September 3, 2006
| -ist Best of the Week
Celebrate Ben Franklin's 300th birthday with the Bikini Bandits and Phillyist! (NSFW). Speaking of Mr. Franklin, send in a picture of Ben (or Ed Rendell) with a red tongue and win a free t-shirt. And they might have the next YearlyKos in Philly.You know who's going to be upset about those Bikini Bandits? The Houston school system. Houstonist also reports on some redevelopment shenanigans over a landmark theater.
LAist's sex advice column on keeping your threeways safe. Also, some lovely photos of the Summer Junction street fair, and why reporter Daniel Hernandez left the LA Times for the LA Weekly.
Bostonist picks songs for Patriots touchdowns, plans for the next terror drill, and drinks the most out of all the -Ists! Love that dirty water!
Austinist might be getting a new MTV reality show -- about their local water park. Meet local artist Michelle O'Marah, and celebrate 20 years of the Don't Mess With Texas slogan.
Chicagoist checks out new alt-grocery store Sunflower (pictured at right), discusses Starbucks's plans to open 250 new stores in the area, and sympathizes with a guy thrown off a commuter train in Indiana 150 miles from home, just for bringing on a bike.
Speaking of Starbucks in Chicago, Seattlest notes that one is unionizing. In other Starbucks news, if you saw that notice about coupons not being honored after "email abuse" while getting your venti latte the other day too, here's the lowdown. In non-caffeine news, Seattle is proud to have punked the media with a fake EBay sale of a Britney Spears corndog.
SFist spent most of the week freaked out about the guy running over pedestrians in his SUV. In happier news, they did also go check out the penguin parade at the zoo.
Gothamist goes through the Columbia tunnels, wonders whether you'd pay $5 billion for 10 East Village city blocks, and checks in on everyone's favorite Whole Foods employee, Bill. Also -- has anyone seen Dinosaur Jr.'s stage gear? (We'd blame Lou Barlow, except his stuff was stolen too.)
Shanghaiist reports on this crazy, possibly fake Sex and Shanghai blog, which has gotten a number of Chinese men worked up about insults to their national character. And hey, Jay Z might be coming to town.
Londonist stops by the British Library, notices that the New York Times has blocked articles about the alleged London bomb plot from publication in the UK, and relates the ongoing saga of Spongebob the kidnapped monkey. So cute!
Torontoist reports on their own version of that guy on the Upper East Side who blew up his house so his wife couldn't get it, in Mississauga. Cool orange signs in Koreatown, and Absolut graffitis up the Toronto sidewalks.
and DCist finds the DC Punk Rock Tour! DC also wants another Trader Joe's. Finally, we always find the Overhead in DCs entertaining.
Your -ist compiler: SFist Rita. Pics (from top to bottom) by: Caroline Clough, Tony Pierce, SFist Emily, the BBC
August 26, 2006
-ist Best of The Week
If it weren't for our life as an -ist, we're not sure we'd ever leave our apartment. Fortunately, to fully -ist, one must seek out the new, the fresh, and the unknown. Brand new, or just new to us, that's what we're all about this week.
Phillyist keeps it fresh by getting a new motto, learning to prioritize, and taking in an experimental indie rock show.
Torontoist does their first post in franglais, gets ready for all sorts of new movies at the Toronto International Film Festival, and takes a look at Toronto's newest online lad mag.
Shanghaiist takes a little Shanghai language lesson, learns about respected sex researcher Li Yinhe, and gets LeBron James a new name.
LAist gives us a new procrastination tool, reports on a Smithers-overlooking new GLAAD study, and went to see a new movie you might have heard of.
Gothamist attends a city meeting to debate the new Atlantic Yards development project, interviews two guys attempting to set a new subway endurance record, and tries some appealing alternatives to Sauvignon Blanc.
DCist heralds the opening of the new Rock and Roll Hotel, learns how to make Kati Rolls, and posts a youth-penned opinion piece on the city's new curfew.
Houstonist checked out some teacher ratings sites, reported on the plan to turn the Astrodome into a massive new hotel, and hit a new low.
SFist tried out life as a tourist, made new friends at their second birthday party, and learned how tough it is to ride the bus with kids.
Austinist reports that Emo's, Austin's beloved rock club, is opening a new branch in Las Vegas, welcomes a new columnist, NPR's Laurie Gallardo, and tells us the tale of the man who wanted a new TV, but didn't want to pay for it.
