Mayor Alvarez penned a Letter to the Editor in today's Herald in support of the new Marlins Stadium. You can read it here. Nice smoke bomb by Alvarez. Drops the threat of the Marlins leaving the state, name drops 2 "experts" that the average citizen has never heard of that supposedly "know the community", and then uses the buzzphrase "create jobs" to draw the listeners' minds further from seeing why this stadium is a bad idea.
I have to ask this... What is the big difference between this location and Dolphins Stadium? Ok, its closer to the heart of Miami but at the same time now the Marlins probably lose out on south Broward fans who attended games in the past. Are there more businesses to visit in the area? Not really anything viable for the baseball crowd but you can buy churros and 5lb bags of shrimp from the guys who walk thru traffic at red lights. Is it easier to access? No. You still have to get in a car and drive, maybe not as far for Miami residents, but the traffic in the area will ensure a lengthy amount of time in the car.
So what really is the benefit? So we can say we have a baseball team? Look at attendance for the past 5 years. The team won the World Series and still barely anyone cared. Last year, I dont think they filled more than 25% of the stadium though Ive no facts to support this. Just judging by what I saw on the ESPN highlights where the analysts openly mocked the lack of attendance. Did the team actually make money for the community? I doubt it. Did more than 1% of the population enjoy attending games last year? Clearly not. So would it really be bad if they left? Sure, its nice to be able to catch a baseball game on a nice day but its clear that people in Miami have other things they would rather do.
Now, about these "experts"... How do we trust their "expertise" when they are in favor of installing a baseball stadium that will benefit less than 5% of the population and totally ignoring a mass transit problem that affects 100% of the population? Last time I checked, $500M+ was a lot of money. Why cant this be spent on a rail system that better connects the urban sprawl of Miami, something this city desperately needs?
Ok, so building the stadium will create jobs. Thats a fact. But dont give me this, "construction jobs are down 15% from last year" nonsense because construction in Miami has been overinflated! Wow, we built a ton of buildings and now no one lives in them! An oversupply of construction has led to an oversupply of residences and office space. Not exactly a benefit to the community. So while this stadium project may be a steroid shot in the arm, the after effects will be similar to steroids, leaving our city with sagging muscles and a limp dick.
Friday, January 30, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Fired up: My feelings on the new Marlins Stadium
Tony over at Transit Miami posted about the new Marlins Stadium last night and I liked his post. Matter of fact, I really like this blog, period. I think mass transit is the one itch the City of Miami has that never gets scratched. But thats a whole other story... Since I tried to leave a comment but it wouldnt take, I figured Id make it a blog post.
Ive been against the idea of this stadium at this location since the dumbass who came up with the idea shared it with the world. Its a huge whiff, strike 3, youre out. Tony brings up the one point that our city commissioners really need to realize is paramount to anything else and that is how the community benefits. In this case, the community has the benefit of increased traffic, pollution, garbage, and deteriorating roads that already cant be maintained and will likely worsen. Not exactly beneficial. There is no public transportation to get people to/from the game. There are no local restaurants or bars or museums for people to visit before and/or after the game. So really, what is the goddamn difference between this site and Dolphins Stadium? That there are homes nearby? People will still have to drive to the game, sit in traffic, and then have nowhere to go when they get there but spend $8 on a goddamn hot dog inside the stadium walls. Businessmen and women in the Brickell/Downtown/Gables area will likely just stay put for happy hour, spending their money in a nice, clean area with established businesses that have their followings already, then head over to the game and head back to Brickell/Downtown/Gables after or go home. The ballpark area just gets raped. And guess what? When people realize what a shithole area the ballpark is in they will lose interest in attending a game, especially when the prices to do so are absurd and there are plenty of other things to do outside (Hence the reason the Marlins have such a shitty fan base already).
Its sad that the City of Miami will continue to be run by these halfwits that do nothing for the community as a whole. Whoever lines the right pockets gets their way. The working public continues to get f**ked. This city is in desperate need of a mass transit system but that will continue to take a backseat to crap like baseball teams with a fan base of 5,000 and a PAC that no one goes to. Over 1 Billion dollars wasted on these 2 things that provide service to less than 5% of the City population. Pathetic.
Ive been against the idea of this stadium at this location since the dumbass who came up with the idea shared it with the world. Its a huge whiff, strike 3, youre out. Tony brings up the one point that our city commissioners really need to realize is paramount to anything else and that is how the community benefits. In this case, the community has the benefit of increased traffic, pollution, garbage, and deteriorating roads that already cant be maintained and will likely worsen. Not exactly beneficial. There is no public transportation to get people to/from the game. There are no local restaurants or bars or museums for people to visit before and/or after the game. So really, what is the goddamn difference between this site and Dolphins Stadium? That there are homes nearby? People will still have to drive to the game, sit in traffic, and then have nowhere to go when they get there but spend $8 on a goddamn hot dog inside the stadium walls. Businessmen and women in the Brickell/Downtown/Gables area will likely just stay put for happy hour, spending their money in a nice, clean area with established businesses that have their followings already, then head over to the game and head back to Brickell/Downtown/Gables after or go home. The ballpark area just gets raped. And guess what? When people realize what a shithole area the ballpark is in they will lose interest in attending a game, especially when the prices to do so are absurd and there are plenty of other things to do outside (Hence the reason the Marlins have such a shitty fan base already).
Its sad that the City of Miami will continue to be run by these halfwits that do nothing for the community as a whole. Whoever lines the right pockets gets their way. The working public continues to get f**ked. This city is in desperate need of a mass transit system but that will continue to take a backseat to crap like baseball teams with a fan base of 5,000 and a PAC that no one goes to. Over 1 Billion dollars wasted on these 2 things that provide service to less than 5% of the City population. Pathetic.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Returning to Michael's Genuine Food & Drink
I have a confession to make...
Ive been cheating on MGFD with various restaurants in the Greater Miami area. At first it was innocent - checking out a new spot here, popping in for an app and a cocktail there. But then things got out of control. Multiple visits to the same location, more apps here, more cocktails there. I was spiraling out of control and it had gotten to the point where I actually thought that it was a good thing that I hadnt ingested a double yolk farm egg in about a month. Considering health? What?!?!
Id gone culinarily impotent.
Luckily, I came to my senses and made a return visit to MGFD. Had the snapper/grouper (I think that was the fish... My memory sucks sometimes) ceviche which was exploding in flavor. Really enjoyed the grapefruit here. The burrata is still the best in Miami, period. There was a new menu item that was creative and quite good. It was called Yellowfin Conserva. Its basically yellowfin cooked and marinated and served in an airtight jar of olive oil with a slice of lemon. Accoutrement of meyer lemon, sliced radish, capers, and mayo are presented with grilled bread. You take a hunk of yellowfin and combine with everything else as you see fit. My date and I really enjoyed it because it was different, allowed us to share easily and carry conversation while we ate, and tasted good. Pretty simple. We also had some other oldies but goodies that are often discussed.
The place was packed as usual, including the bar. My date noted the kickass music playing all night and really liked that it wasnt so loud and intrusive. Thats one of my favorite things about MGFD. The music is great, adds to the vibe of the place, and is just the right volume to fill in any silence but not too loud where you have to yell to talk the people at your table.
Im glad I went back and I think things could progress. We're taking it slow, no double yolk farm egg yet, but the culinary boner is back. Im even keeping an open mind about a possible lunch in the future, you know, to spice things up a little bit.
Ive been cheating on MGFD with various restaurants in the Greater Miami area. At first it was innocent - checking out a new spot here, popping in for an app and a cocktail there. But then things got out of control. Multiple visits to the same location, more apps here, more cocktails there. I was spiraling out of control and it had gotten to the point where I actually thought that it was a good thing that I hadnt ingested a double yolk farm egg in about a month. Considering health? What?!?!
Id gone culinarily impotent.
