tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-46690131809464443032023-11-15T14:14:03.959-05:00Girl in MiamiLucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-56568373298200694042011-03-18T18:30:00.002-04:002011-03-18T18:31:02.436-04:00Miami is...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><b>People have different ideas about what Miami is, especially if they don’t live here. To me Miami is a collection of splendid sunrises, melancholic sunsets and stormy days.</b></span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=3-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="298" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/3-1.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=2-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="298" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/2-1.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=1-1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="298" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/1-1.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01494.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01494.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01425.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01425.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01390.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01390.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01108.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01108.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC00897.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC00897.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC00843.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC00843.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC00841.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC00841.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC00573.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC00573.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #444444;"><b> What is Miami to you?</b></span></span>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-43670667562681856332011-02-14T16:41:00.002-05:002011-02-15T10:47:46.985-05:00Knaus Berry Farm and the best cinnamon rolls<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Mr. Green-go et moi recently visited Knaus Berry Farm on <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">Homestead</city> <state w:st="on">Florida</state></place>. What a wonderful little place!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">This is how crowded it was</span></span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01497.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01497.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">I could not resist buying a strawberry shake: cold, refreshing and sweet</span></span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01498.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01498.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">I don't have little ones but kids can pick strawberries and tomatoes when available </span></span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01502.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01502.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01507.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01507.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">you can find flowers</span></span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01501.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01501.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">all kinds of jellies</span></span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01503.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01503.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">fresh produce that lasts longer than the stuff you buy at publix</span></span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01500.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01500.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">cookies, pies, cheese cakes, different types of bread (we bought two)</span></span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01505.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01505.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">and the world famous fresh baked cinnamon rolls: trust me no frosting needed; they are fluffy, warm, they melt in your mouth.... ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhh</span></span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01506.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01506.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">Back home we made a very healthy spinach soup and fried green tomatoes with the produce we bought at Knaus Berry Farm. Delish!</span></span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01512.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01512.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-65805906016431460122011-02-09T14:15:00.002-05:002011-02-10T10:33:07.713-05:00Beats After Sunset<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Every first Friday of the month the <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Bass</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Museum</placetype></place> hosts a happy hour called “Beats After Sunset". It is an opportunity to visit the museum, check out current exhibitions, sip some gratis alcohol and mingle with beautiful Miamians and snowbirds. Yes, as the country is freezing, we anticipate having them until March.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Here are a few pics I took from my last visit. Isaac Julien’s exhibition will be up until March 6. You can check out “Ten Thousand Waves” which is a “collaborative effort between Julien and some of <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">China</place></country-region>’s leading artistic voices”. </span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01489.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01489.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=3.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="298" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/3.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=1.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="298" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/1.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="298" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/2.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=NewImage.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="298" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/NewImage.jpg" width="400" /></a>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-13310861160587033822011-01-21T16:22:00.002-05:002011-01-22T17:01:32.332-05:00Writing<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;">I’m really happy when I’m writing… wow! How thrilling it is to choose between black or blue ink! Like when I have to decide what to wear daily: Mondays through Fridays the corporate costume and on weekends everything that’s allowed under <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Miami</place></city> standards.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=fashion.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="298" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/fashion.