Ground Zero Mosque: A Solution

This post has nothing to do with food, but it might give you something to chew on:As we all know by now, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf has offered to build a mosque and Islamic cultural center in the proximity of Ground Zero, a purportedly generous gesture to help build trust…

Lousy Parking in the Grove, Part 3. We Need These Joints

Coconut Grove has been a fickle neighborhood for many restaurants. While some owners open in hope of becoming the next GreenStreet Cafe, others close in a matter of months. What might be hindering the prosperity of establishments in the Grove is the unfriendly parking situation. If Coconut Grove, like the…

Remember 9/11 and Say No to the Ground Zero Mosque

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…

Blast From the Past: Baccone Dolce’s – Barbecued Cats

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…

Overrated Eats: Smith & Wollensky

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…

Top 5 Reasons Your DJ Hates You

Ask a DJ, and it would appear that a lot of club patrons seem to confuse them for human jukeboxes which they think they can crowd around, prop their drinks on, lean back on, and prompt for every crappy song that tickles their drunken fancy. Granted, some contexts and scenarios…

Jersey Shore Damage Report: Watermelons and Pinholes

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…

Blogger’s Bout: Michael’s Genuine

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…

MP3 of the Day: Plains – “Stuck in the Night”

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…

Farewell, Smith & Wollensky Roast Beef Hash!

There’s nothing worst than sitting down to a meal at an established restaurant and finding out that your favorite dish is no longer on the menu. Generally, restaurants slash items that aren’t selling well, are out of season or are just too costly. However, Short Order is baffled by the…

The McRib: A History of McTeasing

The sordid tale of the McDonald’s McRib sandwich is little known, little discussed. This tasty nugget is simultaneously the laughing stock of the fast food world (and that’s saying something — remember the Mc-Lobster Roll?) and a product that inspires cult-like devotion. It has been referenced all over pop culture…

Blast From the Past: The Pink Lincolns – Suck & Bloat

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…

Sean Penn Doesn’t Know Wyclef or What’s Good For Haiti

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…

Gourmet Leftovers, Pierogi Trucks, My Challenge To LeBron

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…

Sean Rowe: New Times Writer/Author/Poet Is Dead

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…

Jersey Shore Damage Report: The Guidette Letter

Some people thought the second season of Jersey Shore wouldn’t work because the formerly anonymous guidos had become media superstars. Others thought the move to Miami Beach would take away some of the magic. So far, that hasn’t been the case. What’s really dragging down the second season is that…