Luckily, I came to my senses and made a return visit to MGFD. Had the snapper/grouper (I think that was the fish... My memory sucks sometimes) ceviche which was exploding in flavor. Really enjoyed the grapefruit here. The burrata is still the best in Miami, period. There was a new menu item that was creative and quite good. It was called Yellowfin Conserva. Its basically yellowfin cooked and marinated and served in an airtight jar of olive oil with a slice of lemon. Accoutrement of meyer lemon, sliced radish, capers, and mayo are presented with grilled bread. You take a hunk of yellowfin and combine with everything else as you see fit. My date and I really enjoyed it because it was different, allowed us to share easily and carry conversation while we ate, and tasted good. Pretty simple. We also had some other oldies but goodies that are often discussed.
The place was packed as usual, including the bar. My date noted the kickass music playing all night and really liked that it wasnt so loud and intrusive. Thats one of my favorite things about MGFD. The music is great, adds to the vibe of the place, and is just the right volume to fill in any silence but not too loud where you have to yell to talk the people at your table.
Im glad I went back and I think things could progress. We're taking it slow, no double yolk farm egg yet, but the culinary boner is back. Im even keeping an open mind about a possible lunch in the future, you know, to spice things up a little bit.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Observations from Merrick Park
I had to take the car into the shop for new brakes, rotors, and wipers so I decided to pass the time by walking over to the Merrick Park shops to perdue their wares. For those that don't know, Merrick Park is one of those upscale high-end malls with stores like Gucci, Prada, Burberry, etc. Some interesting observations:
- I should never go to any mall, let alone shops like these when I really dont want to buy stuff. I wasn't here 30 minutes and I already had a new pair of shoes to lug around. This set off a chain reaction where I found myself trying on more shoes and clothes with my classic shopping mentality that spending a shitload of money is a lot easier once you've broken the ice with the first big purchase. Luckily common sense and my superior willpower stepped in before things got out of hand. Like $2300 blazer out of hand.
- One thing you can count on at shops like this is seeing many beautiful women. Sure, there a a good amount who think they are beautiful thanks to many facial beautification procedures, but there still are a lot of naturally beautiful women. Er, at least from the neck up.
- I need to make more money or cut back spending on foolish things in order to really take advantage of a day I shopping here. Because I don't go clothes shopping too often, I usually give myself a budget of $1000 at the most. Here, I need at least $5-7k to get what I want. Maybe someday I'll get to that level of discretionary income. That or maybe one of these hot women with shitload of money want to be a sugar momma? Hey, I may not be rich but I can sure fuck like a jackrabbit.
- Im noticing that hot younger girls that shop with mom or grandma like to do so arm-in-arm. Kinda weird if you ask me. I just don't get this. Maybe the younger one is showing love because the older one is shelling out some serious loot?
- This place is very relaxing. Plenty of fountains and such providing soothing sounds, no huge mall crowds and the noise that comes with them. There are plenty of comfy chairs to plop down in and read or chat and many seem to be doing just that without be hassled to move along.
Merrick Park is one of those areas I hardly go to just because I'm really not a fan of Coral Gables for some reason. I'm going to have to remember how I always enjoy a trip here and try to come back more often.
- I should never go to any mall, let alone shops like these when I really dont want to buy stuff. I wasn't here 30 minutes and I already had a new pair of shoes to lug around. This set off a chain reaction where I found myself trying on more shoes and clothes with my classic shopping mentality that spending a shitload of money is a lot easier once you've broken the ice with the first big purchase. Luckily common sense and my superior willpower stepped in before things got out of hand. Like $2300 blazer out of hand.
- One thing you can count on at shops like this is seeing many beautiful women. Sure, there a a good amount who think they are beautiful thanks to many facial beautification procedures, but there still are a lot of naturally beautiful women. Er, at least from the neck up.
- I need to make more money or cut back spending on foolish things in order to really take advantage of a day I shopping here. Because I don't go clothes shopping too often, I usually give myself a budget of $1000 at the most. Here, I need at least $5-7k to get what I want. Maybe someday I'll get to that level of discretionary income. That or maybe one of these hot women with shitload of money want to be a sugar momma? Hey, I may not be rich but I can sure fuck like a jackrabbit.