Seattlest rounds out our parade of the new info and fresh experiences with a god-fearin' story so old it's new again. They also unveil a new eBay scam, and try taking the train from Seattle to Portland.
Soul Bar photo by Phillyist Star Foster, Quackers photo by SFist Jessica Longo
Links compiled by SFist Eve "I don't like it unless it's (brand new)" Batey
August 20, 2006
-ist Best of The Week
Breaking the law, breaking the law We -ist folks love us some crime, and no misdemeanor is too petty for a post on any of our sites. This week, join us for a rogues' gallery of miscreants major, minor, and alleged.
Gothamist gets us started with "Law & Order", muppet style. Oh, you know what isn't a crime? Taking pictures on the MTA. So, why are cops stopping photographers? In other Gotham crime, a group of Asian men was attacked by a group of white guys in Queens. Finally, Boy George reports for his court mandated community service. Sweet.
Londonist brings us the tale of poor Bob Hoskins, shaken at his near-miss with terrorists. Meanwhile, Interpol sweeps in to reclaim a lost Peruvian artifact. Then, there's the slasher who claims he got his weapon from President Bush. Ouch!
Phillyist's bus system, SEPTA, is fighting crime in a whole new way, and it would be a crime in and of itself for you not to read this story about Oreo the cat. Oh, and can we agree that requesting "Piano Man" at a piano bar should be illegal?
Torontoist's thorough coverage of the XVI International AIDS Conference, doesn't fit into the "crime" theme, but it's too great to pass up. But we're back on track with their post on bike rack vulnerability and an interview with a controversial crime fighter.
DCist brings us a murder that gets more mysterious by the day, and we're considering a life of crime ourselves, if it'll allow us to dine out like DCist. And if it's not illegal to sell soiled mattresses, it should be.
SFist muses on the negligent behavior of a public transit employee, covered the questionable confession of a man arrested for the murder of JonBenet Ramsey, and delineated the highway robbery that is the Bay Area real estate market.
Shanghaiist brings us this video of "one of the worst cover bands we have seen in China", which isn't illegal, but should be. We're unclear on the legal status of an "invisible monster cock", and we'd prefer to stay that way. Price gouging on drinks is a criminal act, in our opinion.
Chicagoist gets thrown in the hoosgow by readers who hate the Annual Air & Water Show. Should bottle service be illegal? Chicagoist's commenters debate that, too. And the criminally overdiscussed (and we say this even as we trotted this out as a theme last week) SOAP gets the Chicagoist commenter treatment, as well.
LAist exposes the questionable ethics of Accepted's marketing, tells us how to make the criminally tasty Moscow mule, and creates a criminal amount of garbage.
Houstonist blows us away with the announcement that they wear pantyhose. Someone call the fashion police! Houston's city council takes a bite out of shoddy newspaper rack crime. The only real criminals in Houston seem to be flying roaches. (No, not those kind.)
Those miscreants at Bostonist take their shot at our newest public enemy number one, Mel Gibson. Public enemy number two? Gold bricking spammers. Number three? Bad mergers.
Seattlest gets a photo of missing person Bettie Page, breaks some laws of their own by getting "drunk on clandestine vodka, and yell(ing) at passing cars." When is domestic violence kinda understandable? Now.
Austinist's lovable rogues tell us about issues in their state's gubernatorial race, eagerly anticipate the arrival of the criminally hilarious Onion, and bemoan the firing of a teacher who committed the crime of (gasp!) partial nudity.
Links compiled by SFist Eve "Diversion Program Success Story" Batey
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August 8, 2006
Peruvian Bliss
Red wood chairs, bamboo placemats and smaller tables tempt diners to enjoy a leisurely meal outdoors, while elegant masks, jugs and other artifacts reminiscent of the ancient Inca Empire, a vital part of Peruvian ancestry, sit in pyramid style nooks inside the restaurant.
El Gran Inka, 606 Crandon Blvd., is one of six franchised restaurants in Costa Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador and most recently, Key Biscayne. The Peruvian grill is owned and run by husband and wife team Claudia Carrillo and Jorge Vega.
“In Peru, it is very important the food,” says Peru born Vega. “It’s like a ceremony, if you ask a Peruvian ‘what do you miss the most?’ he will say the food.”
While Peruvian food is no new comer to Miami, much of what is available is Peruvian inspired or fusions of several types of South American cuisines. El Gran Inka brings its chefs from Le Cordon Bleu, the top culinary school in Peru, making this hot spot as authentic as it can get.
