hollywood Mural Project to curate contemporary outdoor murals by some of our favorite local artist, including Luis Pinto and Jessy Nite, at key locations in Downtown Hollywood.

C- Gun Free Zone heart's the NRA's Marion Hammer.

She is probably the most feared woman in Florida politics and she is in our side. When everybody was cringing and trying to stay away from defending Stand Your Ground in Florida, she came out swinging her awesome ninja sword/lightsaber…. OK, just herself stood proud und loud beating the tide of opposition.

D- On Two Shores provides their thoughts on the recent political developments in Cuba.

Every observer of the Cuban political process has been asked repeatedly since Sunday to read the tea leaves and give an opinion about what the appointment of Miguel Diaz-Canel means to the process of reforms in Cuba. I think the proper response is “cautiously optimistic”. It represents the continuation of a transition started in 2006, which more than just a liberalization or reform process, it’s about the institutionalization of the revolution, perhaps mixed with a market economy akin to China or Vietnam, rather than a personality-driven system. Will he become Cuba’s Gorbachev, leading the process towards a complete transition, or Cuba’s Egon Krenz, the appointed dauphin that could not control the inevitable?

E- Fatgirl Hedonist has only good things to say about Bread + Butter in Coral Gables.

Finally his restaurant is here, and this little gastropub was worth every second of my impatient wait. The restaurant is doing old school Cuban classics with a new school twist. Similar to the menu, the decor of the restaurant ties together modern style with old oversized Cuban photographs. The menu is all tapas style, so be sure to order family style or at least 2-3 dishes per person. My best friend and I decided to go here for lunch last week, and we both pretty much fell in love with the place.

F- Roy Black discusses Steve Jobs and his presentation preparation, especially how he practiced.

After over-preparing the presentation, Jobs would spend hours rehearsing every facet and every word. Each slide is carefully written, and the presentation staged like a theatrical experience. Jobs made it look effortless, due to the hours and hours of grueling practice. Jobs was not a natural presenter, nor is anyone else. If you watch video clips of his presentations going back 20 years, you will see that he improves significantly every decade. From the famous 1984 Macintosh introduction to the Jobs who announced the iPhone in 2007. He learned how to relentlessly tweak, optimize, and improve. Isaacson quotes John Sculley on Job’s theory: “Marketing is really theater. It’s like staging a performance.”

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Happy Birthday, Johnny

Johhny Cash, Man in Black
1932-2003




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SFDB's Driving Around South Florida

Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach on a Sunday afternoon...

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SFDB Post Of The Week

I like this week's eclectic collection of posts that made it to final consideration for Post of the Week. I think you'll agree.

Runners-Up: Burger Beast's annual post marking the South Beach Wine and Food Festival's Burger Bash is always a favorite of mine with its multitude of photos of mouth watering patties and buns.  Leave it to Eye on Miami to find out that Miami-Dade County is trying to give county land away to the Nigerian-American Foundation. South Florida Guy took the time to tell us about a wonderful piece of Florida history out on Hutchinson Island that I'm betting not too many Floridians know about.


Winner:  There isn't anyone on the SFDB blogroll that is covering South Florida's art scene as comprehensively as Arterpillar. Over the past 7 months, she gathered as many cat-related photos and art pieces from her readers as she could and put them all together last week in something she called The Itty Bitty Kitty Show. It's a fun post, assembled with the help of kitty curators PBJ and Lil Red Buttons, that is a tribute to felines of all types, particularly those who add sparkle to the lives of South Florida's local artists. It's a heartwarming missive that will make you smile and if that isn't worth the Post of the Week, I don't know what is.


'Til next time, keep on blogging!



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SFDB Cool Of The Day

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The Cooler

Here's what I found interesting in this morning's mainstream media news feeds. Enjoy.

A- HuffPo: Moving on.

The firmest step toward that happening came Sunday when Raul Castro announced he plans to retire as president within five years. And yet, when the news reached Florida's shores it created little more than a quiet ripple of apathy.