- Im noticing that hot younger girls that shop with mom or grandma like to do so arm-in-arm. Kinda weird if you ask me. I just don't get this. Maybe the younger one is showing love because the older one is shelling out some serious loot?
- This place is very relaxing. Plenty of fountains and such providing soothing sounds, no huge mall crowds and the noise that comes with them. There are plenty of comfy chairs to plop down in and read or chat and many seem to be doing just that without be hassled to move along.
Merrick Park is one of those areas I hardly go to just because I'm really not a fan of Coral Gables for some reason. I'm going to have to remember how I always enjoy a trip here and try to come back more often.
Friday, December 19, 2008
FastPark Miami kicks ass
If you travel as much as I do, you know that parking at MIA not only sucks but its expensive as hell. At $15 a day, your travel expenses can add up quick. Well, the people at FastPark want to help rid you of your parking woes. Located just across Lejeune Rd, FastPark offers a $8 rate with a $1 discount if you have AAA. They also have a frequent parker program that gets you a free day of parking for every 8 days that you park there. Not bad considering pretty much every lot just has its way with you and then doesnt even bother to call...
Another thing thats great about the FastPark is that their shuttles are always ready for the minute you enter the lot. They meet you at your car, help load your baggage, then give you a ticket that indicates what spot you parked in. From there, its about 5 minutes to the airport terminal. Ive really cut it close a few times and these shuttles have hustled so I made my flight. When you get back you just hand them the ticket the gave you and they drive you right to your parked car. When you leave you can grab a free bottled water out of the cooler right before the pay station, then pay and be on your way.
How can one parking lot be so awesome? They just are. Its one of the few places in Miami that actually provides a great service at a great price. Thats what makes you want to park there regardless of how long your trip is supposed to be.
Well, today the guys at FastPark went the extra mile. I went to the airport today to catch a flight to the Northeast. Of course, Ma Nature decided to send a snowstorm that way so my flight was postponed and then canceled. I wasted 5 hours of life at MIA. I walked outside and flagged down a FastPark shuttle right away. I grabbed my free water and went to pay as I'd been there for 5 hours so I was expecting to have to pay the $8 day fee. The guy at the gate recognized me and I told him Id be back the following morning. He asked if I had a receipt for my flight and I handed him my ticket. To my surprise, he credited my stay and let me go for free! Shit like this never happens in Miami, so I was pretty surprised and happy. Maybe it was the holiday spirit or something but I think no. The people at FastPark are just plain kickass people. Courteous, prompt, and they actually give a crap about retaining customers.
I am a frequent parker member at FastPark and I encourage anyone to use them for all of your trips out of MIA. Ive recommended this lot to many people, including some who are extremely picky and some who usually take a limo or towncar and everyone loves it.
Another thing thats great about the FastPark is that their shuttles are always ready for the minute you enter the lot. They meet you at your car, help load your baggage, then give you a ticket that indicates what spot you parked in. From there, its about 5 minutes to the airport terminal. Ive really cut it close a few times and these shuttles have hustled so I made my flight. When you get back you just hand them the ticket the gave you and they drive you right to your parked car. When you leave you can grab a free bottled water out of the cooler right before the pay station, then pay and be on your way.
How can one parking lot be so awesome? They just are. Its one of the few places in Miami that actually provides a great service at a great price. Thats what makes you want to park there regardless of how long your trip is supposed to be.
Well, today the guys at FastPark went the extra mile. I went to the airport today to catch a flight to the Northeast. Of course, Ma Nature decided to send a snowstorm that way so my flight was postponed and then canceled. I wasted 5 hours of life at MIA. I walked outside and flagged down a FastPark shuttle right away. I grabbed my free water and went to pay as I'd been there for 5 hours so I was expecting to have to pay the $8 day fee. The guy at the gate recognized me and I told him Id be back the following morning. He asked if I had a receipt for my flight and I handed him my ticket. To my surprise, he credited my stay and let me go for free! Shit like this never happens in Miami, so I was pretty surprised and happy. Maybe it was the holiday spirit or something but I think no. The people at FastPark are just plain kickass people. Courteous, prompt, and they actually give a crap about retaining customers.