The menu is extensive and offers everything from the popular Ceviche de Mariscos, seabass, octopus, shrimp and squid marinated in lemon juice and garlic, to filet mignon to Aji de Gallina, slices of chicken prepared with a creamy sauce of nuts and parmesan cheese. There is also a small section with Chino Peruana, or Peruvian Chinese food due to the large Asian population of Peru.
Prices are reasonable especially for a seafood heavy menu. Appetizers range from $5.95 to $13.95 and the average entrée is less than $16. The Parrilla Gran Inca is the priciest option on the menu, but feeds two and includes beef, chicken, and seafood including fresh lobster and jumbo shrimp for $69.95.
El Gran Inka doesn’t have a liquor license, but the wine list offers two Peruvian wines and several other South American wines from Chile and Argentina. Bottle prices range from $25 to $320 for a Bordeaux, Chateau Mouton Rothschild. Cusquena, Peruvian beer is also available, but be sure not to miss the non alcoholic Peruvian drink specialties; Inca Cola and Chicha Morada.
The fluorescent yellow Inca Cola tastes like bubble gum and is more popular than Coca Cola in Peru. Chicha Morada is a refreshing deep purple colored juice made from purple corn, pineapple water, cinnamon, lemon and apple chunks that tastes like a combination of pomegranate juice and licorice.
The presentation is picture perfect almost making the fare too charming to eat.
Each element of the Piqueo Marino, a seafood dish with several types of ceviche meant to be shared, is arranged in individual shells placed delicately next to each other and garnished with subtly marinated red onions which compliment the cuisine.
The octopus in the Piqueo Marino is served with a delicate olive cream sauce, which matches the texture of the octopus and is not to be missed. The queen seabass ceviche is cured in lime and cilantro making it tender and delicate; a great choice for a light lunch.
Several other dishes are also great for sharing. The Ronda Criolla platter combines tenderloin, beef heart brochettes, deep fried chicken, pork and Peruvian corn called Tamalitos, a mealy, less structured version of polenta.
Even with the large portion size, you will want to save room for dessert.
The Suspiro a la Limena, reduction of milk, with a touch of port wine and meringue arrives in a parfait dish filled with a yellow custard topped with miniature white peaks and sprinkled cinnamon; a surprisingly light and creamy dessert which coats taste buds in a sweet/tart blanket.
While El Gran Inka isn’t a great choice if you are looking for a quick bite, the service is friendly, but the wait staff is still trying to work out the kinks, overall the eatery brings a very authentic slice of Peru to Key Biscayne.
El Gran Inka offers one menu for both lunch and dinner and is open Sunday through Wednesday from 12-10 p.m. and Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 12-11 p.m. Reservations are accepted, but are not typically necessary. Take out is also available.
Photo Credit: Flickr.com
August 6, 2006
-Ist Best of the Week
Even as the stores sport back to school sales (which depress us, even now), summer lingers on your friends the -ists. This week's collection of links provides some of the best, worst, and oddest bits of summer fun. So, bring your laptop up onto the roof, make yourself an umbrella drink or ten, and enjoy this week's choice posts from across the Gothamist network.
Torontoist (where it's 75 degrees F as of this writing) is keeping things cool this summer, nudity and blood optional. Less cool are the comments in this post about a hipster auctioning off crap so she can buy a house. And no summer would be complete without the twin guilty pleasures of crap dining and crap TV: get them both with Torontoist's interview with "Rockstar: Supernova" star Lucas Rossi and a look at the safety ratings of some of Toronto's favorite greasy spoons.
Phillyist (88 degrees) has plenty to say about the most summery of sports, baseball. If baseball's not your cup of tea, there's always indoor sports.
We don't even want to think about how hot it must be for our pals at Austinist (99 degrees, ugh!), but it's only 59 degrees in Budapest, where local Chuck Norris might have a bridge named after him. Guess they'll be watching reruns of "Walker, Texas Ranger" on one big-ass TV.
Londonist (66 degrees) celebrates the season with some public sex. Then again, maybe the drive to mate whenever, wherever is less a function of the season and more a reaction to London's SEVERE terror threat level. Fortunately, Patrick Swayze is there to save the day.
