It's coming May 11: I just wanted to give some feedback on two of your Best of Miami 2005 restaurant suggestions. We were recently vacationing in Miami Beach with two children and were looking for a good restaurant that would be entertaining to the kids. We chose Barton G based on your recommendation and description, and Prime One Twelve as a backup.
It was after 8:00 p.m. Sunday night when we arrived at Barton G. It looked like there might be a minor wait, so I dropped off my wife while I found a parking spot. She called back a few minutes later and reported, "This isn't a restaurant for kids." It was candlelit, and everyone was black-tie. When my wife said, "Two adults and two kids," she was told we wouldn't be able to get a table for two hours.
We went on to our second choice. Prime One Twelve was incredible! The food (and especially the selection) was astounding. The service wasn't as good as I would expect for the quality of the restaurant and the price, but it was more than adequate. There was a very foul smell coming from the nearby beach, so indoor seating would have been preferable. It was definitely the best meal we had in Miami, and one of the best we've had anywhere!
Michael Coley
Mansfield, Texas
Rommel and the Canes: Regarding The Bitch's article "Fish Swastika!" (April 20), two interesting but little known facts: First the swastika was originally an American Indian decorative art symbol used to decorate blankets, weaving, et cetera. Second, to bring it closer to home, there is a section of land near the Orange Bowl that was originally platted in the Teens or Twenties and is designated Swastika Park.
Stephen Tunstall
Miami
Just perfect: Just wanted to say thank you to Lee Klein for the Spiga article, "After All These Years" (April 20). It has always been one of my favorites for its intimacy, light dishes, and lovely staff. Andreas is a doll, and don't even get me started on that cheesecake! It was nice to finally see them get some recognition. Bravo!
Amy Lipson
Miami
Save the furry carrot-chompers: Thanks to Lyssa Oberkreser from all of us at Fairy Tails for the awesome story, "Hare Today " (April 13), about our spring adoption event! Getting the word out is one of the best ways we can save and adopt out more animals and reach the public with a message to spay and neuter. Thank you!
Barbara St. Aubin
Miami
The editor, please: I applaud Cyrena Rose for the clear statement of truth she made in her letter, "Pet Preserved" (April 6), in response to the article "Death by the Pound" by Francisco Alvarado. I have served on the board of a local humane society. It was heart-wrenching to understand the magnitude of death that occurs. It was a struggle to manage the anger at the public for its responsibility for and ignorance of the problem. And it was painful to suffer the accusations, like those in your article, that damned the humane society for the tragedy. If you have a pet that is not sprayed or neutered, you are the problem. If you want to help, spread that message.
George Rogers
Hollywood
Straighten up, free weekly: I like the New Times. I used to love it. I used to always grab the print version for the events calendars, restaurant listings, et cetera, and then read the articles. Now I pick it up just for the articles, because the events are online.
My problem is this: Your events listings are simply not organized well. It's tough to say, "What can/should I do today?" and to get an easy answer. I've got to go through 500 listings. The categories help, but since any long-term listings show up as "today," the results are too many to sort through. You need to rethink the whole navigation of events listings online, possibly provide a little more editorial review of weekend activities, and give a better way for people to find an afternoon, day, or evening event.
Christopher Auxier
Key Biscayne
But not bad: Mr. Anthony Miccio, I've been a Ray Davies fan for a long time. I'm surprised by your March 30 critique of his last CD. I think you're a bit cruel with this work. I agree with you that it's not his best work, but it's better than the catastrophic quality of the Stones and the Who. It's really an honest work; don't be too hard on the man.
Claude Mariottini
France
Miami New Times won three Green Eyeshade awards amid entrants from weekly and monthly papers in eleven Southeastern states in a contest sponsored by the Society for Professional Journalists in Atlanta. Staff writer Francisco Alvarado and editor Chuck Strouse won first place in feature reporting and serious commentary, respectively, while former "Kulchur" columnist Brett Sokol placed second in the business reporting division.
Miami New Times has an immediate opening for an associate editor. This full-time position entails supervising staff writers and working with freelancers, planning and editing copy, and developing and writing feature stories. Qualified candidates must have significant experience in arts journalism and a solid understanding of — and interest in — pop culture. News experience is a plus. The most promising candidates will be asked to take an editing test. Applicants should send a cover letter, resumé, and their five best clips to:
Chuck Strouse, editor
Miami New Times
2800 Biscayne Blvd., Ste. 100
Miami, FL 33137
No phone calls or e-mails, please