I am a frequent parker member at FastPark and I encourage anyone to use them for all of your trips out of MIA. Ive recommended this lot to many people, including some who are extremely picky and some who usually take a limo or towncar and everyone loves it.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Back on the course
Well, after months of not playing, I finally made it out to the course again. The last time I played was in the SFDB Classic with Rick (from SFDB), Steve Owen (formerly of Owenized), and the king of one-liners, Nonee Moose. So, it only seemed fitting that I play with this motley crew on my return to the course. With the exception of Nonee, who had matters to attend to at the Hall of Justice, we were all confirmed for a 10:10am tee time.
That was the plan anyways...
I show up at the course around 930am and find Rick sitting on the sidewalk. He hops in and asks if I got his email, which I didnt because I didnt check. He's hungover and says he cant play but came to give us the discount pass. Nice gesture, eh? I, of course, had to make sure I gave him a hard time for just about every second that I could. He didnt look too bad. In fact, I snapped a pic of Rick with my trusty new iPhone that Ive posted to the right of this paragraph. I mean, he was a little blue but he had 3-way leak protection!
So, Steve-O arrived and we hit a few balls before heading out to play. I had duffed just about every ball I hit at the range so I was expecting it to be a very long day. Little did we know that Rick's absence would be a blessing in disguise... The starter told us that we were to be paired up with another twosome ahead, Mr. Kimora. We drove up to the 1st tee and made our introductions. Yuke and Taku work for Casio and moved here from Tokyo 2 years ago. Their English was really good but it was their Japanese spirit that made the round so awesome. After we all hit crappy drives, I decide to hit another and smoked it. From the moment of contact, Taku and Yuke let out a, "AAWWWWWWWW!", followed by some laughter. It was like it was the best shot theyd ever seen in their lives and, I gotta tell ya, it made me feel like the best damn golfer on the planet. It was hilarious.
The Japanese guys werent too bad, either. They probably shot about 120 each but they were quick and pretty much laughed no matter what happened. Good shot - laughter. Bad shot - laughter. Another thing I thought was hilarious was Steve-O talking to these guys and using different American figures of speech, etc. I dont think they understood any of them but he kept using them and it was pretty amusing. Taku hit one in the woods and Steve-O says, "well, you gotta play the whole course", followed by silence. LOL
The best part of the day was on the 15th whole when I received the highest honor from Taku after hitting a BOMB off the tee. "That shot was beddy beautiful", he said. "It went row to high. Good shot." It was awesome. I ended up shooting a 91 and edged out Steve-O by a few strokes. It was an inconsistent day for both of us considering I had a 45 on the front with 4 pars, 4 doubles, and 1 bogey. Steve-O made 3 birdies on the day which not only got him compliments, but rounds of applause from our new Japanese friends.
All in all it was a good round, weather was perfect, and the Japanese guys made the round a ton of fun. Now I rest before heading to see Cirque du Soliel tonite downtown. First time going so Im looking forward to it!
That was the plan anyways...
I show up at the course around 930am and find Rick sitting on the sidewalk. He hops in and asks if I got his email, which I didnt because I didnt check. He's hungover and says he cant play but came to give us the discount pass. Nice gesture, eh? I, of course, had to make sure I gave him a hard time for just about every second that I could. He didnt look too bad. In fact, I snapped a pic of Rick with my trusty new iPhone that Ive posted to the right of this paragraph. I mean, he was a little blue but he had 3-way leak protection!So, Steve-O arrived and we hit a few balls before heading out to play. I had duffed just about every ball I hit at the range so I was expecting it to be a very long day. Little did we know that Rick's absence would be a blessing in disguise... The starter told us that we were to be paired up with another twosome ahead, Mr. Kimora. We drove up to the 1st tee and made our introductions. Yuke and Taku work for Casio and moved here from Tokyo 2 years ago. Their English was really good but it was their Japanese spirit that made the round so awesome. After we all hit crappy drives, I decide to hit another and smoked it. From the moment of contact, Taku and Yuke let out a, "AAWWWWWWWW!", followed by some laughter. It was like it was the best shot theyd ever seen in their lives and, I gotta tell ya, it made me feel like the best damn golfer on the planet. It was hilarious.