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;">Writing is commitment and faithfulness to my notebook. Wait a minute… I have many notebooks! How pro-mis-cu-ous… I guess writing is exciting!</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=notebooks.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/notebooks.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;">Writing makes me a focused person. Or not really. Sometimes I want to write a novel. Other times I want to keep up with this blog about life in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Miami</place></city>. Certain nights I dream of creating the perfect science fiction + spiritual adventure, some sort of “Harry Potter meets Left Behind” book. Many days I want to write about the joy –or misery- of being a woman. Well… writing makes me go to the shrink more often. (I love you dear shrink).</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=shrink.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/shrink.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;">I’m really happy when I’m writing because it is therapy. It is a way to express and let out all my random thoughts, the reflections of a disorganized mind that lives more somewhere else than… in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Miami</place></city>.</span></span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=somewhereelse.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/somewhereelse.jpg" width="400" /></a>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-55588794265478117582011-01-11T16:36:00.006-05:002011-01-18T21:59:19.565-05:00Cool spot: Gigi<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #741b47;">I lived on the beach for a long time and it is still my favorite neighborhood in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Miami</place></city>. However, when it comes to restaurants, the Design District and Midtown offer much more than SoBe. I’ve been two times to Gigi, once on a busy Saturday night with southern boy and once on a Monday night with the girls. Here are some pics from my first visit: delicious buns, fresh raw fish, crunchy frog legs and spicy <place w:st="on">Caribbean</place> shrimp pad thai.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #741b47;"></span></span></span></u></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01266.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01266.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01262.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01262.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01265.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01265.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01263.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01263.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Where</span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">: right next to Bardot: <street w:st="on">3470 North Miami Avenue</street>, <city w:st="on">Miami</city>, <state w:st="on">FL</state> <postalcode w:st="on">33127</postalcode></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cost</span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">: everything under $20</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Website</span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">: <a href="http://www.giginow.com/">http://www.giginow.com/</a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What to eat</span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">: todo. From the fluffy buns, to the tofu, the braised short rib meatloaf. The menu changes constantly.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #741b47;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Ambience</span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">: loud, busy, vibrant, high turnover, the open kitchen keeps you staring, especially at chef <b>Jeffrey McInnis ;)</b></span></span></div>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-182226386874039862011-01-03T16:29:00.007-05:002011-01-18T22:00:29.544-05:00Art Basel 3: Seven, Miami Independent Thinkers and Rainbow City<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">After watching a twenty something getting a tattoo at Hello Kitty World, we headed to Seven, a collection of art of seven galleries from <state w:st="on">New York</state> and <place w:st="on"><city w:st="on">London</city></place>. I enjoyed this collection very much, especially a picture that said:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;"><em>"the same day they signed the divorce papers...</em></span></span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01337.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01337.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"><em>... a tornado hit the house"</em></span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Here are others from Seven</span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01334.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01334.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01335.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01335.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01352.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01352.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01343.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01343.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
</span><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">I also loved the chalkboard were visitors wrote what artists are:</span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01349.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01349.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">After Seven we went to Miami Independent Thinkers at Casa Wynwood. It was my overall favorite from Art Basel, very <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Miami. </place></city></span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01371.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01371.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01373.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01373.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01372.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01372.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01364.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01364.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01362.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01362.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">This was the piece I adored the most from everything I saw:</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;"> “Dina & Paul" by Rainer Lagemann (stainless steel squares, welded, nickel plated)</span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01358.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01358.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">And here is another one by the same artist</span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01357.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01357.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">We ended our Art Basel tour on Sunday sitting for a while at <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Rainbow</placename> <placetype w:st="on">City, hand eating a nutella/strwberries crepe from Cazacrepes from some of the very in-style food trucks.