Miamist

Everglades Boundary At Dusk

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-09-03T14:47:22-04:00

-ist Best of the Week

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-09-03T14:45:45-04:00

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

-ist Best of The Week

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-26T19:49:04-04:00

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

-ist Best of The Week

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-20T16:43:18-04:00

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

Willie Williams Headed to- Where?

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-15T12:08:54-04:00

Former UM Linebacker Willie Williams is transferring to Pearl River Community College in Mississippi. If you are scratching your head, join the crowd. Willie Williams who left the team in July expected to get some attention from powerhouse programs, but his troubled past (11 arrests before UM) may have played a role in the lack of commitment from a major program. Pearl River a perennial powerhouse among junior colleges, won the 2004 NJCAA championship and is the number one ranked team in this year's preseason polls.

Photo Credit: Pearl River Comm. College

-Ist Best of the Week

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-13T23:25:26-04:00

God, we're so sick of Snakes on a Plane that we want to kill anyone and everyone that makes a "something on a something" joke. But then we realized that there was no way we could ever win this fight, and, hell, if you can't beat them, we might as well join them. And with that, you have the theme of this weeks' Gothamist network post.

Austinist makes it easy for us, with Candidate on a Civic Building, Blank on a Blank, and Penguins on a Freeway (warning: sad).

Can we force SFist into our Noun in a Noun box? Hell, yeah! We got us a Geek on a Laptop, Tomatoes on a Plate, and the A's on a Tear.

Phillyist brings us Rocky on a Set of Stairs (or not), Cold Towels on a Phillyist and NOLA Benefit on a Thursday.

We always look forward to Shanghaiist's links, and this week is no exception as one of our favorite -ist columnists, Shanghai Fag Hag Tiffany, tells us about Pandas on a Night Out. Stick around for Wild Animals on a Limited Lease, an Ass-Kicking on a Shanghai Street and a Vandal on a Rampage.

Oh, no! It's Weed on a Listserv! DCist also features Logo on a Boob, Left Side Standers on a S**tlist, Jonathan R. Rees on a Furlough From The Nuthouse, Commenters on a Break, and Threats on a Sign.

What does LAist have for us? Oh, there's Dogg on a Mike, a Novel on a Generation, Animal Style on a Double Double, and Crazy Boots on a Bunch of People.

Houstonist is full of Houstonny goodness, what with Questionable Sentiments on a Wall, Metro Plans on a Table (from which they can, apparently, never be removed), Penguins on a Freeway Again (warning: still sad), and Dixie Chicks on a Shortened Tour.

Seattlest does a public service by pointing out some Confusion on a Child Molester's Identity, rocks out to Pirates on a Stage, sees Beckham on a US Tour, and folks flying out of Sea-Tac (hahahahaha) Wait on a Plane.

Oh, Torontoist, why so cranky? They Hate on a Lame Movie, and it's pretty damn funny. Also: George Bush on a Billboard, Bike Theft on a Guarded Block, and Wolf Parade on a Deadline.

Chicagoist is having the the best time as they Muse on a Fest. Oh, god, it's Joe Francis (allegedly non-consensually) on a Drunk Woman. How about Beloved DJ Not on a Radio? Finally, look at Fashion on a City-Wide Scale.

We round out our week of Something on a Something with some links from Gothamist. They bring us a nightmarish tale of Gaps on a Train Platform. Easier to take are Hipsters on a Crime Wave, Corpse Flower on a Web Cam, a Snow Leopard on a Mission (thankfully, NOT sad), and, last but certainly not least, Movable Hype on a September Evening.

Tomato photo by Melissa Schneider, Pink boots photo by LAist Sarah

Links compiled by SFist Eve Batey

Emotional Manny Asks For Dolphins Release

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-11T09:11:55-04:00

Manny Wright, 22, is supposed to be the Dolphins backup nose tackle this year, but last week he left camp and now he is asking to leave the team. His agent, Peter Schaffer offered a sympathec explanation to the Sun-Sentinel:

The only reason he wants (his release) is because I just think with regard to the depression issue, being in Miami seems to set him back," Schaffer said. "Maybe it's the memories from last year or whatever. I just think that he thinks not only for his pro career but his mental health that he would be better off somewhere else.

