Monday May 19, 2008
New Times Best of Miami 2008, diversions
By the time I went to grab a copy of the New Times this weekend, someone’d pulled out all the ‘Best Of’ inserts (couldn’t help but notice that the design of the interior had been nicely re-vamped), so we’re stuck doing the slog on the internet. Here we are: New Times best-of, Diversions (more over the next coupla days, if I have the energy):
- Best activity to do while intoxicated — Hashing: Too bad the hashing group is out of Ft. Lauderdale, which, um, has it’s own New Times. Otherwise, this would have been a good find. Hashing is sort of a combination of urban hide-and-seek combined with running and drinking. Good times. Update: for some reason almost all the comments on this post are about hashing. Check On! On! a Miami running blog that points to Miami-based hashes (thanks Ashley). And yes, the NT’s group is Ft-Laud based but holds events in both counties.
- Best art gallery — David Castillo: This is sort of a no-brainer, but it’s good that the NT got it exactly right — Castillo really came into its own in the last year, and probably did edge out Gallery Diet, which buzz-wise would be the other natural contender.
- Best Blog — Eye on Miami: Eye on Miami is sharp and prolific. In the year and a half it’s been around, I’ve rarely been a regular reader, mainly because I just can’t keep up. But it’s nice to know that there are two guys out there paying attention, and giving their thoughtful blow-by-blow on a daily basis. Odd that the NT would describe EoM as “easy to read” and compliment their blog design, though. Don’t those “Read More” links (on every post, whether there’s a jump or not), the elastic width, and the yearless archives dropdown make it sort of the opposite? Whatevs — I’m just glad the NT finally realized that “Best Blog” is even a category. Although just a little too late. There are now hundreds of blogs in town, and if you want to do them justice you need a whole separate category, just like you have Shops & Wares, not “Best Shop.”
- Best day trip — The edge of town: They mean Krome and Tamiami — the casino, the Pitt, the airboat ride, etc. This is a no-brainer, but it bears repeating — everyone should head out there at least about once a year or so. I recommend going a bit farther and also doing Big Cypress.
- Best hike — Florida Trail between Loop Road and U.S. 41: Add this to my ‘to do’.
- Best little-known sport — Slough-slogging: This would be jumping into the Everglades muck and wading, knee-to-waist deep in mud, looking for wildlife. I’m sure this is bucket-loads of fun, but I just learned that the Everglades is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles exist side-by-side. I wouldn’t do this without a very very experienced guide. Start here.
- Best local artist — Clifton Childree: Hell yes. More a film maker then an artist, but who’s counting. Cliff is the bomb. You might point out that NT is a couple of years late to the party, but still — Hell yes.
- Best local website — Crappers Quarterly: Yawn.
- Best movie — Pencil Fighting: The Life and Times of Team Balderdash: The comments prove NT is on to something here. Do kids pencil-fight anymore? No — we’re all showing our age here. Whatever… let’s have more movie sillyness.
- Best picnic spot — Enea Garden Lounge: I always wander into this place and wonder where the hell I am. Turns out it’s just a little quiet spot, and you’re allowed to go and hang out there. Good to know.
- Best place to go stoned — Alabama Jack’s: Ok, this is a place in search of a category. “Best place to drive 100mph to, fish at, and then drink beer while looking at water through the floor” would have worked. Next time on your way to the keys, take Card Sound road and stop by. Try to time it so you catch some of the live music.
- Best place to kayak — Pelican Island Park to Morningside Park: Do they rent kayaks there? (I don’t think they do, actually.) Can you do it by canoe? Isn’t there a bit of a risk of getting stranded, what with the currents in the bay? Dunno, but if doable, this route sounds amazing.
- Best rural bike ride — Homestead: Not sure why they didn’t link to the ride itself, but no matter — the fact that the Redland is a great biking area is confirmed. I might just advise you to grab a Redland Riot map and follow that, too.
- Best urban bike ride — Along the Miami River: This one sounds pretty good too, if you know your way around some serious non-bike-friendly streets. You may want to check the route out on Google maps first, and keep in mind that a couple of the bridges are closed.
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we have a small hash group in Miami that meets every so often – next run happening in 2 weeks or so
OnOnRunners
Heck, we hashed in Miami-Dade yesterday (May 18…Greynold’s Park – dressed up like hippies and ended up at the Love-In)…
and we are hashing near Tropical Park next Monday (May 26): meet behind the Goodwill near Bird and Ludlum at 6:45pm with $1, a couple beers, and a good attitude.
Tonight we are meeting up in Hallendale Beach, not too far of a slog: join us at 6:45 at the Beachside Café, 111 Surf Road, Hallandale Beach.