Shanghaiist's (82 degrees) comments get even hotter than Torontoist's, with their post on China's recent mass slaughter of dogs. But, hey, how about that perennial summertime treat, BBQ (that may or may not be from Yao Ming)? OK, so they may not have good BBQ, but they sure do know how to keep public transportation cool as the temp climbs.
SFist's (74 degrees) police blotter is definitely crazy from the heat, with the arrests of a person named "Penisimani" and a former The News member. They also try to get their mayor a summer fling. And though it's too hot to think of costumes right now, San Francisco continues to wrestle with a possible Halloween cancellation.
Bostonist (73 degrees) takes us to the best summer vacation spot ever, our misspent youth. MTV's 25th birthday inspired them to bring us long-forgotten gems from local groups NKOTB, New Edition (oh, poor Bobby Brown!) and Aerosmith.
Though summer for Miamist (87 degrees) can also mean dangerous weather, we're happy to see that Hurricane Chris has been declared dead. Speaking of being declared dead (or not), did you know that Fidel Castro's sister lives a quiet life in Miami? Oh, and speaking of controversial leaders, President Bush was in town.
Seattlest (81 degrees) is preoccupied with summer distractions like baseball and air shows (check out the comments on that one). They also defend a beloved summer treat and protect us from the mojitos at Havana.
Over at LAist (78 degrees) it's always summer. That's why, when they tell us to take LAist with a grain of salt we respond "there's more than one grain of salt on the margarita we're drinking, baby!" Or maybe we're just newly motivated?
DCist's (88 degrees) post on new seating configurations on Metro inspired comments as hot as DC itself. Hey, folks, if things are that bad, maybe it's time for the Low Car Diet? A steak on the grill just smells like summer to us, but Charlie Palmer Steak isn't DCist's first choice or this classic summer meal.
Chicagoist (83 degrees) has the summer music fests down cold, with Lollapalooza coming to town and crazy intensive coverage of the Pitchfork Music Festival.
You know how it's so hard to get to sleep when it's hot out? Houstonist (90 degrees) tells us about one guy who seems blissfully free of problems like that, as he parked his car on the freeway to grab 40 winks. They also get hot under the collar about the proposed demolition of a local landmark (and have the highly popular petition to prove it!) Oh, and when we mean "the collar", we mean the one at the top of a shirt, don't be gross!
Videos pulled from YouTube by Bostonist's adorably nostalgic staff
Links compiled by SFist Eve "It's gettin' hot in here (so hot)/So take off all your clothes" Batey
July 31, 2006
Inivisibility, Wait What?
Usually one of the seven Yahoo In The News stories catches our attention, but we can't recall a story as cool and startling as this one in a long time. Squashed between the "Russian Oil Spill Catastrophe" headline and the "Israeli: PM No Cease Fire" headline is a story titled, "Scientist Thinks Invisibility Possible in Future." There was almost an apprehension to read more because the title alone sent our minds racing eight steps ahead.
Not to steal the thunder from the article, but basically Dr Ulf Leonhardt, a theoretical physicist at St Andrews University in Scotland, believes invisibility although still theoretical is a real possibility. He draws on the comparison of the Marvel Comic character, Invisible Woman.
"What the Invisible Woman does is curve space around herself to bend light. What these devices would do is to mimic that curved space. There are advances being made in metamaterials that mean the first devices will probably be used for bending radar waves or the electromagnetic waves used by mobile phones," he said. The devices could be used as protection mechanisms so the radiation emitted from mobile phones does not penetrate electronic equipment. It is guided around it.
How cool is that?
July 23, 2006
- ist Best of The Week
We -ists are an eclectic bunch, but there's a couple of things we all love: famous people, social causes, and wacky local facts. Join us as we gossip, get virtuous, and learn across the -ist network!
Austinist starts us off right by filling the famous person quota by interviewing Lewis Black, covers the social cause with a non-profit car sharing company, and gives us more wacky local facts than we can handle with Austin by the Numbers. So far, so good!
Torontoist's famous person is a strangely dykey Wayne Gretzky, their cause is hate (they're against it), and their fact: their National Film Board makes some wackily great animation.
Will Seattlest keep up the theme? Guess that depends on whether or not you think the Seattle Supersonics still count as famous if they're decamping to Oklahoma. The social issue they take on is the trouble at Seattle's LiveJournal community (check out the comments!), and they got the wackiest ever local facts off Google.
Bostonist brings us a picture of their arguably famous Governor doing something vulgar looking (we love that his name is "Mitt"!) , they recommend a wacky local-fact filled webcast, and the social cause for one interviewee is MassPirg canvassers (he's against them!).