Despite Wrights diagnosis of clinical depression, Coach Saban is not about to lend any compassion or attempt to let him just leave the team.

"We don't have any of this stuff, 'When it doesn't work here, let me go someplace else.' That's not how it is. This is the real world. It's business. You have a job and a responsibility. If you're not capable, we'll certainly support you and help you. But if you're not interested in doing that, then we determine your fate. You don't."

This situation may get resolved, however, should Wright regain his footing in Dolphins camp, his teammates will likely question is desire to be with the team. If Wright cried after Saban yelled at him last year, it seems plausible that a trash-talking opponent could easily gain in edge on Wright at any point during the game. Wright's family is moving to South Florida to provide some support, but they can do nothing for him when he lines up between the dashes.

Everglades At Dusk

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-11T09:08:43-04:00

Photo Credit:Johnathan's Photo Blog

South Florida Airports Open Under Increased Security

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-10T14:33:12-04:00

Travelers going to and from South Florida airports, especially MIA, should expect delays for the next couple days. In light of the thwarted terrorist plot in Great Britain, airports both domestic and international have beefed up security. The national threat level has been raised to Red, the highest level, for flights scheduled between the U.K. and U.S. As was common practice with many airlines after the TSA took over for private screenners, airlines will likely do additional screening prior to boarding. CBS4's Gary Nelson offered the following information in his broadcast:

Officials at South Florida airports echoed warnings from US Homeland Security to leave such items out of your carry-on baggage before leaving home. Necessary liquids, such as medicine and baby formula, will be examined at checkpoints and may be allowed, but the extra checking will delay the security process.
Concourses C and D at Miami International are reporting check-in delays, as is Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. TSA officials say flights will be traveling as scheduled, but they are urging flyers to allow extra time when arriving at airports.

Photo Credit: Gabriel

Miami Man Steals 1.5 Million in Cigarettes

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-09T14:24:20-04:00

Jerry Manuel was hauling $1.5 million worth of cigarettes before deciding to pull off at a Georgia truck stop for a quick break. He was not inside for long, but enough time for another man to steal his truck and trailer. According to Local10.com, Orestes Miribal, 43, stole Manuel's semi and started heading south. Authorities used a tracking device to lead them to Miribal but all they found was a truck. Miribal was later caught with the trailer and a different truck. He was charged with grand theft.

Photo Credit: First Coast News

Celebrity Fantasy League, Now That is Creative

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-09T12:31:55-04:00

We have received some quality press releases in the last eight months, but few top the press release/e-mail we received yesterday afternoon. Todd Galloway has created a Fantasy Celebrity League on Fafarazzi.com which is simply the most bizarre but clever idea we have seen in awhile. The headline for the site is the best part:

Fafarazzi.com is a Fantasy Celebrity League. Instead of points being scored for homeruns and touchdowns they're scored for divorces and catfights!

So far today "Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn are engaged" scored 6 points in relationships. What will they think of next?

Peruvian Bliss

Rachael Bohrer — 2006-08-08T13:05:44-04:00

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

Movie Review: The Painful Talladega Nights

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-08T08:38:03-04:00

If you are a fan of Will Ferrell, name brands, NASCAR and rednecks this is the must see film of the summer. After a $47 million dollar opening weekend, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby became the largest opening weekend for Ferrell and blew away "Pirates 2" and "Miami Vice." Talladega nights rides on the same Anchorman/ Wedding Crashers comedy that Ferrell has perfected and made profitable since his days on Saturday Night Life. More TV 32 of all the reviews we have seen does the best job of attempting to explain this film:

"Talladega Nights" tells the tale of Ricky Bobby, a man who was born when his Daddy was racing his Ma to the hospital and got so carried away by speed that a quick slam on the brakes is all it took to pop little Ricky out. His Daddy takes a powder shortly after he is born, and as a result Ricky grows up with a hero worship complex and the need for speed.
An emergency at a racetrack where he works pushes Ricky behind the wheel of a NASCAR vehicle in the middle of a race and everything just clicks, including a phrase his drunken Daddy once said to him -- If you ain't first, you're last. So begins the raucous rise and fall of Ricky Bobby.