"Cuba doesn't matter to me anymore," Luis Sanz, 85, said as he watched friends play dominoes.

A year after the 1959 revolution, Sanz left behind his clothing store in the Cuban city of Camaguey and started a new life in Miami. He never returned. Many older Cubans vowed not to return until the Raul and Fidel Castro were dead.

Now it appears retirement – rather than death – will mark the end of their days in power. Raul Castro has tapped Miguel Diaz-Canel to be his top lieutenant and possible successor. So there is no celebration in Miami. And no protest either.

B- Palm Beach Post: Cold front incoming.

While today is starting in the 70s and headed for the mid-80s, by Friday night lows will return to the 40s and high temperatures won’t even reach the 70s in Palm Beach County and the Treasure Coast.

C- South Florida Business Journal: Ha ha ha ha ha. Ha!

Miami Marlins team president David Samson said the organization had not anticipated low attendance and revenue last season, according to The Miami Herald.

At a press conference Monday, Samson said, “It didn’t occur to us... that the off-field results of last year could be what they were. We didn’t even contemplate in a worst-case scenario that our revenues would be what they were.”

D- South Florida Business Journal: Slideshow, the Asi Cymbal project in the Design District.

E- CBS4: Remember, more guns makes us safer.

MIAMI (CBS4) - In recent days there have been at least eight people shot in the City of Miami, including three teenagers. Two of the teens were killed.

The spate of shootings has now become so common, most don’t even make the evening news or the morning paper.

But the numbers are staggering.

F- NBC Miami: American Airlines flight attendant retires after 53 years.

A retirement party was held for an American Airlines flight attendant Barbara Beckett Monday as she celebrated her 53-year career with the company.

"It's something that I grew up wanting to do,” said Beckett, who is based in Miami. “When I was very young my parents took me to the airport and I saw the stewardesses get off the plane. And I thought that's what I want to do.”

Beckett donned the American Airlines uniform for one last trip – a last hurrah from Miami International Airport to London’s Heathrow Airport and back. Her flight was set to leave at 8 p.m.

Beckett has worked 8,000 flights for American, traveling the globe and going to places like Hawaii, Japan and Argentina.

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

I have lots of reading for you to get through this morning as it was a busy night in the SoFla blogosphere. Let's check it all out in your morning Sift.

A- It's always useful to remember that Donald Trump is a Republican through and through...at Bark Bark Woof Woof.

B- Arterpillar offers her take on the Lake Worth Street Painting Festival.

C- Salty Eggs talks O, Miami with one of the poetry festival's organizers.

How are you getting Miamians involved in this year’s O, Miami?

The big thing we’re doing this year is a project with WLRN-Miami Herald News in which we’re going to publish the first-ever “Poetry Guide to South Florida.” From mid-March through the end of April, we’ll be asking South Floridians to write original poems describing local places that are meaningful to them, and then we’ll read the best ones on the air and publish them in an actual book. I’m looking forward to poems about the urinals at Churchill’s, the bottom of the Miami River, Monday Night at King of Diamonds, or whatever other places are important to you.

D- Obalesque offers up his opinion of the Marlins and their owners.

The Marlins’ ownership group is the world’s worst. They clearly fail to understand the game of baseball, how to create, manage, and run a team, and how to market it. They don’t understand public relations, as this full-page ad demonstrates again, and they have no sense of operating a high-profile business in a media-intense urban environment. In a word, they know: Nothing.

E- Go Hydrology! offers proof that the recent rains dampened things up in the swamp.

F- The Richard E. Gerstein Justice Building wasn't always a dump, and Justice Building Blog has the evidence to prove it.

Miami News Editor Bill Baggs presented a decidedly different view of the new criminal courthouse when construction was completed on the eight million dollar courthouse in 1962.

G- Tropicult takes a look at the art of South Florida artist MXYTSPLYK.