SFist sinks especially low by considering an Amazing Race winner famous enough to mention. Of all the social causes in San Francisco, the one that garners the most comments this week is sidewalk cafes, and their local fact is that they, themselves, are a wacky two years old!
Phillyist's famous folks are themselves, as they celebrate a birthday of their own! Their social cause is scary cars, and they have wacky local facts galore in the comments to these posts.
LAist's Little Loca isn't that famous yet, but she's a big star to us. Their cause is rejected CitySearch reviews (if you click on one link today, click on that one, it's really freakin funny). Their local fact: In Hollywood, "There's more than enough schadenfreude to go around."
Shanghaiist is all over the undeniably famous Black Eyed Peas. In the not always gay friendly atmosphere of Shanghai, Shanghai Fag Hag bravely advances the social cause of their gay/lesbian community, Hooray! And they serve up a bunch of local music facts (watch that video for the wacky part).
Houstonist Alexandra tops their list of famous -- or, at least, most popularly named folks. They mock a local TV station's report on a "new" social cause, but, hey, maybe that's what causing the seriously wacky local fact that Houston has somehow become the third-slimmest city in the country.
Londonist corners the market on bad ass famous people with this piece on an Iron Maiden member's humanitarian efforts. Their social cause is (no we're not kidding) wanking, and their wacky local facts center around their Great Eastern Walk.
Gothamist takes on the sartorial foibles of their famous mayor. Who isn't concerned about the social cause of bad plastic surgery (they're against it!)? Oh, and here are some wacky local facts you won't find in the guidebooks -- their drinking water is dirty and their subway's full of poo.
Miamist gets double famous person points for their piece on a notorious criminal whose life will be made into a film. But will they shoot that movie in Miami, given the social issue of hurricanes endangering shoots in the area? And this seems like a wacky local fact to us -- Soho house is building a club in Miami? But what about those hurricanes?
Chicagoist's most famous local, Oprah, is not gay. Speaking of powerful women, Chicagoist Rachelle lends herself to the women in blogging cause. If you can't make it to BlogHer, how about learing some of those wacky local facts at Chicagoist's private El tour?
DCist's extensive coverage of the Capital Fringe Festival contains more famous people than we can list here. They take on the social issue of transportation funding. And (in our final and absolute favorite link of the week) here's a wacky local fact for you: someone doesn't want DCist to write about Baltimore any more.
Images by Bostonist Josh Michtom
Links compiled by SFist Eve "My Favorite Famous Person Is Jen Chung" Batey
July 11, 2006
July 9, 2006
-ist Best of The Week
Torontoist immediately wins our heart by using the word "Jackass" in a headline. In fact, we love their use of it so much that we're going to use it as much as possible throughout this post. For example, it looks like there are Toronto-area jackasses besides those who misuse the sidewalk: look at the crap on sale on Toronto's craigslist. But it looks like Toronto doesn't contain the kind of jackasses who pee in public pools, as the issue never came up when they interviewed the creators of art installations in their public wading pools.
We're sure that Chicagoist's local jackass, Richard Roper, wonders where he'll see normally-sized women if Taste of Chicago gets all fancy. Maybe at the Church of Wicca? But why does Roper remain in Chicago, while greats like Thax move on? We blame Michael McDonald
It's like Houstonist planned a continuation of our jackass theme with the passing of Ken Lay. Maybe. That jackass Lay made our once-healthy 401K plummet to mere pennies, which is funny since they might be getting rid of said currency. And was Hampstead 5-0 auditioning for "Jackass" when they set off a bunch of grenades for fun?
Even if those Texas cops weren't "Jackass" contenders, Miamist's Chipper The Miracle Cat sure is. Kids, don't try sleeping in a wood chipper at home! Oh, and you know what always makes us act like a jackass? A crapload of blow. No really, it does! And what jackass doesn't love to do a bunch of rails and then take a scenic drive?
We're not going to make any jackassy jokes at all about Seattlest, because we have all the love in the world for Seattlest Dan, who has just stepped down from compiling this post. And he's getting married! Mazel tov, Dan! The Seattle love fest continues with Neko Case, whom you might even say that Seattlest has flipped for. OK, not really. But we're flipping for the debate in the comments on this post on alleged police brutality at Critical Mass.