Talladega nights is a painful Will Ferrell stream of consciousness, void of intrigue and character development, littered with product placements and a commercial for Applebee's. The thrice repeated scene of Will Ferrell escaping from his race car in tighty whities, sent us into a stream of consciousness spiral of outbursts all pertaining to our desire to recoup two hours of our lives and $9.

Rick Ross Releases 'Port of Miami'

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-08T08:21:34-04:00

'Hustlin' put rapper Rick Ross (he is named after an infamous drug dealer) on the map, now the release of Port of Miami could launch him into rap superstardom. Every year, a hard core lyricist emerges from the mediocrity masses. It just so happens that Miami's Kris Ross, better known for his hooks than his rhymes, could become this year's hottest rap act. In his new album, 'Port of Miami, Ross backed by Def Jam/Slip N Slide, teams up with an array of artists who help him depict the mean streets of Miami and further emphasize his thug persona. His physical stature and persona are emblemattic of Biggy, but his methodical rhymes and exaggerated cocaine stories might alienate him from a broader group of hip hop fans. Of all the reviews out there today, we are in agreement with the Sun-Sentinel's break down:

Port of Miami becomes a taxing listen over 75 minutes of coke-slinging and gang-banging, the action served up at a deliberate pace that sounds designed not to disturb Ross' stoic narration.
Ross is presenting himself as the kind of Miami businessman who will never get a Rotary Club invitation, but no matter: He can look forward to decorating his pad with at least one gold or platinum record.

Castro's Daughter Starts with CNN

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-07T11:10:20-04:00

Last week Fidel went in for surgery, exiles in Little Havana started dancing, his sister made a few comments and his daughter found a new gig with CNN. CNN hired Castro’s daughter Alina Fernandez (50) as a contributor from Miami. She will assist as an analyst of sorts with news developments related to Cuba and more specifically the status of her father and uncle. In an article we found at donga.com the following excerpt was included along with some information about the rest of the Castro Family.

My uncle Raul is different from my father Fidel, but he has a strong hold on the military forces.” Fernandez further stated, “My father had surgery to stop intestinal bleeding in the 1960s,” and recalled that her father was an attentive person, playing games with her but that their relationship changed as she grew older. Fernandez added, “I decided to seek asylum for my daughter because I couldn’t stand daily life in Cuba.”

The Adventure with Mimi

issen — 2006-08-07T10:44:30-04:00

The Mariah Carey tour, which kicked off at the American Airlines Arena last Saturday, was definitely an "Adventure with Mimi." The set design was amazing, the pyrotechnics were awesome, the collaboration with Busta was great, but these few highs could not save the entire show. Mariah, who is as recognized for her writing as she he is for her voice, allegedly forgot the words to My All (Gasp!), even as the crowd was singing along with her. She didn't sing during Breakdown and it was only okay because the "playback" tape gave us her ad libs. Mariah lost her spot in Honey, while trying to give the crowd a little extra. You know, like the real Diva's do. Speaking of Diva, Mariah complained that the fans on stage were not "working" during the concert. Mariah also switched up mics a few times in the middle of the show. The icing on the cake, was the speech about how she really loved Miami and there were some things they had to work out before the next show. Shouldn't that be in rehearsals Mariah? Some fans were even overheard asking if she had been "partying" before the show.