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Your Evening Sift

Well, I hope your Monday wasn't too painful. There's a beautiful moon out tonight. You oughta step out and see it. Here's your evening Sift.

A- Burger Beast posts some shots from the South Beach Wine & Food Festival’s Trucks on Midtown Tracks event that took pace yesterday.

B- Southern District of Florida Blog, and the Supreme Court, contemplates whether DNA collection from arrestees violate the 4th Amendment.

C- Lots of artist opportunities for South Florida artists at Arterpillar.

D- Check out what $22 million gets you at the Setai these days, at Curbed Miami.

E- The305.Com has Pitbull's new track that supposedly takes on Lil Wayne.

F- Dammmmmm. On Two Shores gets quoted in an AP wire story about some recent political changes in Cuba.

G- Eater Miami shares some random thoughts on the South Beach Food and Wine Festival.

2) At the Whole Foods Market Grand Tasting Village Rachael Ray a book signing machine, signed book after book without even looking down, and Michael Symon got friendly with a raw chunk of pork leg when he gave it a smooch during his demo. One self-proclaimed "dirty hippie" waited outside hoping to collect enough change to purchase a ticket last minute. That's dedication.

H- Jerry's Pizza is Boca Raton is short on ambiance but big on flavor, according to Worst Pizza.

So, here you have it. I really didn’t want to like Jerry’s Pizza at all. It was dark, dirty, with an uninviting staff, and severely in need of some TLC inside the place, but I can’t help myself. I really enjoyed this Sicilian slice. My wife and son confirmed that they enjoyed it just as much as I did. Now the issue is, do I go back to get it again in their less than desirable setting, or take one to go. Either way, I have to go back, especially if it continues to taste this good.

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SFDB Viral Video

I may be the last one on the internets posting this but, yep, that's the First Lady "mom dancing" with Jimmy Fallon...






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SFDB Now And Then

Now...

Then...

The Miami News, February 25, 1964

Not a whole lot of difference although you can see that an addition has been put on the back of the house.


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SFDB's A Few Moments At The Lake Worth Street Painting Festival

It was hot as blazes late yesterday morning, but the artists were out and so were the masses at the Lake Worth Street Painting Festival. Fortunately, it wasn't as crowded as it has been in previous years. Unfortunately, rain had moved through the area sometime late yesterday or last night and had literally washed away the work that wasn't covered.

Here are my observations...

Like I said, the masses were out...

I have to give the artists a lot of credit for working under the blazing sun.

This artist had come all the way from California to participate.

There was a fair amount of Star Wars themed art, for some reason.

3-D stuff screws with your mind...

Gorgeous.

Lots of solutions for relief from the sun, but everything wound up with chalk on it.

All my photos from yesterday can be seen here and Palm Beach TV station WPTV has a 125-photo slideshow up.




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SFDB Monday Morning Kickstart

Seems about right...

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The Cooler

It's a very slow start to the week. Just a couple things for you this morning.

A- South Florida Business Journal: Yes, we've noticed.

South Florida motorists are paying more for a gallon of gas than they ever have in the month of February.

Fuel prices in the tri-county area increased 4 cents to 7 cents last week, reaching $3.96 in West Palm Beach for a gallon of regular gas, $3.95 in Fort Lauderdale and $3.94 in Miami, according to the AAA Fuel Gauge report.

"Unfortunately, it doesn't look like there will be much relief at the pump in the next couple of weeks," AAA-The Auto Club Group spokeswoman Jessica Brady said in a statement.

B- CBS4: Shorter Jeff Loria..."We're making good business decisions no matter what everyone thinks, so you better start coming to games and getting behind us."

“The simple fact is that we don’t have unlimited funds, nor does any baseball team or business. Fans didn’t turn out last season as much as we’d like, even with the high-profile players the columnists decry us having traded,” states the ad. “Is it sound business sense to witness an expensive roster with a terrible record and sit idly by doing nothing? No. I can and will invest in building a winner, but last season wasn’t sustainable and we needed to start from scratch quickly to build this team from the ground up.”

