The Weekend Starts... NOW

TO DO LIST:

Wednesday (otherwise known as today, this day, now): Go to Vagabond for La Quinceanera, featuring Miami bass favorites, Alex Caso, Jose El Rey and Otto. Drop it like it's hot.

Friday: Must go to the Cinco de Mayo party at the Upper East Side Garden on 69th Street. Dress like FRIDA KAHLO for look-alike competition. Get there early, before 9:00!!! Drink too much, then on to Churchill's to see the Jacuzzi Boys and Dino. Take shots, drink cider.

Sunday: Listen to Torche rock at Churchill's. Take more shots, drink more cider. Drunkenly threaten, "Girl, I'll mosh you" to anyone in your path. Buy Torche's new album at Sweat Records.

Christ, bro

If you know me, you know I kind of LLLLLOVVVE religion. I don't like to write publicly about religious issues, because I think the topic is a very personal one.
I did comment on Alesh's blog about these new Christ-plates the Florida legislature wants to offer the voters of our amazingly backward state. If you're listening, Gov. Crist (hmmm... sounds similar, but oh, so very different) I'm willing to trade the Choose Life tags for the crosses. Deal? I mean, Christ and Crist have a lot of the same letters, maybe this could act as a promotional campaign tool for you?
Anyway, read what I wrote because I'm too lazy to repeat myself here!

McCain Called His Wife a CUNT in Public-- Freaking GOP

Please read this, from the Huffington Post. (Thanks for the heads up Nico!)

"...The only other thing about McCain is that he once called his wife the C word in public. Other than that he seems to have a pretty clean--

Wait, what did you just say?

McCain called his wife the C word in public. It's in Cliff Schecter's new book The Real McCain. And three reporters verified the incident. Here's an excerpt:

Three reporters from Arizona, on the condition of anonymity, also let me in on another incident involving McCain's intemperateness. In his 1992 Senate bid, McCain was joined on the campaign trail by his wife, Cindy, as well as campaign aide Doug Cole and consultant Wes Gullett. At one point, Cindy playfully twirled McCain's hair and said, "You're getting a little thin up there." McCain's face reddened, and he responded, "At least I don't plaster on the makeup like a trollop, you cunt." McCain's excuse was that it had been a long day. If elected president of the United States, McCain would have many long days.

Hold on, let me drop the facetious tone I was using for the front part of this piece. John McCain called his wife the C-word (or for people from England: cunt) in front of a bunch of people?!!!!! And we're talking about Obama's preacher? McCain dropped a C-bomb and we're spending hours on Hillary exaggerating a trip to Bosnia?!!!"

the present of pitch

Music Nerd Alert
I found some of these things amusing, like the mic sponge, drumstick pencils, guitar ice cubes, the guitar pillow (which I own), and all the other obviously neat dorkus musica paraphernalia.

Putin Putin

Putin has endorsed the Russian Orthodox Church as the official religion of Russia.
Is there something inherently suppressive about Russian culture that insists on a unified religious front? You really have to wonder how they went from the Marxist approach of allowing no religions to practice to creating a constitution that touts religious freedom, to persecuting Protestants. I understand that Evangelical Protestantism (an American creation) poses a cultural threat to many groups, especially in Brazil and the Caribbean, and I see how this move, in some ways, preserves Russian identity. However, this is a scary move for the large Slavic land and I believe it will only foster anti-American sentiment worldwide.
Read more about it in the NY Times.

Rundown of the Chromeo Show

I actually did get into the Chromeo show for free, but only because I was rude to the right guy, I guess. My friend, who is known for sneaking into anyplace that charges, encouraged (forced) me to walk quickly into a side entrance at The Fifth, but we got busted. The guy ended up being a promoter, and after I told him, not so nicely, to get his hands off me, he told the door guys not to let us in. My sly friend apologized to the promoter for our bad move, but he wanted me to grovel, so I said, tersely, "sorry" and he let us in free. People like attitude, even if it's a shitty.

Then we got free tee-shirts, there's the guy making them right below. My friend and I got our pics taken and apparently they stole my boobs for the pic. I couldn't look more titless. There's me and the Jewish guy from Chromeo. The Fifth was packed and actually a really kind of cool, Cameo-esque set up (as noted by Jessenia). The drinks were nauseatingly expensive. Next time I'll probably bring my own.

Cheesy pictures from that night.

Earthly Love.

Happy Earth Day! Don't forget about Mother Earth, ever. She's good stuff.

I must say that the obsessive-compulsive hoarding behavior I saw in my Aunt Nancy and my mother really did teach me about conservation. Mind you, they call it being thrifty. I always just thought they were cheap, and they are, but they also have a few good ideas. To make your life "greener," just turn to those people, like my fam, who reuse everything. Those who buy used dishes, who will grab your old couch from the trash for their living room and only give away their crappy, old worn couch to someone who really needs it and will use it till it's in tatters. These are the people who wash out and reuse sandwich baggies. Learn from them, and then you'll get part of the idea.