</placetype></place></span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01379.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="139" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01379.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01376.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="137" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01376.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">I apologize again for posting these pics a month after Art Basel but like I said, I was on finals, graduation and obvi, the holidays. Happy 2011 Miami.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01378.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01378.jpg" width="300" /></a>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-24019136655730564602010-12-27T12:51:00.005-05:002011-01-18T22:03:26.067-05:00Art Basel Part 2: Pulse at the Ice Palace, Nada Art Fair & Hello Kitty<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">After Wednesday and Thursday Art basel parties we visited Pulse at the <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Ice</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Palace</placetype></place> on Friday December 3<sup>rd</sup>. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01257.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01257.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01253.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01253.jpg" width="400" /></a></span><br />
<span style="color: black;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01253.jpg" target="_blank"></a></span><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=getrich.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"></span></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01251.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01251.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01248.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01248.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01247.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01247.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01246.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01246.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01245.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01245.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01244.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01244.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01240.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01240.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01239.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01239.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01236.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01236.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01235.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01235.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01233.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01233.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01232.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01232.jpg" width="300" /></span></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01230.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01230.jpg" width="300" /></span></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01227.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01227.jpg" width="300" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">On Saturday I wanted to go to Acqua at the Acqua Hotel but I missed it because I had to go to class; bf told me it was good and that they had art displayed in each room. We met at night to go to Nada at the Dauville Hotel.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01292.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01292.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01290.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01290.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01289.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01289.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01284.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01284.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01282.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01282.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01280.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01280.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01279.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01279.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01274.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01274.jpg" width="298" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01271.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01271.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01270.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01270.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Next day we went to Wynwood to the Sanrio small gift tour. Wonderland for little girls… and grown ups too ;)</span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01304.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01304.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01331.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01331.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01330.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01330.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01324.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01324.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01323.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01323.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01322.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01322.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01321.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01321.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01318.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01318.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01317.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01317.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01315.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01315.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01314.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01314.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01312.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01312.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01310.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01310.jpg" width="300" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01313.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01313.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01307.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01307.jpg" width="400" /></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01305.