C- NBC Miami: Andrew Zimmern says food trucks are here to stay and it's not because he has a food truck.

Andrew Zimmern says the economic downturn that began in 2007 fueled the boom of food trucks – and their popularity proves they’re here to stay.

Zimmern, who hosted the Trucks on Midtown’s Tracks rally Sunday on the final day of the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, went way back as he explained the phenomenon.

“Mobile food has been around since before the time of Christ. And people forget that while it hasn’t been in a 8- or 16- or 4-wheel form, mobile food is and always will be the place that the entrepreneur can get into this business the fastest,” Zimmern told NBC 6 South Florida.

The popularity of food trucks in recent years shows, he said, that “this is not a trend.”

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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

It is "good," isn't it? Moving on to your morning Sift...

A- Arterpillar shares some images from Saturday night's F.A.T. Village Art Walk in Lauderdale.

B- Bark Bark Woof Woof thinks about what was actually the purpose of Republican foot stomping and whining over the Hagel nomination.

The Republicans who opposed him just don’t like the fact that one of their former colleagues is now, in their eyes, a turncoat for working for Barack Obama.

C- Eye on Miami explains why Marco Rubio's position of climate change is shameful.

On the one hand Senator Rubio exalts America as the Shining City on the Hill -- rationalizing wars and foreign interventions to spread democracy -- but wouldn't a Shining City on the Hill do everything in its power to also spread economic stability, through rational reform of energy consumption and massive emphasis on conservation? That is, after all, where Senator Rubio plants his flag: protect our economy!

D- Arboles Libres is now Eagle Chief and Beached Miami finds out why.

Why Eagle Chief?

Genovese: We began thinking of band names that we felt close to. We had an entire page at one point with random sayings here and there, and we spent like three days on tour really thinking what we wanted to do. Eventually we had come across Eagle Chief, which served as the name for Eddie’s solo project. Arboles Libres had played under Eagle Chief once before when we had our Halloween show two years ago at Churchill’s. We promoted the show as Eagle Chief. Once the name came into light, we knew that was our new identity.

E- Miami Motocross Park photos at Nikon Miami.





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Your Evening Sift

And the weekend draws to a sweaty, hot close. It is February, isn't it? Here's your evening Sift.

A- Transit Miami is documenting the crashes on Biscayne Boulevard through MiMo.

How many more crashes and people need to be injured or must die before someone from government acts on behalf of their citizens? Since this is an FDOT road neither of our elected officials from the County or City have any power of jurisdiction over this road. This is just a total disgrace. On what planet is a road like this good for pedestrians and businesses?

B- Nice shot of the city from the Rickenbacker at Miamism Pix.

C- The scene at the Green Parrot Bar in Key West when the Spam Allstars show up.

D- The305.Com posts a photo comparison of 170th and Collins some 38 years apart.

E- Bark Bark Woof Woof gives us a synopsis of his totally car weekend and provides a bit of car judging guidance.

My 1988 Pontiac 6000 LE Safari station wagon was entered in the DPC class. There is no getting around the fact that it was a daily driver as recently as 2009, and the over 250,000 miles on it prove it. But it looked as good as a lot of cars in the judged classes, and while it may never be awarded a Senior or Grand National medallion, it is a fine example of a car that has been well-maintained and has an appeal to a lot of people. I had a number of people who stopped by to compliment it, smile, and remember what it was like when their family had one just like it.

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Driving Around South Florida

My kind of pickup spotted in Pembroke Pines yesterday....

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Pro-Gun Conversations

Here's something to brighten your Sunday: pro-gunner "Stan," festooned with an argyle sweater, rationally discussing with like minds how a "racial force" is going to be the impetus for gun confiscation...or something. And Obama is not an American, by the way.



Meanwhile, on a local level, blogger Gun Free Zone and his crew are discussing how to take out U.S. Army tanks...or maybe just break into military compounds and steal 'em.