Can someone please tell us why in the hot crispy hell DJ Clue, who's the Dee jay/hype man on the tour, was about five minutes slow to do everything. Look at your cue sheet- DJ Clue! After all this time, he's still shouting that same tired line: " Dee jay clue, World Famous , Desert Storm!" We hope Randy Jackson, who is the tour director for the Adventures of Mimi, sat all of these industry veterans down and had one of those American Idol style pow wows with them.

We imagine it went something like this, "Mimi dawg...What happened? You didn't give it your best? The crew just wasn't prepared tonight. We don't want fans demanding a refund especially considering Madonna killed two shows last weekend and Shakira's up next?" That's the way we imagine it anyway. Don't forget about us Mimi, as you make your way to your next concert destination.

Photo Credit : Concrete Loop

Javarris James Story The Early Favorite for Writers

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-07T09:26:28-04:00

Today is the first official day of practice and freshman running back Javarris James is grabbing a few of the headlines early. The Sporting News and the Herald both discuss his relationship with 4 time pro bowler cousin Edgerin James.

''Baby J'' made his first appearance behind a University of Miami lectern Sunday, fittingly, in the room named after his famous first cousin.
He was reminded that he would be coming to meetings every day in this room -- the Edgerrin James Room.

''That's just motivation, man,'' said Miami's new No. 5 -- tailback Javarris James. ``One day I hope they have a Javarris James Room.''

The Canes open the season versus Florida State on September 4. Last year, the Canes stuttered on offense against the Seminoles and that early loss forced them to try and play catch up the entire season. The Canes may have the right mindset for game one, but the suspension of four players and the uncertainty surrounding the eligibility of 6-foot-6, 326-pound offensive lineman Orlando Franklin might thwart all the preparation efforts.

-Ist Best of the Week

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-06T00:09:05-04:00

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

Chris Is Dead!

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-05T12:03:02-04:00

The weather system we called Tropical Depression Chris,Thropical Storm Chris, Hurricane Chris is no longer a threat. This morning at 4:21 am ET the National Hurricane Center declared Chris dead. We still could see some rain at some point,but it's all good for now. The run on gas and groceries can wait!

Photo Credit: NOAA

Bank of America Tower Going Jamaican For Four Days

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-04T14:50:58-04:00

In commemoration of Jamaica's 44th anniversary of Independence, the Bank of America Tower at International Place, will take on the colors of the Jamaican flag for four days. The black, gold and green will stay lit through the weekend as a tribute to the impact of the Jamaican people in South Florida according to a piece published in the Jamaican Observer. Almost 600,000 Jamaicans live in the tri-county.

Photo Credit: luckylady777

Something In The Water Or Just Coincidence?

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-03T17:04:05-04:00

Add backup center Dale Davis to the list of athletes arrested for mischief in Miami. Last night, at the South Beach Marriot, Davis caused a disturbance which led to police questioning. When the police arrived they were forced to use a taser to calm him down.

If you feel like this is not the first athlete this year getting into it with police, that's because Davis is one of many. First Juwan Howard made out with an extra pair of sunglasses which he was later able to avoid somehow. Guard Gilbert Arenas and Awvee Storey of the Washington Wizards as well asOhio State receiver Santonio Holmes have all been arrested for run-ins with Miami Beach police.

Photo Credit:Detnews.com

Chris Still on The Move

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-02T12:07:05-04:00

UPDATE Chris is losing steam and may be downgraded to a Tropical depression. The center of circulation is now southeast of South Turk island and moving north-northwest at 12mph with 40 mph sustained winds.

Here is the skinny on Chris. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says the The storm has sustained winds of 65mph and the minimum pressure is dropping- that basically means the system's core can better develop. Satellite photos of Chris show a system beginning to look less like a tropical storm and more like a hurricane. Forecasters are purely speculating about the direction once it reaches the Gulf, but Chris could come ashore on Sunday.

