When is the city going to get off its rear end and build out the City/CRA owned Madison Square?
This project is a much maligned and delayed forever, seemingly doomed idea, that was to take place on SW 64 St and SW 59 Place.But it still has not even been started.
The idea of bringing a fresh new building with retail space, residential and perhaps some offices has been bantered around the neighborhood for almost as many years that Dick Ward has been around city hall. Those elected officials that have been setting the stage for Madison Square to remain a piece of dirt forever are the same group of yahoos who are going to get a new city built before too long. City officials can give all the excuses they want and can make up, but at the end of the day, the area of town that needs the most help is being left in the dirt, AGAIN. COME ON GUYS, GET OFF YOUR BUTS and get ‘er done.
I went way out of my zip code for dinner at Siam Palace, which specializes in Thai and Sushi. It is just down the street on Sunset Drive and 99th Ave. It had been awhile since we had been there and we were curious to see what new things might have occurred since the new owner took over. We were more than pleasantly surprised with the new attitude of the staff with big smiles and warm welcome. Customers were enjoying themselves and although it was a Saturday night and it was very busy, my wife and I could still enjoy ourselves.
More good news, the feel of the restaurant has been improved as well, not quite sure what was done but the feel was one of being refreshed.
Now on to the food! We started with a couple of Thai Spring rolls, which were done just right with very very fresh cabbage, carrots and clear noodles. Then we were off to the races with an order of Pineapple Curry Chicken along with the right amount of red peppers that had me smiling throughout dinner.
My wife had the Shrimp Tempura rolls, which of course she loved and for good measure we also enjoyed the Unagi Don, which has eel in between the Sushi rice. And yes, miso soup also arrived at the table. The wait staff was genuinely happy to take care of us and coupled with the terrific food, a relaxing atmosphere and lots of happy faces, I gotta give this place a BIG “A.”
So, when you’re in the mood for a great time and a wonderful dining experience stop on by Siam Palace on Sunset Drive. BTW, we checked out the menu at siamipalacesunset.com, before we went for dinner.
To continue talking about positive news, I would like to congratulate Levi Meyer and Yvette Blanco on their record setting real estate transaction. According to data gathered from the Multiple Listing Service, a 4,536-square-foot penthouse in Downtown Coral Gables has rented for $12,000 per month. Also worth mentioning, is that this transaction trumps the historical records of highest priced condominium rentals in the neighboring cities of South Miami, Kendall, Pinecrest and Palmetto Bay. Great job guys!
The second Annual Bella’s Ball will take place on Saturday, Sept. 12 at 7 pm.
The legacy of Bella Rodriguez-Torres will shine brightly again at the Second Annual Bella’s Ball with friends and supporters radiating Golden Shimmer and Shine in memory of Bella. During National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Bella’s Ball will raise awareness and funds for Pediatric Cancer Research through the Live Like Bella. For more information or to get tickets call 786-203-3941 or visit www.LiveLikeBella.org.
What about the initiative One Community One Goal Conference?
On Monday, the Beacon Council of Miami- Dade along with business and government leaders held a One Community One Goal Conference at Jungle Island and while jobs was one of the hot topics, so was education and the creation of a “world class eco [educational system] where Miami is “number seven in per capita College Students,” said Matt Haggman, a Program Director at the Knight Foundation to the audience.
He said the mission is to grow “Miami into a dynamic center of higher education,” that is the “envy of the country,” said Haggman and Florida International University President Mark Rosenberg followed Haggman speaking and he said “We get it,” about educating students for the real world and the educator emphasized the importance of “intern programs,” that are having very good results and he asked for more companies to participate in that activity.
“Internships” have played a key role in molding people’s careers and prospering, the longtime educator said. The Beacon Council initiative was the brainchild of Jay Molina who passed back in the late 1990s and came about after the County released a Empowerment Zone Study back in 1989 that detailed the wide spread poverty, unemployment, and environmental issues faced by Miami-Dade County and the two volume study was done by Cynthia Currey and it galvanized the community and targeted certain educational disciplines and industries including biomedical since companies like Coulter Corp. and Cordis Corp were still located in the County back then and have since moved on and provided 1,000s of people high tech, well paying, biomedical jobs and as a former Cordis employee, when it came to cardiac pacemaker research it was an exciting time at the company that held a host of fundamental patents and was founded by William P. Murphy, Jr., M.D., in the late 1950s whose father won a Nobel Prize in the early 1930s for the solution to the Liver disease Pernicious Anemia. JP Morgan Chase was a lead sponsor to the event along with Panther Coffee and Miami- Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez is quoted in the press saying education has to be point of the spear for having employees prepared for the decades to come if industry is to grow in the County. (The last several items were provided by watchdogreport.net).
Folks, it was a sight to see when hundreds of beautiful people made it over to the Burger Eating Contest at ROK:BRGR on July 25th. It was THE block party of the summer, where party goers ate, ate and ate a bit more, had a beer or two or three and rocked the night way with enough live music to last, well, last a long long time. Commissioner Josh Liebman was there trying to eat as many hamburgers as his marathon body would let him. Arturo, a real fitness buff, who trains at SOMI Fitness was there too and at one point went way off his healthy eating regime to take part in the hamburger eating contest.
Thought of the Day:
He not busy being born, is busy dying.
— Bob Dylan
Got any tips? Contact me at 305-669- 7355, ext. 249, or send emails to Michael@communitynewspapers.com.