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01305.jpg" width="400" /></a>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-67507182251948929422010-12-22T13:35:00.002-05:002011-01-18T22:04:27.979-05:00Art Basel Part 1: Oceanfront, the Webster and Charcoal Studios<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">It’s been more than a week without posting. The reason: finals at school, graduation and mum’s visit. I finally have time to upload the pics from Art Basel. It was lovely and the g-friends, gringo-boy and I had soooooooo much fun. Don’t miss Art Basel next year. I can’t believe there are people in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Miami</place></city> who complain about the inexistence of culture, events and activities to do in our city. </span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">It started with “Oceanfront nights” at <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Collins</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Park</placetype></place> between 21<sup>st</sup> and 22<sup>nd</sup> streets. On Wednesday December 1<sup>st</sup>, Metric, a Canadian indie rock band performed. After the concert, walking on Collins Avenue, we saw a building right across Mynt with Startroopers by Mr. Brainwash.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center; width: 360px;"><span style="color: black;"><embed height="360" src="http://w398.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http%3A%2F%2Fw398.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp67%2FRanacaro1%2F7c71caeb.pbw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="360" wmode="transparent"></embed></span><a href="http://photobucket.com/slideshows" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img src="http://pic.photobucket.com/slideshows/btn.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; float: left;" /></span></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Then we went to a gallery/loft in <street w:st="on">Purdy Avenue</street> where Leonardo Hidalgo had some of his contemporary art.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=hidalgo1.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/hidalgo1.jpg" width="310" /></span></a><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=Hidalgo2.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Hidalgo2.jpg" width="335" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Next day I started with two parties at the Webster for <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Swarovski</placename> <placename w:st="on">Crystal</placename> <placename w:st="on">Palace</placename></place> on the second floor and Fantom – Sea Series on the third floor.</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center; width: 360px;"><span style="color: black;"><embed height="360" src="http://w398.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http%3A%2F%2Fw398.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp67%2FRanacaro1%2F364213aa.pbw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="360" wmode="transparent"></embed></span><a href="http://photobucket.com/slideshows" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img src="http://pic.photobucket.com/slideshows/btn.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; float: left;" /></span></a></div></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Later to the SCOPE party hosted by Artists Wanted and the amazing Afrobeta performing at Charcoal Studios.</span></div><div style="text-align: center; width: 360px;"><span style="color: black;"><embed height="360" src="http://w398.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http%3A%2F%2Fw398.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fpp67%2FRanacaro1%2F8d34c604.pbw" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" width="360" wmode="transparent"></embed></span><a href="http://photobucket.com/slideshows" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img src="http://pic.photobucket.com/slideshows/btn.gif" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; float: left;" /></span></a></div>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-54596770695467007892010-12-01T15:48:00.014-05:002011-01-18T22:05:10.953-05:00Lumaca rosa yells at us: "Slow down!"<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One sunny morning during a run on the Venetian causeway, I noticed two huge pink things in the distance. I kept running until I got closer and realized they were two big snails about 8 ft tall and indeed they were VERY pink. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Then I saw two more across one of the bridges on Venetian Way. I went back and took pictures. Later I found out the snails are part of the Regeneration Art Projects in collaboration with Galleria Ca' d'Oro and Cracking Art Group. YES! Art Basel is here! </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01113-1.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01113-1.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">The snails are made by six artists and they intend to create consciousness about the environment as they are made out of recycled plastic taken from landfills. Being slow motion animals they also want to contrast the way we live our lives, usually rushing. They evoke the idea of having a place to live as they carry their own homes and they remind us to listen to each other with their ear-shaped form.</span></span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01114.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01114.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Additional snails are located at <street w:st="on">5th street</street> (Median at <street w:st="on">Lenox Avenue</street>) <placename w:st="on">Lummus</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Park</placetype>, <street w:st="on">Alton Road</street> & <street w:st="on">20<sup>th</sup> Street</street>, <city w:st="on">Alton</city> Road & 41 Street and <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Maurice</placename> <placename w:st="on">Gibb</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Park</placetype></place>. They will be gradually moving towards <placename w:st="on">Collins</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Park</placetype> around mid-December and we will have them in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Miami</place></city> until the beginning of January.</span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01121.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="139" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01121.jpg" width="640" /></span></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: black;">I can’t wait to enjoy Art Basel. I already have a list of events I want to go to, while I finish my last two classes at school before graduation, prepare for my mom’s visit during the holidays, deal with end of year objectives at work including travel outside the <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">US</place></country-region>… In the meantime every morning on my run the pink snail grabs my attention with its vivid color and tells me in a low deep voice:</span> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #ea9999; font-size: large;"><strong>T-A-K-E T-H-E C-H-I-L-L P-I-L-L…</strong></span></span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01123.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01123.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Calibri;"><strong><u>UPDATE ON LUMACA: December 6, 2010</u></strong></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Calibri;">Running again this morning, I saw that the pink snails are already moving. Three of them are at Maurice Gibb park, right at the end of the Venetian Causeway towards Alton Road...</span><span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />
