Artsy Fartsy

Wynwood Art Walk happens every second Saturday.  This time it also had an array of food trucks, the new uber-cool, uber-urban way to eat.  Basically these are campers outfitted like professional kitchens with talented chefs producing amazing food.  Food Network had a sort of lame competition show called "Food Truck Wars" so if you missed that, think portable fine dining on a stick or in a Chinese take-out carton.

Steve and the girl on her trike

I had the occasion to go with my friends Steve and Rob last night - and while I wasn't hungry, I was definitely impressed with the ribeye sliders that Steve purchased for $7.  3 little sliders that looked elegantly dressed and smelled amazing.  Next time I'll go with an apetite!


One gallery we hit was full of Japanimation stuff... not my favorite type of art, but certainly lively.  There was a bar in this gallery too - thus the commotion, I'm guessing.



We stopped in at several galleries - and honestly, the people watching is just as good as the art exhibits.  The Miami Herald calls it a "Meat Market for Art Lovers."  I tried to capture some imagery, but we were cold (an icy 58 degrees!) and crowded.

Glam and Garbage

I loved the juxtaposition of the red high heels and the bag of trash this girl was about to take out. I think I'll call it "Glam and Garbage."








This little guy was in his stroller, wearing his sport coat, shirt and loosened tie and playing on what I think was a Nintendo DS.  He looked like a mini Wall-Streeter checking his stocks though.  I love this pic!

We stumbled into one galler called the Black Square Gallery that had a few pieces by this amazing Argentinian artist named Pablo Lehmann.  Check his work out here:  www.pablolehmann.com.ar/english.html

He does these pieces by cutting out words and layering them or creating sculptures with them.  The intricacy of his work simply astounded me.  This is one of them that we saw on the top and another that I found online on the bottom.....

After our art adventure, we headed to Wynwood Kitchen for a drink - Viognier for me.  Very artsy place and again, just full of life and energy.  A very cool night.  Here was our bartender.





Info:  Every second Saturday of the month:  Wynwood Art Walk.  7-10pm.  The art district extends east from Northwest 6th to NE 2nd Avenue and north from NW 17th to NW 36th St.  FREE.

God loves you but I think you are an asshole

Well, ok that's not nice.  But on a recent drive home from Jupiter (90 miles or so) My friend and I saw the oddest thing...
A sky writer, attempting to send a message to the world from the sky with the trail of exhaust from the plane.  Out of the blue (ha ha) a "U" appeared and then then the plane disappeared.  Then suddenly a "+" showed up.  I was too optimistic, I must say, assuming this was a marriage proposal, a simple random proclamation of love, or at the very least an ad for a pizza joint.  But then the letters "G," "O," and (my heart is sinking at this point because I think I know what is coming next......) the "D."  And then the "=" and the smiley face.  Really dude?  Do you not have anything better to do with that fuel?  Do you really want "God" to create an accident with all of the gawkers on I95?  Did the FAA give you clearance for this shit?  Sheesh.

We could only get the "God = :-)" so I am truly sorry if you really needed the "U +" to get the full message.  It's not like I took the "Christ" out of Christmas.

Doin' it on South Beach

I don't "party."  In fact I really cringe when people use the word "party" as a verb.  That being said, a few weekends ago, I "partied."  Friday night was a party in DC with my sis and her boyfriend, which usually ends up in silly debauchery around 5am.  I had a 6:30am flight, so needless to say, I might not have gone to bed.  BUT, I did catch my flight.... in time to take a very short nap, unpack, and make it to a 40th birthday party on South Beach.  The Clevelander.  I don't mean to name names for the sake of "dropping" a name, but Conrad is a friend of a friend, and his family knows how to throw a bash.  I was thrilled to prop my eyelashes up with toothpicks to go.....

This is my friend Dave, and the birthday boy's mother....and be honest, I don't look nearly as tired as I felt, do I?

So this was a party complete with open bar, live music down below by the pool, and body airbrush.  You have not really "partied" in South Beach if you haven't been airbrushed...... and so you might conclude that I have not really "partied" in SoBe.  However, I've watched from the outskirts.....

Birthday Cake

Here is the birthday boy himself... in case he forgot who he was - or we did!



Honestly, a party on South Beach can be lots of fun... it all depends on who you are with, and most importantly, if somebody is willing to make themselves more interesting with a little paint..... it will definitely be good entertainment!

Happy 40th, Conrad!

WiFi & Pool

I just discovered that my pool has free WiFi.  If only mac made a waterproof laptop!  I tell you what.... it was funny to go down and sit by the pool with my laptop only to find 3 other people there working from their lounge chairs.  I guess I now "share" an office!  :-)

Working like this does not suck!

BEACH TIME!

I can't believe it has taken me this long to blog about the beach.  Why do people live in Miami?  The beach.  The water.  The sand.  The bikini-watching.  The savage tans.  Ahhhh the beach.
Guess what?  I went to the beach for the first time this year last Saturday.  I waited until August to hit the beach!  Don't tell my fellow Miamians.... I'd be boo-ed.  Shame on me.

I love the beach, especially Miami Beach, and what I didn't realize was that each cross street defines the beach experience (Miami Beach stretching from 1st & Collins up to 23rd & Collins).  For example, the farthest south you can really go is Nikki Beach - 1 Ocean Drive is the landmark.  Nikki Beach is a resort, club, and the local name for the beach area associated with it.  You can rent umbrellas & chairs there (kinda pricey) and bring your cooler and chill on your plush lounge chair or the sand for some prime people-watching.  This is where the beautiful people hang....

But, go a little north and there is a place where cultures collide too.  My sister and I like to say that the heart of Miami Beach is where Hollywood, the French Riviera and Ohio come together.  You have stars and star wannabes (insert picture of Flo-Rida taping the beach scenes for "Sugar" video here), Europeans who are oblivious but beautiful and exotic (and sometimes topless), and then the obese couple eating fried chicken with their loud screaming kids.  It's truly something to behold.

Waiting for chicken!

Topless!

One day, when I was out walking this particular beach with some friends, we saw this happy photo opportunity....

In case you missed the fine print

So mosey up a bit north to 12th and Collins and you are in a "sea" (pun intended) of banana hammocks, weenie bikinis, grape smugglers, slug huggers, sausage casing... whatever you want to call them.  The nice thing is, these guys usually look good in their speedos.  You get the drift....



So Saturday, I was actually around 21st and Collins, which was fantastic because we could rent chairs and an umbrella for $50 or so, and we were right near a little tiki bar that served food and drinks.  It wasn't too crowded or noisy - or even touristy for that matter.  Just a nice good day at the beach.  And the only photo op was this: