News From the Magic CIty

The Latest from Miami: – Police Chief John Timoney defied a contested court order to give a Civilian Investigative Panel testimony about his failure to disclose his 14-month free use of a $54,000 Lexus hybrid SUV. – A local pastor is charged with stealing $10,000 that was supposed to be…

Inside The Surf Club Kitchen

Winston Churchill painted seascapes from his cabana here. In the 1950s, General Motors debuted their new car models in its grand ballrooms. The club has hosted parties for Douglas Fairbanks, Jr., Douglas MacArthur, Elizabeth Taylor, and the Duke and Duchess of Windsor. Tony Bennett and Julio Iglesias have sung on…

On Bike Efficiency — And Pricks

The Bike Blog is pleased to see the many comments on our recent bike feature. What with the back and forth, we did want to clarify one point of fact. After being called “a prick,” for remarking that bicyclists should “just get out of the way of those of us…

Weekly News Wrap – Cancer Patients and Good Samaritans Get Screwed

Giuliani and Edwards Forfeit – The two finished in third place in Florida’s primary. Giuliani endorsed McCain. Edwards voiced his support for both Democratic candidates but didn’t endorse one or the other. The Democratic Debate: Too Polite? – Was the debate between Clinton and Obama too soft? Did people really…

Cheap Eats: Sabores Chilenos

Where: Sabores Chilenos, 10760 W Flagler St Suite 305, Sweetwater, (305) 554-4484 What $15 Gets You: Churrasco al Plato, Inka Cola, and a pastry or dessert When someone mentions Latin food in Miami, Cuban is the first word that comes to mind. In areas like Sweetwater and Hialeah, there are…

Romeo’s Cafe Turns 10

To celebrate his decade of success, owner Romeo Majano is offering complimentary champagne this Sunday, and each succeeding Sunday through April. Recently rated in the Zagat Guide as “Top Italian” restaurant in Miami, Romeo’s Café, on Coral Way, distinguishes itself via lack of a written menu. Chef Romeo visits each…

Ex-Dolphins All Up In the Super Bowl

11 ex-Dolphins will be playing or somehow participating in the Super Bowl this Sunday, which is more than any of the current Dolphins can say. Let’s see… Jason Taylor? Collecting Man of the Year Awards. Not bad. But we’d rather he be collecting a Super Bowl ring. Cleo Lemon? At…

Baroque: Another “What The Hell?!” Game From Atlus.

Seriously, what the hell is this? Atlus Co. is a game developer that specializes in weird, off-beat games and they show no signs of changing directions. The developer is currently working on Baroque, a remake of a title originally released for the Saturn and Playstation. The game follows the same…

Goodbye, D-Train

The D-Train Leaves the Station Filed under: Sports That giant sucking sound? It was the now-familiar whoosh of baseball talent being slurped away from the Marlins. Everybody knows the biggest deal of the off-season was when the Fish front office traded the team’s two greatest players (and its only marquee…

Opa-locka Boots the Boss

On December 12, three days after her brother caught a stray bullet during a drug turf war in one of Opa-locka’s notorious HUD apartment complexes, Natasha Irving unleashed her wrath at city commission meeting. She took police Chief James Wright to task for the sorrowful state of the long-problematic apartments…

Cyclists Court Death Daily

Before the sun rises over Miami — before the highways swell with traffic and the streets begin to hum with the sound of a million motors turning at once — the first bicycles appear. From the east — the beaches, Key Biscayne — come the racers. Clad head to toe…

Dan Marino Got Wine

Nothing says benevolence and charity like a liquored up asshole telling everyone in the room just how much they’ve let him down. But that’s me. I love me an alcoholic beverage or two, and I love to let it all hang out when I drink. So if I’m going to…

Cardboard Obama Visits Miami

Let’s be honest: the mood at the Barak Obama party early Tuesday night at the American Legion wasn’t cheery. But the three dozen or so supporters were pleasant, if not understandably irked by Hillary Clinton’s recent “fundraiser” in a state where, technically, the Democrats weren’t supposed to campaign prior to…

Denim for Democracy! Or, Free Discount

If a flimsy “I voted” sticker isn’t enough to validate your participation in the democratic process, G by Guess is offering up a proper thank you. After all, it’s hard to take an hour off of work, stand in a long line, and press a button on a screen, all…

Fie On You, Castle of Poop and Inconvenience

I want to start the Burn Down the South Dade Justice Building (after everyone goes home) Club. But in the interest of diplomacy, I’ll settle for re-naming the place The Castle of Poop and Inconvenience. Any takers? Frankly, I feel like all of my constitutional rights and bodily orifices have…

Primary Day on the Beach: Hillary Country

“Isn’t that the Muslim guy?” a man shouts, smirking from a passing pickup truck on 11th Street near Jefferson Avenue late Tuesday morning. That’s where Jon Fontaine holds his Obama 2008 sign. Fontaine, a 45 year old antiques dealer in aviator glasses and black flip-flops, shrugs off the unfounded rumor…

Gambling in Miami – Sleazing the Black Vote

This morning on Northwest Seventh Avenue, Main Street Black Miami, guys with Vote Yes on Amendment 26 signs and T-shirts lined the road. One whom I questioned, 18-year old Mark James, said he was being paid $80 for the day to stand under a palm tree and wave the placards…

Check, Please! Brings Michy to the Airwaves

There is a certain Jorge Luis Borges twist to me, a restaurant critic, critiquing a show whereby average folks play restaurant critic. I’m talking of the first installment of Check, Please!, the PBS series that has met with great success in Chicago and Los Angeles, and hopes to do likewise…

Who Would Jesus Vote For? – Mike Huckabee

The Florida Primary has finally arrived, and so has Jesus’ endorsement for president. Jesus vetted the candidates for you all last week, and while Rudolph Giuliani and Hillary Clinton got high scores, 4 Crosses and 4 1/2 Crosses respectively, they just couldn’t summit the mountain that is Jesus’ all important…

Gator-Eating Pythons: A Myth?

Trekking in the Everglades became sketchier once monster, gator-eating pythons began making guest appearances. Over the weekend, a bald-headed vat of reptilian knowledge offered some good news. Remember that widely circulated photo of the 13-foot Burmese python that split after gulping the gator? Rick Scholle, exotic animal handler at Trail…

Word Association: The Presidential Politics Edition

Florida’s primary is finally here — excited yet? If you are, I applaud you. If you are like the majority of us, you’ve already decided on your candidate, and regardless of whatever that Green Party friend is telling you, you aren’t going to change your mind. In the spirit of…