Shanghaiist gets us back on the jackass train with posts on discrimination in bars and Crocs. The posts are great, and the comments are even better. Check them out! While you're over there, take a look at their post on Belinker -- those jackasses have totally ripped off Dodgeball!
We hate the jackasses we have to deal with when we go see films at our local metroplex, which is why we're so happy to see LAist give some love to the Vista Theatre. As we wait in line for the movies, we'll daydream about the day LA blog LGF has a headline like "Gothamist's Jake Dobkin is a Jackass.". And we're reminded of our fearless leader yet again as we check out the comments on this post. Go get 'em, Tony!
Bostonist's Jon Petitt said it way better than we ever could when he told us "There's just something about the oldest subway system in the US in a city steeped (that's a tea pun) in history that we just can't figure out how to leave the tokens behind and go with the smart card system - maybe it's all because they named the card after a guy who was stuck on the subway for years because he didn't have exit fare." What's that jackass talking about? Find out here. Then we're reminded of two things we haven't considered since childhood: fireworks and church.
SFist gets down and dirty at the Matthew Barney retrospective, and revels in the "Jackass"esque triumph of a Bay Area man in the Coney Island Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Competition (See Gothamist's fascinating posts on the event, as well). Jeez, the only way we could come close to eating that much of anything is if we smoked a bunch of weed.
Gothamist reminds us why our parents worried when our jackass brother moved to New York with this story on random cordless reciprocating saw violence. God, what is it with all the police as jackass posts we have this week? Gothamist's is on cops drawing on a balloon artist. Maybe our parents should worry less about New York and more about the cops, huh? It makes firefighters' frustration with packrats seem comparatively benign. Less benign is rum, which brings out the jackass in all of us. In sports, David Wright is the new hottness, replacing Derek Jeter, who is apparently very, very old. Speaking of old, check out the comments on this post on possible management changes at Rocketboom. You crazy kids and your internet television! What'll those jackasses think of next?
Who knew that Farm Aid was still going on? Phillyist, that's who! Meanwhile, Lauren McCut helps us look less like jackasses with her new book. Not that it matters how we appear, as Philly is a ghost town.
Austinist went to see local boy Richard Linklater's new film A Scanner Darkly, but while they sit on their jackasses watching movies, a local personal trainer preps for a 12-hour treadmill run for charity. We're afraid to call either SOUNDTeam or Pitchfork jackasses after reading this post, so we suggest you read it yourself and make your own decision.
DCist shamelessly panders to Gothamist founder Jen Chung's obsessions with a celebration of their panda's "one-year of cuteness". We totally feel like jackasses for not thinking of this, first. But of course DC is partying -- the mayor is out of town! A lot. We also have to ask "what kind of jackass plays elephant polo?" We apologize in advance if a career in that sport is what has DCist's co-editor, Ryan Avent, stepping down. Finally, DCist readers share their post official fireworks experiences. You'll be shocked to discover that many of them involve...jackasses.
Images by Phillyist's Star C. Foster
Links compiled by SFist Eve "Jackass" Batey
July 7, 2006
Miamist New Features
Today we get to introduce you to a bunch of new features and gadgets. Head on over to Miamist Labs and we’ll walk you though everything. The first new page is Miamiist Labs: Contribute. This is what you can do there:
Share Links: Using popular bookmarking website del.icio.us, you can tell other Miamist readers about news stories, websites and other wonderful stuff on the internet that you think they might find interesting, entertaining or useful. All you have to do is tag a link with for Miamist and it will automatically appear on our Contribute page. For information on how to get started, visit del.icio.us.
Share Photos: Any photo you tag with Miamist on Flickr, our favorite photo sharing website, will automatically appear on this page, as well.
Share an Anonymous Tip: Is a car accident blocking traffic on I-95? Is Zara having a big sale? Did you have inside scoop on the upcoming swimsuit fashion week? Let Miamist readers know!
The second new page is called Miamist Labs: Favorites. Here is what goes on there:
Most Recommended: The left column on this page ranks recent Miamiist posts by the number of “recommendations” they have received. How does a post receive recommendations? Good question. Check out the image at bottom of this post — you will see that every post on Shanghaiist now has a “Recommend this!” link at the bottom. If you click on that link, that means you recommend that post to other Miamist readers. Simple as that.