</span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=photo2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="297" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/photo2.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Calibri;">...except for one of them .. who was launched to the water by who knows who. Too sad :(</span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=photo.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="298" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/photo.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: Calibri;">You can read the story at <a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/12/06/1960578/gigantic-art-snails-are-attacked.html">http://www.miamiherald.com/2010/12/06/1960578/gigantic-art-snails-are-attacked.html</a></span>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-80312619966885362512010-11-29T17:14:00.010-05:002011-01-18T22:05:48.407-05:00Sweet potatoes with marshmallows and pecans<div class="Section1"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">Sweet potatoes might be common in the <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">United States</place></country-region> but not in my home country. I learned to eat them in Miami fried or mashed. This year I had to bring something to the Thanksgiving lunch/dinner hosted by a friend; here is the recipe I followed. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">In order to cook you need some good tunes. I am not ready for Christmas songs yet, so how about some eighties tunes? I usually cook while drinking a glass of wine, but I was running the Turkey Trot the next day, so I had a cappuccino made with white chocolate raspberry beret dessert coffee. Yummm</span></span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01148.jpg" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01148.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">Ingredients:</span></span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;"> (for 12 BIG servings)</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">12 sweet potatoes</span></span></div></div><div class="Section2"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">2 cups of brown sugar</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">2 bars of unsalted butter</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">2 bags of pecans</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">2 bags of small marshmallows</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">2 teaspoons of ginger</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">2 teaspoons of ground nutmeg</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">2 teaspoons of cinnamon</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">2 aluminum containers </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;"><br clear="all" style="mso-break-type: section-break; page-break-before: always;" /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01146.jpg" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01146.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">Directions</span></span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">:</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">1. Preheat the oven on to 375 F. Cook the potatoes for 25-30 minutes. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01151.jpg" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01151.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">2. Peel the potatoes. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">3. Divide them in two parts: cut one half and mash the other half.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">4. The ones you cut, divide them between the two containers. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">5. Leave aside the ones you mashed.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01152.jpg" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01152.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">6. In a pan, mix the brown sugar, butter, half of the pecans, half of the marshmallows and spices. </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">Mix it at low heat until all ingredients are mixed and marshmallows melt.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01154.jpg" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01154.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">7. Add the mix to the potatoes in the aluminum containers and blend together with a spoon.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01156.jpg" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01156.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">8. Spread the mashed potatoes on top of this mix</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01157.jpg" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01157.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">9. Spread the rest of the marshmallows and pecans on top</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01159.jpg" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01159.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">10. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20 minutes. Then broil for less than 5, keep an eye on the marshmallows. </span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">I like them a bit burned like when you eat them at the camp fire, but you can skip this step. This recipe it is soooo delicious!! If 12 big servings is too much, just cut the ingredients in half and make only one container. Or even better make both and give one to someone you love :)</span></span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC01160.jpg" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC01160.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;"> We all have a reason to be thankful. Thank you God, for the opportunity to share a meal with our friends and family.</span></span>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-58897399664847933492010-11-19T12:12:00.006-05:002011-01-18T22:06:27.775-05:00Craving jazz<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;">One of my dearest friends from <country-region w:st="on">Colombia</country-region> was on her way to <city w:st="on">Boston</city> and she made a quick stop at <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Miami</place></city> to visit me. At Van Dyke Café we saw a Music Newsletter and we decided to go to the second floor lounge or “Upstairs”.</span></span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=banner.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/banner.jpg" width="297" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;">We sat at the bar and ordered a Dragonberry Punch. A cocktail that Joanna the bartender makes with Bacardi dragon berry rum (dragon fruit + strawberry infused rum), pineapple juice, orange juice and grenadine. Very girly and refreshing. We also ordered the jumbo fried calamari with marinara sauce. Delicious!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=dragonberrypunch.