Photo Credit: NOAA

Fidel's Sister Quiet in Miami

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-02T10:28:43-04:00

The Miami Herald has a really interesting story about Fidel Castro's sister in today's paper. While her older brothers try to maintain their Communist power just 90 miles south of Key West, Juanita Castro quietly goes about her business at her pharmacy. Here is an excerpt:

''I never listen to the radio. There is so much hatred in this community. And they will say that all Castros are the same,'' she said. ``And that is a lie.''
While she is no fan of her brother's politics and chose to live her life in exile, she said she had mixed feelings about the hordes of celebrators who took to the street the night before, leaning on car horns well past midnight.

''Ninety-nine percent of them didn't have the courage to stay and fight,'' she said.

Although completely unrelated to this story we found out that a movie was made about Juanita Castro in the 60's. The Life of Juanita Castro was directed by Andy Warhol and written by Ronald Travel in 1965 when they were making movies at a rapid pace- sometimes two a month. The film was a basic satire of the Cuban Revolution as seen through the eyes of Fidel Castro's sister according to IMBD.Com.

The Day After Surgery

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-02T09:52:21-04:00

While citizens in Calle Ocho prematurely celebrated yesterday, the Cuban editors prepared standard get well headlines. According to an AP, Story "Cuba Tries to Reassure its Citizens" the morning papers in Cuba were representative of a state run media paying respect to its leader.

"Fidel, Get Well," read a front-page headline in the Communist Party daily, Granma. "The Revolution Will Continue While Fidel Recovers," proclaimed Juventud Rebelde, the Communist youth newspaper.

Reports from Cuba suggest that Fidel is in stable condition and in good spirits the day after his surgery. He has not made an appearance and the media still has not received a real description of the medical condition beyond the words of a "stomach crisis." Raul Castro did not make an appearance yesterday, but that is not unusual. Fidel often makes speeches at night, but there are times when he has gone almost two weeks before making any type of public appearance. Cuban exiles here in Miami as well as the people of Cuba will tune again tonight for the popular round table show, Mesa Redonda, created during the Elián González dispute.

Image Credit: The Real Cuba

Copy of Castro Letter To the People

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-01T18:49:38-04:00

"Announcement From the President to the Cuban People"

Source: Granma

DUE to the enormous effort made to visit the Argentine city of Córdoba, participate in the MERCOSUR meeting, in the closing session of the Summit of the Peoples in the historical University of Córdoba and the visit to Altagracia, the city where Che lived as a child, and in addition to that immediately attending the commemoration of the 53rd anniversary of the assault on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel de Céspedes garrisons on July 26, 1953 in the provinces of Granma and Holguín, compounded by days and nights of continuous work with barely any sleep have all resulted in my health, which has stood up to every test, being subjected to extreme stress and breaking down. This provoked an acute intestinal crisis with sustained bleeding which obliged me to undergo a complicated surgical operation. All the details of this health accident are confirmed by X-rays, endoscopies and filmed material. The operation has obliged me to take various weeks of rest, at a remove from my responsibilities and duties.
Given that our country is threatened in circumstances like this by the government of the United States, I have taken the following decision:

1) I provisionally delegate my functions as first secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba to the second secretary, comrade Raúl Castro Ruz.

2) I provisionally delegate my functions as Commander in Chief of the Revolutionary Armed Forces to the abovementioned comrade, General of the Army Raúl Castro Ruz.

3) I provisionally delegate my functions as president of the Council of State and the government of the Republic of Cuba to the first vice president, comrade Raúl Castro Ruz.

4) I provisionally delegate my functions as the principal instigator of the National and International Public Health Program to member of the Political Bureau and Minister of Public Health, comrade José Ramón Balaguer Cabrera.

5) I provisionally delegate my functions as the principal instigator of the National and International Education Program to comrades José Ramón Machado Ventura and Esteban Lazo Hernández, members of the Political Bureau.