—Stop the Bus and Let My Friend Jack Off
Best activity to do while intoxicated — Hashing???
uh, last time i checked, the old in-out was the best activity to do while intoxicated. hashing sounds like what a bunch of morons who can’t get laid are up to any given friday night.
wow this hashing thing it is huge..!.
Hey Nemo —- Most hashing isn’t Friday night when most hashers are drinking beer and preparing for the weekends activities. Still, if we are morons to enjoy the pleasure of running and beer drinking, than I relish the appellation. Cum out and join us (we hash every Monday night somewhere in Miami-Dade or Broward) and see if you can keep up. If you’re as much of a hound dog as you sound, you’ll enjoy at least getting a sniff of the pack of bitches (a doggie term) and see how you do as an Alpha male.
Hey Ashley —- let us know who you are. There is a large hash contingent in Miami-Dade and if you want to join us, we’d love to have you. (note to Nemo). If you are putting on Hash events, for sure a few of us will show up if we know there will be beer and you. Please let me know.
On On
Virgin Dick
naah, sorry, vg, cuts into my capoeira classes and general hound doggery. thanks for the offer, though! do you guys have any vids of your events? one may be interested after a glimpse of one’s clientele….
Also a hasher, who normally comments here under a diff. name. It’s good stuff for fun people, even if I only make it to the events within a 10 mile radius of Miami Beach.
Enea Garden: except when it’s closed for some snotty party.
Kayaking: Pelican Island Park? If you want to risk your life among the drunk boaters or you like to paddle in some of the most polluted waters in the bay. Nah, best kayaking trip now that Virginia Key reopened is circunavigating Key Biscayne. Stay close to shore where the boats can’t go.
Biking along the Miami River: Yeah, that’ll be the day. The Redland is cool but it’s getting way too hot to do it anytime but early in the morning.
I KNOW, right?! Did you go outside yesterday? Disgusting. It cooled off just a notch around 7:30, but otherwise it’s just over. I’ve actually biked around the river, and I might try the NT route at some point. Will report back.
I just don’t know about the kayaking thing. My ex-girlfriend used to kayak in the bay, but I remember venturing out onto it from oleta on a canoe once and being a little taken aback. I think the key is to do it on a day when the wind is calm.
Dude, not going to find American crocodiles in the swamp. Those are found in Florida Bay only.
you only have to deal with the gators and snakes
I wouldn’t kayak near Morningside Park, at least not on weekends. Too many people on jet skis and too many boats.
The canals in Matheson Hammock Park are great for kayaking, but I haven’t seen any kayak rental place there.
The Kayak joint on Purdy Ave is nice, because you can rubberneck the fancy houses of Star, Palm, and Hibiscus Islands, and stop at the (Duval?) memorial statue island (watch out for sandspurs, general sketchiness). Good for out-of-town guests!
I was on the Redlands Saturday. Brutal.
I’ve done the kayak from Oleta several times and it’s not bad. It can get windy but that adds to the fun. The rest of the intracoastal is polluted and full of boaters with no idea of what they are doing or drunk.
Haven’t tried around the Miami Beach islands, but may be good. There are plenty of 3ft/4ft areas where boaters don’t go.
I’ve found in the Miami Beach islands area, the problem is not “boaters” so much, but the wave-running/jet-ski maniacs. The water is pretty, and we even saw a manatee. They give you a little map in a zip-lock bag with a route that lets you see the sights you want to see, but expediently enough that you don’t go over the amount of time you want to spend. Significantly more expensive than Oleta, be forewarned. I thought it was worth it. They also run moonlight group tours.
Thanks critical…there is a method to our madness. We tend to be verbose on some subjects and the expandable columns make it looks shorter so you don’t have to scroll and scroll and scroll. I guess we could write shorter pieces…but that would be too easy. We did have a fixed column width on our first design and the scrolling was ridiculous.
I will take a look at our archive…we never expected to get past one year. We are not that savvy at computer stuff (we are both too lazy to read the instructions) so we are okay with the “read more” even when there is no more to read. I am still trying to figure out how to post a video….we do thank you for your good suggestions…come over and teach us some computer tricks!Hi There,
I just moved to Miami from New YOrk City.
It’s such a different scene, the only common thing I’ve seen here so far is Barneys:)
Luckily Barneys sells my fav lippies Lipstick Queen and 3 Lab soap but I’m not sure where to go to get my nails done, hair done, and all the stuff!
I’ve been googling best of my Miami and came across this blog.
Is there anywhere I can go to rent a bike?
Biking on the beach sure sounds like fun!
Anything else a newby like me should know of, places to meet people etc.
Thanks
Janine
I’ve done hashing once with a friend during the calle 8 festival, and it was a blast, we were hashing through these little holes in the wall discos and looking at people more inebriated than us, it was incredibly fun. Of course since it was my first time i didn’t have a cool hasher name, but it was cool none the less.
ON ON !!!!