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/dragonberrypunch.jpg" width="297" /></a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;">The Band Oriente was playing soulful latin jazz with Afro-Cuban roots and Brazilian influences. Delightful music. What a beautiful evening, how blessed I am to live in a city like <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Miami</place></city> :) <br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=band.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="297" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/band.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #073763;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #073763;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Where</span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">: Upstairs Van Dyke Café. 846 Lincoln Road. The lounge on the second floor offers live music each evening from 9pm to 1am.</span></span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #073763;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cost</span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">: There is no charge from Sundays to Wednesdays and from Thursdays to Saturdays there is a music charge ranging from $6 to $10 per person for table service. Reservations are not accepted. Cocktails are around $10 and small plates are $5-$13</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #073763;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Website:</span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> You can find the calendar of events and listen to music online at <a href="http://www.thevandykecafe.com/">http://www.thevandykecafe.com/</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=oriente_main.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="400" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/oriente_main.jpg" width="337" /></a></div>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-44998459865529902412010-11-10T17:53:00.004-05:002011-01-18T22:06:49.128-05:00Where to do my nails?<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Where</span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">: <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Brownes Beauty</b>. 841 Lincoln Road, <city w:st="on">Miami Beach</city>, <state w:st="on">FL</state> <postalcode w:st="on">33139</postalcode></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Cost</span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">: Manis and pedis go each from $20 to $70 (signature mani-pedi). Brow shaping goes from $19 to $30.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #e06666;"><u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Website</span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri;">: <a href="http://www.brownesbeauty.com/home.phtml">http://www.brownesbeauty.com/home.phtml</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><u><span style="color: #e06666; font-family: Calibri;">The story</span></u><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #e06666;">: I recently purchased a Groupon for a mani/pedi and brow shaping at Brownes & Co. for $40 dollars. Not bad for a $94 value. </span><a href="http://www.groupon.com/deals/brownes-co"><span style="color: #e06666;">http://www.groupon.com/deals/brownes-co</span></a><span style="color: #e06666;"> Booking the appointment was a bit difficult because you have to go online but Nikki was prompt to e-mail me back. Nikki Mallon is one of the owners who opened this store with her partner Gary Feinberg in 1995. After a couple of e-mails I was set for a Friday afternoon appointment. Nothing was more rewarding than being spoiled after a long week of work. The Salon is located on the second floor and it is called “Some Like it Hot” making reference to getting star treatment in a warm, relaxed environment. The wood floors, lighting, setting and service make you feel pampered. </span><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Brownes/?action=view&current=DSC00817.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #e06666;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Brownes/DSC00817.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #e06666;">As soon as I arrived Eli took care of my eyebrows quickly. They do waxing, tweezing and threading. I went for the wax and it was an express service, a good touch up. Then I chose the color I wanted for my nails from all the shades they offer from Essie.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #e06666;"> </span><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Brownes/?action=view&current=DSC00818.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #e06666;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Brownes/DSC00818.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><br />
<span style="color: #e06666;">After that I sat down with Tina who offered me wine or tea. I went straight for the vino while I had my mani and pedi.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #e06666;"> </span><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Brownes/?action=view&current=DSC00819.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #e06666;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Brownes/DSC00819.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<span style="color: #e06666;">Tina was gentle, prudent and sweet. This was the result, both hands and feet with “pepperoni”, that lasted for more than 2 weeks. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Brownes/?action=view&current=DSC00826.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: #e06666;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Brownes/DSC00826.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<br />
</div>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-53283189166954123242010-11-02T16:13:00.014-04:002012-03-22T07:39:04.612-04:00Divorce Day<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Dates are very important. They give us a sense in time, excuses to look for in advance and moments to remember. I celebrate almost everything: </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">December the 24<sup>th</sup> –and not the 25<sup>th</sup>- Christmas with family, gifts and friends; </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">December 31<sup>st</sup>, New Years Eve, with champagne and hopes for the best to come; </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">the Fourth Thursday in November, Turkey Day, filled with a thousand reasons to be thankful; </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">June something, my birthday, between tears for the new wrinkles that appear followed by a rewarding trip to the mall and a massive celebration with joy and acceptance, and finally, </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">October 31<sup>st</sup>, where Miami turns into a parade of slutty costumes. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">One that I never celebrate is the very lame February 14<sup>th</sup>, Valentine’s Day. YUCK.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/D%20Day/?action=view&current=grinch-heart-300x2621.