6) I provisionally delegate my functions as the principal instigator of the National Program of the Energy Revolution in Cuba and cooperation with other countries in this sphere to comrade Carlos Lage Dávila, member of the Political Bureau and secretary of the Executive Committee of the Council of Ministers.

The funds corresponding to these three programs: Health, Education and Energy, should continue being managed and prioritized, as I have been doing personally, by comrades Carlos Lage Dávila, secretary of the Executive Committee of the Council of Ministers; Francisco Soberón Valdés, minister president of the Central Bank of Cuba; and Felipe Pérez Roque, minister of foreign affairs, who have accompanied me in these matters and who should constitute a committee for that objective.

Our glorious Communist Party, supported by the mass organizations and all the people, has the mission of assuming the task entrusted in this announcement.

The Summit of the Non-Aligned Movement, scheduled for September 11-16, should receive the greatest attention of the Cuban state and nation to take place with the maximum brilliance on the agreed date. I would ask everyone to postpone the anniversary of my 80th birthday, which thousands of personalities so generously agreed to celebrate on August 13, to December 2 of this year, the 50th anniversary of the Granma Landing.

I ask the Central Committee of the Party and the National Assembly of People's Power to give their firmest support to this announcement.

I do not harbor the slightest doubt that our people and our Revolution will fight until the last drop of blood to defend these and other ideas and measures that are necessary for safeguarding this historical process.

Imperialism will never be able to crush Cuba.

The Battle of Ideas will continue advancing.

¡Viva la Patria!

¡Viva la Revolución!

¡Viva el Socialismo!

¡Hasta la Victoria Siempre!

"Miami" in the Title

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-01T11:10:27-04:00

As Miami Vice enjoys top billing in its first week at the box office, another Miami titled work is being recognized for its international appeal. CSI Miami has been named the world's most watched television show by Informa Telecoms and Media (ITM). In a study of viewing habits in 20 different countries, CSI Miami topped Lost, Desperate Housewives and Te Voy a Ensenar a Querer ( Telemundo). Last week CSI Miami became the first summer rerun show to top the weekly primetime viewership list. According to Nielsen Media Research, CSI Miami drew 11.18 million viewers last week.

Photo Credit: Hesterxiang

Dancing In The Streets

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-01T08:29:52-04:00

In a letter addressed to the people of Cuba, Fidel Castro's secretary read the words that Cuban exiles here in South Florida have been dreaming about since '59.

''Days and nights of continuous work, barely able to sleep, my health, which has withstood all trials, was subjected to extreme stress... This provoked an acute intestinal crisis, with sustained bleeding, that forced me to face a complicated surgical operation . . .The operation will force me to spend several weeks in repose, away from my responsibilities and duties...I have not the slightest doubt that our people and our revolution will fight to the last drop of blood . . .. On to victory always.''

Buried inside the letter was the announcement that Raul Castro will assume his older brother's responsibilities while he is sick or should he not be able to return. As the Miami Herald and the Sun-Sentinel report, this letter led to a celebration of sorts on Calle Ocho, but the streets of Havana were relatively quiet. Any announcement about the ailing health of a controversial leader ellicits a response, but this letter really should come as no surprise. Raul has been raising his profile in the public and it may be naive for the U.S. to think that Castro has not made plans for a successor even beyond his brother. As for the Cuban exile community opposed to Castro rule, any news is good news.

What up Chris?

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-08-01T08:24:45-04:00

"It's time to start paying attention again." Those are the words of Michael Black, a meteorologist for the government's Hurricane Research Team on Virginia Key. Chris, a tropical depression that turned into a tropical storm, is moving north-northwest at 9 mph at 40 mph. The direction of the storm is up in the air. Hopefully, the mountainous terrain in D.R. will reduce the impact of the storm, but forecasters are not ruling out the possibility that this storm will make it to the U.S. on Sunday with sustained winds above 60 mph.

Inivisibility, Wait What?

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-07-31T14:16:36-04:00

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?