DT on February 24, 2013 at 4:18 am said:

Or consider the fact that….. every military vehicle by military regulation must have the fuel tank filled before parked so it can be used in emergency at any time without notice. also that no military vehicles have key ignitions, they are all push button. The only thing securing a military vehicle is a gate at the motor pool and a chain and /or padlock on the vehicle. a pair of bolt cutters gets a person in the motor pool and in the vehicle. ammo however is another story, that shit is guarded. lovely thing about most military equipment, the manual is printed on the item from AT4s to Abrams driving seats.

Somewhere in a cave in Afghanistan, I'm sure the locals are having similar exchanges.



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The SFDB Editors

SFDB Editors are volunteers who select the SFDB Post of the Month and Post of the Year winners. They are also usually South Florida bloggers or people who are blogosphere savvy who want to participate in a process that promotes South Florida's blogging community. Because bloggers come and go or get involved in other projects that keep them busy, the Editors list is always changing.

Earlier this month, both Hello, I'm Scott and Foodalogue advised me that they would no longer be able to continue as SFDB Editors. First, I want to thank them for their assistance over the months and, in Scott's case, years. Secondly, I wanted to extend an invitation for any South Florida blogger or blog devotee who would like to be an Editor to respond in the comments of this post or you can send me an email at the address in the right sidebar.

Why not join these Editors in recognizing South Florida's best blogging...

Mike LaMonica
Carlos Miller
Eye on Miami [GoD]
South Florida Lawyers
Bark Bark Woof Woof
Sex and the Beach
Blind Mind
Tilefortlauderdale
Beached Miami
South Florida Food And Wine
Miami Beach 411
Obalesque
The Chowfather
HR Bartender
On Two Shores

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Sunday Start

[via]



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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

We're getting an early start to the day. Here's your Sunday morning Sift.

A- Fight photos at Nikon Miami.

B- Bark Bark Woof Woof reports in from his cars-only weekend.

We had a number of people come by to look over the car. The thing that made it for a lot of people was my 1991 Uniden bag phone that I put back in the car. It doesn’t work, but they still thought it was retro-cool.

C- Eye on Miami notes the Herald's work on the absentee ballot fraud issue.

It is great to see the Herald do the investigation and follow through that substantiates our belief that Miami-Dade county law enforcement could do more -- much more -- to thwart the subversion of democracy that continues, unabated, in Florida's most politically influential county.

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SFDB Saturday Night Turndown Service

Leave it to me as I find a way to be
Consider me a satellite, forever orbiting
I knew all the rules, but the rules did not know me
Guaranteed

Eddie Vedder, Guaranteed




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Your Evening Sift

Lots of Burger Bash talk in the blogosphere today, as you might expect. Enjoy your Saturday evening Sift.

A- Both Burger Beast and Eater Miami have Burger Bash round ups from last night. From the latter...

Last night at the 7th annual Burger Bash presented by Amstel Light and hosted by Rachael Ray at the South Beach Wine and Food Festival, Bobby Flay won big.

B- Obalesque posts some commentary of the FAU stadium naming controversy.

Think of the promotional shticks this creates, too. Picture the football team and cheerleaders in uniforms designed as prison garb — everything from traditional black stripes to ghetto-style crack-revealing baggy pants Phat! Bad ass!!

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IOKWYAR*

2003...

Radio stations nationwide are boycotting the Dixie Chicks, even though Maines publicly apologized for telling a London audience last Monday: "Just so you know, we're ashamed the president of the United States is from Texas."

Maines is a Lubbock native.

Rush Limbaugh, this week...

“Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time in my life, I am ashamed of my country,” he said on his radio program Thursday. “To be watching all of this, to be treated like this, to have my intelligence — all of us — to have our common sense and intelligence insulted the way it’s being, is — it just makes me ashamed.”