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="348px" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/D%20Day/grinch-heart-300x2621.jpg" width="400px" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">If there is a National Pancake Day, are we allowed to have our very own Divorce Day? </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">A family attorney in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Chicago</place></city> states that National Divorce Day is April 16 because more people file for dissolution of marriage after the deadline for federal tax returns. In the <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">UK</place></country-region>, D Day is the first working day in January, after the Christmas and New Year celebrations disappear. Carlos Vives, a Colombian vallenato singer, has a song called November 19<sup>th</sup> and some people say it is named for the day he got divorced. The lyrics are self explanatory: “November 19, after all the suffering I bring your picture to the heavens and I declare myself free as the wind... each November 19 (it is) a cry for independence”. </span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Well D Day for me is today, November the 2<sup>nd</sup>.</span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/D%20Day/?action=view&current=carlos_vives02.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="265px" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/D%20Day/carlos_vives02.jpg" width="400px" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Before you think I’m the Grinch of love, I want to state for the record that I am a true fan, believer and admirer of marriage and all the Cinderella stories. So, if I do and I did, what went wrong? I could start telling that I was young, that I blindly jumped into the wagon of commitment, that I had absolutely no idea what marriage was, that we were living like roommates and that we had all the required ingredients for a stinky divorce soup: lack of communication, money issues, different religious beliefs, border-line personalities, control issues, etc. Hey, I could even blame it on <city w:st="on">Miami</city>; the divorce rate in <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Florida</place></state> is pretty high! So, let’s just say that it happened, and for a long, very long time it felt like the biggest failure of my life. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/D%20Day/?action=view&current=soup.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="287px" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/D%20Day/soup.jpg" width="400px" /></a><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Have you ever felt so oppressed that you can’t even breathe? Have your defenses gone so low that acne popped up, cold sores invaded your mouth and flu showed up uninvited? Have you ever cried so much that you run out of tears? Did the embarrassment, shame and sadness prevent you from going outside? Well, that’s how I felt once I moved out, when I was trying to decide whether to continue or not in the marriage. I was confused thinking about giving it another chance or running away. When the decision was taken and we were going through the filing process on our own –no lawyers required- we had to wait one more month. Eternal month. Finally, the judge declared the dissolution of marriage and I felt like the weight of a piano was taken from my shoulders. </span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/D%20Day/?action=view&current=white_bird.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300px" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/D%20Day/white_bird.jpg" width="400px" /></a><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri;">Celebrating D Day helps me look back to the good and bad. I learned innumerable lessons and I’m trying hard every day not to make the same mistakes. I can look forward to having another chance. Let’s celebrate D Day to think about it not as a failure but as a tough and wonderful period of our lives.</span>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-81221598870241218782010-10-21T09:37:00.013-04:002011-01-21T16:26:20.240-05:00Cab around Miami<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri;">Unlike <state w:st="on">New York</state>, <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Miami</place></city> is a city where cabs are not spotted everywhere. They are only around crowded areas like Miami Beach, Downtown, Miami Airport, Brickell, certain malls and the Port of Miami, but hard to find in the rest of the city. There are around 3,000 taxis registered in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Miami</place></city> and 8,000 drivers. The difference between one number and the other is that many cab owners derive their income from driving but also from renting their vehicles for $65 dollars for 12 hours to other drivers.</span></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri;">I’m riding today with my friend Jacques, the cabdriver. He tells me the first gas powered taxicabs were imported from <country-region w:st="on">France</country-region> to <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">New York</place></state>. Hey Jacques, give me something juicy” I said.</span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Cab%20around%20Miami/?action=view&current=taximetro.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Cab%20around%20Miami/taximetro.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri;">I’m in the backseat of his taxi which is very comfortable and soft made out of black leather. I do not perceive any hint of the small tree fresheners that are so popular in taxis. He tells me he washes and cleans it often and that he prefers real cleaning over fresheners because scents are made to slightly mask people’s different smells. “What do you mean by that?” I asked. He laughed and looked at me: “ok, you said you wanted the juicy stuff. Let me tell you about those smells”. Jacques kept driving and said:</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Cab%20around%20Miami/?action=view&current=backseat.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Cab%20around%20Miami/backseat.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri;">“One day a guy in his 40s comes out of a <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">South</placename> <placetype w:st="on">Beach</placetype></place> hotel with his shirt out of his pants and crazy hair. He jumps in my backseat and asks me to drive. “Where exactly are you going, sir?” “Just drive up and down Collins avenue”, he said loud and nervously. While I go slowly due to the regular traffic, the guy pulls down the window and yells to some ladies walking on the street: “You girls wanna make a thousand bucks for some photo shoots?” They just ignored him. I kept driving up and down Collins for 20 more minutes while he was scanning all female figures. He looked and me and said in a loud tone “Help me get some chicks, man!” That was a bad way of starting my week. I told him he had the wrong driver and dropped him back at the hotel. He smelled like absence of love”.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri;">He continued saying…</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri;">“Some other day I picked up a French elegant lady in her early forties who was staying for 15 days at a hotel in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Miami Beach</place></city>. She told me she was going to meet a young girl in her twenties from <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Florida</place></state>, the surrogate mother that was going to have her baby. I dropped her at a fertility clinic in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Coral Gables</place></city>. She smelled like hope.