Most Commented: This is kind of self-explanatory. In this column, recent Miamist posts will be ranked by the number of comments they have received. One other relatively new feature you may not have noticed: At the bottom of each post you will find a link that looks like [+]. This is our Linkage button. Place your cursor over that and you’ll see links to popular link-sharing sites del.icio.us, digg, Yahoo!, MyWeb and Technorati. If you liked the story you just read, use those links to share it with the rest of the global virtual community.
All of these Miamist Labs features can be found in teaser boxes on the left column of every page on the site, as well.
Enjoy! And let us know what you think.
Chipper The Miracle Cat Is Still Holding On
If cats have nine lives, this little guy used up eight and a half of his. Struggling to stay alive, but hanging on with every whisker, Chipper the cat had a run in with a wood chipper. The incident occurred at the end of June when the kitten decided to take a nap in the machine. Workers were unaware of Chipper's presence and turned the machine on. Amazingly, Chipper lived although his neck and legs were broken and he suffered severe head injuries. He was taken to the cat sanctuary where he received surgery. According to local10.com, the sanctuary has received over 800 emails wishing the kitty a quick recovery. There were also about 100 people who offered to adopt Chipper once he is feeling better.
July 5, 2006
Fun With Parking
Parking in Miami is rough. If you are lucky enough to come across some poor sap who is giving up that perfect parking spot, you better hope to have some quarters (using nickels and dimes is like trying to fill up a bottomless pit). We do have to give the parking machines some credit. They are a vast improvement to the old meter method - when they work. With the parking situation as great as it is one would wonder how a new facility with a maximum capacity of 4,820 would do.
The Miami Performing Arts Center is scheduled to open in October. Self parking lots are available, but they are three blocks away from the center. As The Miami Herald pointed out, what could be more sophisticated than trudging along three blocks in the hot humid air in a tuxedo or long gown? And what happens when it rains? Luckily, the MPAC has struck a deal with the Miami-Dade County School system to use their lots under a two year contract. Several hundred spots have been reserved for valet parking which will cost $20 as opposed to the self parking fee of $15.
While we appreciate the effort, theatre tickets aren't cheap and neither is the parking. We'll be hailing a cab.
Photo Credit: Flickr
June 30, 2006
Getting Ready For The 4th
A tropical wave may make Superman a hit at the box office this weekend, but things should be cleared up for the July 4th holiday. There are plenty of activities scheduled including everything from traditional fireworks to live bands and tennis tournaments. Below are just a few options for this weekend should you choose to take out the parkas and brave the rain. For more detailed information and ideas for the 4th, check out The Miami Herald Web Site.
What: Red, White & Blue at Vizcaya: Performances by Rob Base and DJ EZ Rock and Martha Wash. Gourmet barbecue and a fireworks show
When: 8 p.m.-midnight July 1
Where: Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, 3251 S. Miami Ave.
Price: $85, $70 in advance; $60, $45 in advance for Vizcayan members; Boat pass to dock your boat $25 per boat foot (space permitting).
Info: 305-856-4866, www.vizcayans.org
What: Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove: Poolside party features music by a DJ and an a la carte menu (chicken wings, beef burgers, vegetarian burgers and hot dogs)
When: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. July 1-2
Where: Ritz-Carlton, 3300 SW 27th Ave.
Price: $8-$18.
Info: 305-644-4680
What: Miami Seaquarium's Red, White & Blue BBQ. Country music singers Shadow Creek and The Chase, prizes and a barbecue
When: 9:30 a.m.-6 p.m. July 1-2
Where: Miami Seaquarium, 4400 Rickenbacker Cswy.
Price: $31.95, $24.95 ages 3-9
Info: 305-361-5705
Photo Credit: Flickr
June 29, 2006
Mercy or Murder?
Mama Kitty is dead and her killer has been acquitted. Just what is going on with people and their animals in South Florida these days?
A tearful Michael Stueve, a heavy equipment operator with firearm experience, told the jury yesterday that he had shot his pet cat Mama Kitty as an act of love. According to The Miami Herald, Stueve told the jury that the cat had been acting anti-social lately and that her health was in decline. A veterinarian confirmed that the cat did have a heart and skin condition, however these conditions were treatable. Stueve admits that he was drinking before and after the shooting, but mostly after to help with the pain of losing his beloved pet.
The jury found Stueve not guilty in 30 minutes. He was being charged with animal cruelty. According to the Florida animal cruelty law, owners can kill their pets ''in a humane and proficient manner'' if they are suffering or near death and cannot be treated. If convicted, Stueve could have faced up to five years in prison.