Limbaugh hasn't apologized and no one, especially those patriotic 2003 Republicans, is boycotting him for this statement.

Because that's the way is in the IOKWYAR* world.




*It's OK When You're A Republican





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Darwin Nods

From across the state...

ST. PETERSBURG — A young woman trying to make an evening snack ended up at the hospital Monday night after a round of ammunition exploded inside an oven, police said.

Eighteen-year-old Aalaya Walker just wanted some waffles.

What she didn't know was that her friend Javarski "JJ" Sandy, 25, had placed a magazine from his .45-caliber Glock 21 in the oven. It's unclear why he would do that.

The gun itself was inside a drawer, Sandy later told police.

Walker preheated the oven shortly after 9 p.m. She heard an explosion a short time later.

She picked fragments of at least one round from her chest and leg. She rode the bus to St. Anthony's Hospital, where she met with officers.

Just another casualty in the patriotic fight against tyranny in this country, I guess. Our well-regulated militia is suffering attacks from all sides, including The Stupid.

Maybe all these people buying guns in preparation for Obama coming by and taking them away is actually a good thing.

As Obalesque always maintains, we need the parking places.




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Miami's Magic

If you watched the Today Show yesterday morning then you saw the latest example of how the media continues to believe that Miami = Miami Beach. For people who live here, it's a glaring mistake that must cause the local tourist bureaus fits. Miami is "best known for its miles of beaches and bikinis?" Well, okay. Inaccurate but positive words are better than the opposite, I suppose.

The other glaring omission in this puff piece is the exclusion of anything, well, "real." The culture of Little Havana, Little Haiti, Overtown and Hialeah.  The gardens of Fairchild, the grandeur of the Deering Estate, the funkiness of the Grove, the vistas of Kendall...okay, maybe not that last one. But you know what I mean.

It's as if Miami/Miami Beach/South Florida is nothing but "miles of beaches and bikinis" and gold Lambos and multi-million dollar homes.

Which makes me realize that Miami truly is The Magic City, isn't it? When the media comes to town, 98% of South Florida disappears.

Vanishes.

Into thin air.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

[via Miami Condo Investments]



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Saturday Start

[via]



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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

Welcome to Saturday, readers. The SFDB Weekend Widget in the right sidebar was updated this morning and is ready for your review. So is your morning Sift. Enjoy.

A- Shorter Gun Free Zone...

Based upon the experience of Syrian civilian militants, I think we have a pretty good chance of killing U.S. soldiers who come to confront me and my pro-gun brothers.

B- Miami Condo Investment says they need help with their blogging.

Ideally, I’m looking for someone who is passionate about writing. The candidate should think of writing as an art form and must have excellent grammar skills. Having experience with blogging, photography, videography and/or search engine optimization helps but it is not required. I can teach those skills as needed to the right person. They must be a quick learner though. I will provide the writing assignments each day. Preferably, candidates will also share with me a passion for real estate and the city of Miami.

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SFDB Late Night Politics

The Colbert Report checks out FAU's GEO Stadium...

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

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Your Evening Sift

Let's get the weekend started with a decent Friday evening Sift. Here we go...

A- Nikon Miami captures some go-fast boats going fast.

B- Redland Rambles has your CSA share Week 13 for you.

C- Seagulls, lots of seagulls, at Hello, I'm Scott.

D- Unusual art in the Design District by artists who really could care less...at Salty Eggs.

Autumn Casey, an artist living in West Palm Beach who works often in Miami, hosted a show called “A competition of who can care the least” at the 3815 building off North Miami Court in the Design District, the most recent location of the nomadic gallery/roving event programmer SPRING BREAK. The show was an open call for artists (and non-artists) to submit work that fit the parameter outlined in the title.

E- Boy Writes Miami checks out Machiya in Midtown.

Overall, I’ll advocate it. The food was beyond my expectations, the service was pleasant, and they have a lot of cocktails and shit. It seems like a perfect first date spot, since you can go on the pretense of having a drink at the bar so you can duck out early if the other person is a walking cold sore, or move it over to a quick bite if your pheromones are compatible/you’re desperate.