President Bush In Town To Connect With "Common Folk"

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-07-31T12:09:48-04:00

Yesterday, President Bush returned to Miami to get out of the beltway and reconnect with the common folk. After landing last night, the president took a stroll down Collins before heading to Joe's Stone Crab - a routine stop for presidents. The public relations spokesman for Joe's told the Herald he was not sure what the president planned to eat, but unlike President Clinton's decision to eat fried chicken, Bush likely ate some stone crabs.

This morning, President Bush ate breakfast in Little Havana then made his way to the National Hurricane Center before a speech at the Coast Guard Command Center. All of this before his final stop in Coral Gables for a Republican National Committee luncheon. We are not sure how a fundraiser at Armando Codina is connecting with the common folk, but maybe they can discuss Codina's muti-million dollar payment for developing inside the Urban Development Boundary (see Letter's To Editor). Wishful thinking never hurt anyone right?

Photo Credit: DMalkoff

Letters To The Editor

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-07-31T09:46:07-04:00

Three eye opening headlines graced the front page of the Miami Herald website last week, yet only two were responded to in "letters to the editor."The House of Lies, a multimedia package about homes intended for low income buyers instead being sold to speculators who are flipping the property, received a letter titled, "County delayed developer's South Miami project."

Re last week's series, House of lies: I was disappointed with how our involvement in building the administrative headquarters for the Miami-Dade Housing Agency at the South Miami Metrorail Station was portrayed.
The project is being delayed because the county failed to disclose and misrepresented in the contract with Hometown Station Ltd. that the property had encroachments, utility easements and underground construction from the adjacent county garage.

The other article, ''Why Miami struggles to be a world-class city," caught the attention of one reader who said she was in dismay about this article and the opinions of Marivi Iglesias.

Let's be fair. We are a young city making amazing strides. In two months, our performing arts center -- destined to be one of the world's great arts venues -- will open. And I challenge anyone to find better public art than the remarkable new works commissioned by Art in Public Places for this complex

The article that caught our attention was the piece about Armando Codina's project in Hialeah, "Deal reached on Stadium Land." In case you're not familiar with Armando Codina we wrote about him several weeks ago. He is one of many accomplished Pedro Pans, a long time developer in South Florida and a good friend of the Bush family. In fact, President Bush will be at his home in Coral Gables today for a fundraiser. Despite several attempts by Miami Lakes residents, environmental groups and the Department of Community Affairs to stop the project, Codina is going to build a 5 million square foot complex inside the Urban Development Boundary. Codina has done some impressive projects in South Florida but this one just doesn't make since.

-Ist Best of The Week

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-07-30T00:11:00-04:00

Hey, have y'all been using our new "Recommend this" feature at the bottom of each post? This week we're bringing you the "Most Recommended" posts from across the -ist world, as well as recommending some of our own.

Phillyist thinks that readers recommended this post the most because "most of our quieter readers (probably) agree with us that rude commenting sucks." Know what else sucks? Philly's not getting the Olympics, but they are getting thinner.

Torontoist's most recommended post is about the move to save an historic local movie theatre. When Torontoist isn't saving the movies, they're out interviewing The Futureheads, and evaluating the handwriting on those restaurant chalkboards. They're everywhere!

The first part of Chicagoist's Guide to the Pitchfork Music Fest was their top-recommended post (see part two here). For those of you not about to rock, check out posts on how Chicago's big box stores must pay a higher minimum wage and a journalist who wants to have her cake and eat it too.

Who knew that Austinist readers would recommend a personal account of fertility-challenges in droves? Not us! We're far less surprised (but insanely jealous) that Austinist would get profiled in their local daily newspaper. Another Austin blogger to get some attention: Stephanie Klein, who is living the blog-to-book dream.

LAist's most recommended post is this seriously intense personal account of a laptop theft and retrieval, easily the most heart-pounding thing we've read online all week. Fortunately, we can get back to our usual state of Zen with this review of a new vegan restaurant and this summer photo essay.