Thinking about what you put in your body is probably the most important thing you can do that will affect your quality of life. Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle is an inspirational book that gives you every freaking reason you should stick to eating food that was grown locally. Seasonal foods taste better, organic eating is better for the environment and eating locally saves the ozone because it limits the use of fossil fuels (tomatoes in January are tasteless and they come all the way from a pesticide ridden California greenhouse. Ew).

Something I actually think about much of the day is changing all the regular crap bulbs in my life to energy-efficient compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). For the love of God, it's like the easiest thing to do, and you never have to change your light bulbs. I hate changing light bulbs as much as I loathe pumping gas (especially at $4.00 a gallon). But until I get a gigantic raise, I'm stuck pumping a load of gas into my old lady sedan. That's all I've got right now. Oh, and I gave out trees for X-mas on http://www.arborday.org/.

Peace, love and trees.

CINCO DE MAYO '08

Cinco de Mayo isn't just a holiday to pick up hot pieces of man meat in any old seedy Miami bar. Nor is it the only excuse to show your new boob job for bead necklaces in Coconut Grove. May 5th is a time to drink tequila with total abandon and celebrate the deliciously maudlin musica de Mexico!

In light of this, my awesome roomie, Nathan, aka DJ Stickyrice, is going to be kickin' ass on the violin with the lovely Oly to celebrate Mexican Independence Day at the Upper East Side Garden. I would definitely suggest coming out for the performance and not just because my roommate's performing, but also because I think that the UES Garden is a whole hell of a lot of fun. It's nice to be outside and in a green setting that is complimented by just the right amount of diversions and drinks.


May 2, 2008
Biscayne Blvd and 69th Street

Shows!!!

Iron and Whine

I'm a bit delayed here, but here are two pics from the Iron and Wine show. Since I'm Ft. Lauderdale-phobic, I had never been to Revolution. I think it's a great venue, though not necessarily for this genre. The sound was great, but perhaps the music would have been better complimented by a seated crowd situation. I must say that I also thought there were too many people on stage, I mean, there was a guy there just to lightly hit a triangle. I ran into some of my favorite people there, and I must say, the Ft. Lauderdale crowd is really much more cordial than we are down here. My friend Tyler Lovejoy and I were even asked to, "shhhh!" without attitude, from some old guy. The crowd ran the age, but not the racial, spectrum. I mean, white people like low-key, white guy music. All in all, it was a good show.

Don't Sweat it, bro

Chromeo

I'm a needy girl, and I need to get my world rocked, tonight by Chromeo, performing at The Fifth. Chromeo are becoming a regular staple in Miami. I heard those two spin one of the most danceable sets at Circa 28 a couple months back. It was like they mixed in La Bouche into like 10 other songs and my booty liked it. I also spotted the whiter, thinner guy at White Room during WMC. That they love Miami makes me love them that little bit more.
They say entry is 20 bones, but I need to schmooze and/or sneak my ass in, so we'll see if I actually go.

Pee-pee Person

My friend Eddie T. just introduced me to a very interesting name, belonging to an actual person. Catch it: Dickson Poon. Please read more about him by clicking on his picture:

Activism is mad cool

Hold the line please What: Hold the Line Phone Bank
Why: Urban sprawl drains the water supply and harms agricultural land and the Everglades. When: Thursday, April 17
Where: Audubon of Florida, 444 Brickell Avenue, Suite 850. Call (305)489-5949

Libraries Matter What: Donate books to Centro Campesino's farmworker library project
Why: For the love of reading in any language
When: From now until June 6
Where: Drop off books (books needed in English, Spanish and Creole) at Hands on Miami, 3250 SW Third Ave. Contact Bobbi Wald at 305-646-7207 or Bobbi@HandsOnMiami.org

http://hscdade.org/

Little pussies chasing one big cock

Jimbo's 81st B-day Bash: 2008, 1

Baby alligator:

Bocce ball baby:

Little Lucciano plays outside on Lincoln Road too. He's awesome. A bunch of bikers were videotaping this cuteness, as was I. He usually plays, "Why Don't We Do It In The Road," but he stayed away from the Beatles at Jimbo's. A lady who looks like she's spent some time on the back of a hog gave me a cheers when she said, "check back in 20 years!" a sweet, lewd compliment to Lil' L.

Jimbo's 81st B-day Bash: 2008

This guy asked me 3 times to show him my tits. I told him they were too small.


Ain't this the truth:



This guy told me that his dog is even hornier than he is:


This is Jamaican Bill or Jamaican Steve. You can spot him outside Flannigan's in the Grove.

Jimb(r)o's b-day

It's Jimbo's 81st birthday party this Sunday. Don't forget to go. Swampfoot'll be there, playing CCR covers and all. And, of course, there will be smoked fish, bocce ball, and $2 cans of beer. It's off Duck Lake Road, Virginia Key. Just head toward Key Biscayne and follow the bikers.

Bro, are you horny?