F- Curbed Miami says a new project in Hallandale Beach called Beachwalk is appropriately named.

Hot on the heels of the sold out success of Related Group's 1100 Millecento, with interiors by italian sports car design firm Pininfarina, they've launched sales of a second luxury tower with Pininfarina looks up in Hallandale Beach called Beachwalk that's.. yep, not on the beach, but.. a walk to the beach.

G- Liam Crotty Photography has a dog that's looking for a home.



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Flashback Friday

1999...




American Beauty, End Scene



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SFDB Impressions: Scuola Vecchia Pizza e Vino

So I was up in Palm Beach County recently and decided to check out Scuola Vecchia Pizza e Vino on Atlantic Boulevard for lunch.

I'm not a food enthusiast and don't do the restaurant reviews that other food bloggers do, so I'll make this short and sweet: Good pizza, attentive service, fair price.

The place was absolutely dead when we walked in a little after noon on this weekday, which makes me wonder how they manage to pay their Atlantic Boulevard rent...but, then again, I haven't visited on the weekend when they're (hopefully) much busier. There was one other couple and one additional pair of customers the entire time we were there. And their website is under construction...although they maintain a Facebook presence.

Real pizza enthusiasts like The Chowfather and Worst Pizza have been very kind to them, so that's gotta count for something, right?

I just hope they stick around long enough so I can visit again.

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The Death Of Wynwood?

"The Death of Wynwood" is the name of a post penned this week by Big Time Jones at Measuring Miami that makes the case that as corporations move into the Design District and Wynwood, the death of Miami's hipster art enclave is imminent.

So while I am certainly ahead of myself, simultaneously, I am not. Adjacent to Wynwood, the Design District has added Louis Vuitton, Cartier, Dior, and Prada. Hello Design District. Goodbye Bal Harbor. (and its claustrophobia) Target lives alongside Loehmann’s, Supercuts, Foot Locker, and Subway in midtown Miami, also next to Wynwood, so can you hear the clock ticking yet? Hipsters, artists, and franchises do not mix!

I don't know about that.

But I do know that there's a Brickell Art Walk, a Grove Art Stroll, a Bird Road Art Walk, a brand new Little Haiti Sunday Stroll, and a renewed interest in Little Havana in the arts. All these locations stand ready to grow or absorb whatever outflow there is from Wynwood's possible transformation into something that is no longer attractive to the arts community.

Spinello Projects has already made the move out of the Design District and word on the street is that a couple other artists have vacated due to escalating rents. Is this the beginning of a change as Big Time appears to think it is or not much of anything?

What do think? And do you care?



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SFDB Friday Morning Start

It's South Beach Wine and Food Festival Weekend, in case you haven't heard yet.

Keeping that in mind, here's Chat Chow TV talking to the very Type A Fontainebleau Executive Chef Thomas Connell about his role in managing the festival's Best of the Best event and overall Fontainebleau restaurant operations.






[via Soul of Miami]



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The Cooler

There's a surprising lack of any interesting news this morning. This is all I could round up for you.

A- Palm Beach Post: Editorial, armed officers in schools.

The Palm Beach County School Board is right go slow in deciding whether to put armed police officers in every elementary school. Doing so would cost an estimated $7 million a year, and the benefit is not clear.

[...]

An armed officer might — might — have killed the shooter and lowered the death toll. The fear for policymakers is publicly opposing the addition of armed officers if someone later shoots up a school. Spending millions and millions year after year supposedly to counter such a threat, however, is not the best policy.

Smart restrictions on weapons and ammunition would protect children not just in schools but in their homes and on the streets. No amount of gun control will stop all atrocities. Neither will turning schools into armed fortresses. Debate about stationing armed officers in elementary schools means less talk and less pressure to deal with the wider issue of firearm violence.