We were, quite literally, drooling over Gothamist's most recommended post, on the most amazing chocolate store we have ever seen. We're booking a ticket to NY now, and refuse to be dissuaded by this tragic tale of underage clubbing gone bad. So sad! We prefer our crime Muppet style.

Bostonist theorizes that "people probably were into dogs exploding -- unfortunately all they found was crudely drawn comics" when they recommended this post. Bostonist also gives us our favorite sentence of the week, in "What could be more surreal than an elderly bagel maven snorting his worth in blow?". What, indeed? Hey, Ikea meatballs are our anti-drug.

Seattlest's most recommended post blows the lid off a secret restaurant. Meanwhile, the Washington Supreme Court upholds the Defense of Marriage Act, and Seattlest subtly protests this move by doing the gayest thing you can do while dressed: buying a mango slicer.

Shanghaiist's most recommended post makes us sing "F**k Yeah!" regarding a cop on cop Sanshou shoot out. Shanghaiist fag hag continues to give us what we want with this week's column on cab drivers. And who doesn't relish a bad restaurant review?

Londonist's new column, Hacking London, topped their recomendations by interviewing one of the creators of property-finding tool Nestoria. In the unofficial trend of first person narratives this week, Londonist Alex is an assassin. And what the hell are these?

While San Franciscans have never been known for thair fashion sense (does polar fleece count as fashion? We think not.) SFist's most recommended post was on a sighting of their mayor in acid washed jeans. Almost as recommended was the post thanking Bay Area readers for voting SFist Best Blog in the Bay Area in the leading local weekly. Also, they fret that Halloween might be cancelled.

What is it with DCist readers and Whole Foods? DCist speculates that their readers recommended this post on the grocery store because "people in the District are pretty opinionated about grocery stores. Either they hope a Whole Foods bumps up the value of real estate, are pissed Whole Foods may gentrify the nabe and want to keep it real, or are too lazy to walk, ride their bikes, or drive 10 blocks to the one that's already there." Maybe they'll be more inclined to just go out to eat after they read this insider's perspective on fine dining. Oh, and if you're wondering where the images from today's post came from, here's an explanation.

All images from Ironic Sans, used by permission

Links compiled by SFist Eve "Recommend This!" Batey

Sun-Sentinel Critic Bashes Miami Vice

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-07-28T11:56:44-04:00

Miami Vice is finally here and now we get to see if all the hype is actually worth the price of admission. If everyone in the country watches Phoebe Flowers commentary on the Sun-Sentinel website there is a strong chance this $135 million dollar film will fall short of its summer blockbuster expectations.

There are plenty of things you might expect Miami Vice to be ... What wasn't expected is how deeply uncool it is, Director Michael Mann treats it with dead seriousness, it's bloated boaring and not worth taking nearly as seriously as he did. Jamie Fox and Collin Farrell turn in career low performances.

Fortunately for Michael Mann and his team there are some favorable reviews floating around and at the end of the day reviews are just another persons opinion.

Photo Credit: Scotsman

Bang Music Festival Adds Diverse Mix of Talent

J.R. Biersmith — 2006-07-28T10:25:01-04:00

The eclectic soul duo of Danger Mouse and Cee Lo, otherwise known as Gnarls Barkley, is coming to Bicentennial Park Saturday November 11 for the newest outdoor music event in South Florida. Hopefully airplay of Crazy has minimized and Gnarles Barkley releases some other tracks from their St. Elsewhere album. Booking for the event is still in progress, but we also hear that DJ Tiesto, Modest Mouse and Los Amigos Ivisibles will be performing at some point during the day long festival.

In case you missed last year's event with ATB, Brazilian Girls and a host of other random acts, this is a great way to spend a Saturday. According to Interenet DJ, tickets for the fesitval will be available through an Internet pre-sale at www.BangMusicFestival.com starting Saturday, August 26 through Saturday, September 2 for $45. We wil have more info. as artist names are released.