Can you tell if this person just wants to hit it or marry it? This is a strange little article/study which claims that we can tell just by facial features whether someone wants a fling or long-term relationship. Does your nose shrink once you decide to settle down? This seems like a load of crap to me, but what do I know?! I only failed the freaking quiz. Maybe this is why I'm so single... something to munch on.
Sexy Looks

miamibro logo, etc

So, don't get too excited, but I think I've decided on a logo for this blog. I've asked my friend, and talented artist, Dylan Romer, to create the image for me. Check out Dylan's website, it's loads of interactive, handsome fun!
Also, the idea of a Miamibro clothing line was tossed around last night... perhaps underwear with the logo and blog name on it (Tasha, yours'll be neon 4-sho). Fancy-shmancy, I tell ya.
I'm also considering a monthly or weekly feature of a true Miami Bro. Basically a blog about a friend of mine that I want to tell people about. Probably someone who really represents the spirit of Miami, bro.
Peace out for now.

Ravel

I went to see one of Miami's best, Ravelstein, and his band, last night at Churchill's Pub. My favorite Japanese Jew was as awesome as ever. Ravel's definitely and obviously one of the best performers in the city, and his backup band is a treasure chest of talent in and of itself. Check them out next time they perform: April 20th at Churchill's and April 28th at Studio A.

Here's Ravel, Henry on bass, and the view from my favorite seat in the house.

Caribou/Fuck Buttons

I went to see Caribou and Fuck Buttons at Culture Room in Ft. Lauderdale last weekend. I know it's sort of embarrassing, but I never ever, ever go to Broward, so I hadn't been there before. I'm glad I went though, because Caribou was great and Fuck Buttons was really pretty freaking cool; check out the video above.

Here's Caribou and there's me with the guy from Fuck Buttons:

Some thoughts on Roy Orbison

I spent my whole life thinking that Roy Orbison was blind.

This wasn't some belief that only I held. My brother also thought Roy wore the glasses because his eyes were uselessly trapped in his face. I remember when I was very young, Pretty Woman came on the radio and my mother telling me that her mother, long dead, always expressed her sympathy for poor blind Roy, "ya haram! That poor man." Ultimately, it doesn't affect me whether or not Roy was blind or gay or had a PhD, that is it wouldn't have affected me if he were a doctor singing about a pretty woman, but he was a blind man singing about a pretty woman. So, I was affected greatly and this sad juxtaposition almost entirely shaped my view of a little something called irony.

It was finally at 27 that I discovered Roy was actually a sighted person. The truth unravelled during an argument with a friend about this exact topic. I called my aunt, who is a human encyclopedia, to back me up. However, she yelled at me and told me how wrong I was, Roy Orbison was just always stoned, according to her, hence the sunglasses. Yet, even after hearing the “truth,” I remained reluctant to believe this new information. He is blind to me. The end. That’s my truth on Roy Orbison.

You have to understand, my entire sense and understanding of the idea of irony is based on my relationship Roy Orbison as a blind man. What is irony now that he could see the pretty woman? I grew up thinking that Roy was ironically praising the beauty of a woman he could tragically not see. The great pain that comes from this is that he loves her and tells her how pretty she is to make her happy, when he, himself cannot enjoy her beauty! Irony is somewhat always tinged with sadness, longing, with heartbreak. With Roy having vision, the song becomes uninteresting, commonplace. And then what happens to irony?! Do I have to re-think my entire idea of everything I've ever smugly known. Do all my dry jokes now make no sense?

It is for this reason that I will continue to believe that Roy Orbison is without sight. He is still the tragic, frustrated lover in my mind. The true king of irony. A man who knows how to get through his pain with a sad, joking song.

Buttermilk

I was walking down Lincoln Road after lunch today. I overheard this kid, who was probably 8 and sitting outside Doraku, say, "Do you know what's odd about buttermilk..."
I must say that this was the coolest thing I've overheard in, perhaps, FOREVER. I always was fascinated by buttermilk as a kid. I mean, how can you not be?! It makes mashed potatoes and cake taste that much more delicious and all it is is buttery milk, and regular butter and milk are in mashed potatoes and cake anyway. Besides, butter is made of milk, but it's now butter/milk? There's much to consider about this substance.
Cheers to that little boy. Thank God for kids like that. Beautiful.

wal-cod

Apparently, if you're a Wal-Mart employee and are insured under their health plan, they can steal money from you that you won in a lawsuit from an accident, and probably from a medical malpractice suit. Wal-Mart, you really warmed my heart here when you stopped stealing this crippled lady's money. Wow. You guys should get an award from Best Buddies or something. I am so compelled to shop at your store now after hearing about this genuinely humane act of not stealing.
This is why public pressure helps put assholes in their place:

http://news.aol.com/story/_a/wal-mart-drops-fight-against-woman/20080402064509990001

If you've ever read the book Cod, A Biography of the Fish That Changed the World by Mark Kurlanski, you'll be interested in this article. I feel so terrible for these fishermen and for the cod that isn't coming around anymore.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/02/dining/02cod.html?_r=1&oref=slogin