B- Palm Beach Post: When you've lost Rick Scott...

Washington — President Barack Obama’s health care law had no more vocal critic than Gov. Rick Scott. His state led the legal challenge to the Affordable Care Act, filed minutes after Obama signed it into law. Scott had a personal stake in its failure, too. He founded a group called Conservatives for Patients’ Rights to oppose the law before he was governor. And after he became the state’s chief executive, Scott famously declared Obamacare was not the law of the land.

But on Wednesday, Scott dropped the mantle of chief opponent and agreed to a three-year expansion of the Medicaid program. It was a crucial victory for the Obama administration, eager to bring a big-state Republican on board. Sweeter yet because Scott seemed to so relish his role during cable TV appearances as fiercest opponent.

Scott’s reversal makes him the seventh and highest-profile Republican governor to agree to expand the program. Analysts say the reshaped Medicaid could provide health insurance to an additional one million poor Floridians.

“It is not a white flag of surrender to government-run healthcare,” Scott said in announcing his decision. Instead he called it a “compassionate, common sense step forward.”

C- WSVN: Video, South Beach Wine and Food Festival kicks off.




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Your Morning Sift

Good morning.

Welcome to Friday, readers. The SFDB Weekend Widget is waiting for you in the right sidebar and we're ready to being the best day of the week. Here's your morning Sift.

A- It's all about the cars this weekend for Bark Bark Woof Woof.

This weekend is the national winter meet of the Antique Automobile Club of America in Lakeland, Florida, and the Pontiac has been entered in the Driver Participation Class. This is its first official show as an antique, and while it will not be judged and accorded points for restoration, it will be evaluated for its overall condition and authenticity; which, if I may say so (and thanks in large part to the good people at A Auto Tech), is pretty damn good.

B- Carlos Miller is considering hanging it up unless he can find a way to make his blog profitable.

I want nothing more than to continue running this site, but I would like it to make enough money where I could hire a staff writer or two to really increase the quality of content.

But I need to make a living. I need to survive. I need to pay off debts and build up savings.

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SFDB Late Night Politics

Jon Stewart tears John McCain a new one for his hypocrisy...

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

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Your Evening Sift

The SFDB Weekend Widget has been modified today and we're getting in the weekend mode. Hope you are, too. Here's your evening Sift.

A- South Florida's extreme right-wing blogosphere, represented by Gun Free Zone and Babalu Blog [via Google], have posts today that boldly suggest that they are ready to go to war against the U.S. government and their fellow Americans. From the former...

This administration and some extra gamers are playing with fire…and that is not a pun. My particular opinion is that they do want a confrontation and they are thinking they will win it. Not that they might, should or pretty sure they will: They have the absolute conviction that they will come on top and reign over the ashes.

As one who has seen the same script played before with the results they expect to achieve, I must warn that this is not some banana republic or middle east camel pissoir where the local strongman huffs and puffs and people run scared.

In this country, people will shoot back.

Accurately.

B- Eye on Miami questions the patriotism of the Tea Party movement.

C- IL Bellagio Italian Restaurant's pizza is below average, according to Worst Pizza.

Il Bellagio, if you are going to continue to serve pizzas like the one you served me, you might want to consider taking this food item off your menu. I was disappointed to say the least. This pizza could have been much better if the server paid attention and ordered my pie well done. Not sure if it was the servers fault, or the pizza maker, but there was an apparent disconnect.

D- Burger Beast lists his favorite comfort food spots in Miami-Dade.

E- Eat It, Miami eliminates Yelp from his diet.

So here's what I propose, since I am a strong advocate of Gandhi's "Be the change you wish to see in the world." Like, if you hate when people drive recklessly, drive cautiously. You hate litter? Don't litter and pick up trash when you see it. Easy enough? If we all do that, we will have a better world. So, you don't think Yelp's bullsh*t is fair? Don't use Yelp. Don't post reviews and don't check it for suggestions.

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