The Japanese guys werent too bad, either. They probably shot about 120 each but they were quick and pretty much laughed no matter what happened. Good shot - laughter. Bad shot - laughter. Another thing I thought was hilarious was Steve-O talking to these guys and using different American figures of speech, etc. I dont think they understood any of them but he kept using them and it was pretty amusing. Taku hit one in the woods and Steve-O says, "well, you gotta play the whole course", followed by silence. LOL
The best part of the day was on the 15th whole when I received the highest honor from Taku after hitting a BOMB off the tee. "That shot was beddy beautiful", he said. "It went row to high. Good shot." It was awesome. I ended up shooting a 91 and edged out Steve-O by a few strokes. It was an inconsistent day for both of us considering I had a 45 on the front with 4 pars, 4 doubles, and 1 bogey. Steve-O made 3 birdies on the day which not only got him compliments, but rounds of applause from our new Japanese friends.
All in all it was a good round, weather was perfect, and the Japanese guys made the round a ton of fun. Now I rest before heading to see Cirque du Soliel tonite downtown. First time going so Im looking forward to it!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Blogging woes...
I have to admit the obvious - I suck at blogging. There has been at least a dozen times in the past 3 weeks or so where I had something incredibly awesome happen or I got an idea for a post but I failed to type it up and share it.
The main reason for this? Its simple. Im lazy. Sub-reasons could include my love for TV (NFL and NBA are eating up a lot of my time lately), my tendency to overdose on surfing the internet for answers and amusement, dining out and drinking thus getting too tired, and my short attention span. Here's a little of what has transpired in the past weeks that I shouldve posted:
- Finished off a long northwest trip with a 6-day jaunt in Vegas. Got killed at the tables but got to see a hot blonde and had the chance to pop off a few rounds at makeshift shooting gallery in the Vegas desert.
- A few less than amusing experiences at MIA which I no longer consider part of the USA.
- EPIC WEEKEND. This weekend consisted of being enabled by my cousin to go to the Bahamas, followed by a 36 hour major gambling binge with scattered hilarity mixed in between, and culminating with an early AM flight back to Miami to tailgate and catch the Patriots dismantle the Doll Fans live.
I guess travel having slowed for me could be playing a part in my lack of posting too. Im going to work on getting more frequent with my posting. My buddy Dave at Monkey Bingo is pretty solid at posting almost daily. Thats inspiring.
The main reason for this? Its simple. Im lazy. Sub-reasons could include my love for TV (NFL and NBA are eating up a lot of my time lately), my tendency to overdose on surfing the internet for answers and amusement, dining out and drinking thus getting too tired, and my short attention span. Here's a little of what has transpired in the past weeks that I shouldve posted:
- Finished off a long northwest trip with a 6-day jaunt in Vegas. Got killed at the tables but got to see a hot blonde and had the chance to pop off a few rounds at makeshift shooting gallery in the Vegas desert.
- A few less than amusing experiences at MIA which I no longer consider part of the USA.
- EPIC WEEKEND. This weekend consisted of being enabled by my cousin to go to the Bahamas, followed by a 36 hour major gambling binge with scattered hilarity mixed in between, and culminating with an early AM flight back to Miami to tailgate and catch the Patriots dismantle the Doll Fans live.
I guess travel having slowed for me could be playing a part in my lack of posting too. Im going to work on getting more frequent with my posting. My buddy Dave at Monkey Bingo is pretty solid at posting almost daily. Thats inspiring.
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