Opinion & Commentary

Letters from the issue of September 9, 2010

For many years I delighted in tormenting Lori Garrote with random assertions that her brother Joe (of The Basicks and The Can’t Stand Ya’s fame) owed me twenty bucks, and that he had reported her as the current holder of that lien. Needless to say, the familial confusion that must’ve…

NASCAR fans are not, as a whole, noted for their elevated views on race relations, but the richest owner on the circuit is putting even his most sunburned, Busch-swigging fan to shame.Bruton Smith, a billionaire with a strong and unfortunate resemblance to Don Rickles, is demanding that NASCAR end its…

Uncle Luke, the man whose booty-shaking madness once made the U.S. Supreme Court stand up for free speech, gets as nasty as he wants to be for Miami New Times.This week, Luke says no to the Ground Zero mosque.I don’t believe there should be a mosque next to the Ground…

Baccone Dolce Barbecued Cats (Moon Ska Records) www.moonskaworld.com Aspeta un minuti … or don’t. It isn’t so much as the delicious Italian treat as it is a bygone era where the Floridian peninsula ruled the ska-airwaves. And (apparently re-emergent ska label) Moon Ska took note. The mid-90’s were a good…

There are good things to say about Smith & Wollensky, for sure, starting with its incredible location, location, location and the fact that its bartenders are known to be quite generous with a pour. And we think it’s cool they are offering wine enthusiasts the chance to swirl and spit…

Last night’s Jersey Shore was full of cat fights, watermelons in pinholes, and tricky transgendered-identifying people. With the boring saga of Ronnie and Sam finally fading, and the ensuing fallout of “the guidette letter” taking center stage, it might have been the trashiest (read: best) episode since the hot mess…

When you think of DJ Ideal, you’ll probably remember him best for his wide takeover in the mixtape scene a couple of years ago. His Lil Jon tinged “Bottom Bitch” sound byte was just about as show stopping as Don Canon’s “Canon” sample. From about 2003-2007, DJ Ideal made incredible…

Blogger Hannah Littman and New Times editor Chuck Strouse disagree about Design District pioneer and national powerhouse Michael’s Genuine. What follows are their disparate views:Walk into Michael’s Genuine, the much applauded, infrequently dissed Design District restaurant and you note it right away. There’s none of the pretense that so many…

Wyclef Jean can save Haiti; Sean Penn is a loser

Letters from the issue of September 2, 2010

Newer-ish outfit Plains is poised to release a brand new 7″ single this Friday at Bar and here at Crossfade we’re pleased to share with you the B-side to that effort, “Stuck in the Night.” This band comes with a pretty good pedigree. Technically the brainchild of Honor Roll’s Michael…

Last week, in my analysis of the sad state of Miami’s diner scene, I touched on the unpalatable fried chicken being served at 11th Street Diner. If they want to continue serving sub par Southern fried chicken, that’s their prerogative, however it’s about time they took the “Best in Miami…

The Pink Lincolns Suck & Bloat (Stiff Pole Records) www.stiffpolerecords.com In honor of Richard “Big Stiff” Konwinski, who passed this past July in Tampa, I’ll be juggling between the County Grind and Crossfade blogs doing my Blast From the Past thing on the record label that he founded, Stiff Pole…

Uncle Luke, the man whose booty-shaking madness once made the U.S. Supreme Court stand up for free speech, gets as nasty as he wants to be for Miami New Times. This week, Luke goes to bat for Wyclef Jean.Wyclef Jean should have the opportunity to become Haiti’s president. He should…

That’s Right Lebron, I’m Talkin’ To YouAs reported by Lesley Abravanel, LeBron James gave Barton G. some tweet love, writing that it “has the BEST presentation of food, drinks and dessert I’ve ever seen in my life”.Listen up, LeBron: I’ll go one-on-one against you in restaurant reviewing anytime, anywhere. I’m…

Pretty much every word Sean Rowe ever spoke was poetry. Even after he was hit by a train and survived.  I don’t say that as praise. I’m not fawning. He just had a way about him.He arrived in Miami in 1989 to work at the Miami Herald, where I was…