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Cab%20around%20Miami/?action=view&current=dashboard.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Cab%20around%20Miami/dashboard.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri;">On a rainy morning I got a request to pick up a couple in their thirties at a hotel on Collins Avenue. They were fighting in the backseat because he had to get her out from some other guy’s room earlier “It was your entire fault,” she said; “you were the one who got me so drunk, in first place”. The guy was in tears. I dropped them at the airport and they smelled like broken vows. </span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri;">I will never forget a man in his 60s from <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">New York</place></state> who was in a hurry to catch his flight back. I droved like a ballerina: smooth and fast on 836 to the sound of classical music on my radio. He told me that was the best drive he ever had while giving me a $40 dollar tip. He smelled like appreciation and generosity. <br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Cab%20around%20Miami/?action=view&current=money.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Cab%20around%20Miami/money.jpg" width="400" /></a></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"></div><span style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri;">On a Friday night I picked up two girls in her late thirties who wanted to go from Lincoln Roadto a swingers bar. I told them I could wait outside the bar and drive them back. They agreed and one of them said “Why don’t you come inside with us”. I refused and she replied “Come on, you can wait for us at the bar instead of sitting alone in your taxi”. I sat at the bar while they went to the private rooms in the back. After 15 minutes I asked for a soda but I could not finish it. I cannot describe you what I saw but I’ll tell you it made me throw up outside of this place. I waited for them in my cab and drove them back to <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Miami</place></city>. They left an empty scent on my backseat.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri;">My most recent one was a local lady in her fifties who needed a ride to some neighborhood in <place w:st="on">West Miami</place>. She told me how she battled cancer for years. Her dad recently passed away and she sold her car to pay for the funeral because none of her loaded brothers wanted to pay for it. She was going to see her boyfriend to smoke pot and get some relieve. She smelled like pain”.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Cab%20around%20Miami/?action=view&current=driving2.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Cab%20around%20Miami/driving2.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: Calibri;">Jacques stopped talking, but I know he has many stories like these. I looked at his hands on the wheel that grab him to his own reality. I never thought a backseat could have so many smells. Cabdrivers in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Miami</place></city> have heard and seen everything. Their lives are interrupted by people who hop into their taxis and leave a part of themselves.</span></span>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-86702254829305318122010-10-20T10:56:00.004-04:002011-01-18T22:08:06.032-05:00Comforting Apple Pie<div class="Section1"><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">I had a bunch of apples and decided to make an apple pie. I am a big fan of NOT following the exact ingredients and quantities on a recipe because cooking is an individual art. However, here is a list of ingredients that I used for mine. You can follow the instructions or add more quantities if you want. It should take you less than an hour to make. Cooking = loving :)</span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Apple%20pie/?action=view&current=Apples.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Apple%20pie/Apples.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Ingredients</span></u></b><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">:</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"></span></div><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt;"></span><br />
<div class="Section2"><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">1 cup of brown sugar</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">1 lemon or lime</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">1 glass of orange juice</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">1/2 glass of flour</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">4 or 5 apples </span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">1 teaspoon of pumpkin spice</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">1 teaspoon of ginger</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">1 teaspoon of cinnamon</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">3 tablespoons of butter</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">a bit of salt</span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Apple%20pie/?action=view&current=Ingredients.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Apple%20pie/Ingredients.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">For crust</span></u></b><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">:</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">You can either buy your own pastry or store ready-crust or make it yourself. For the bottom I used a store ready-crust. For the top, I made the pastry by mixing butter (1 bar), flour (2-3 cups), brown sugar (1/2 cup) , milk (1/4 cup) and the spices above-mentioned (a bit of each) until it had the right texture, like a dough.</span><br />
<br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Directions</span></u></b><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">:</span><br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">I peeled the apples and sliced them thinly. I tossed them on a pan (low heat) along with all spices, flour, butter, lemon and orange.</span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Apple%20pie/?action=view&current=Startmix.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Apple%20pie/Startmix.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">When all ingredients were mixed and apples were soft and cooked (10-15 minutes), I placed the apple filling in the unbaked crust. </span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Apple%20pie/?action=view&current=serve.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Apple%20pie/serve.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Before baking it, I made the top crust as mentioned above. I dusted the surface of the kitchen with flour. Then made lines of dough by rolling it and then I cut them with my fingers to fit the pie plate. Here’s how it looked:</span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Apple%20pie/?action=view&current=readytobake.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Apple%20pie/readytobake.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">I baked the pie at 375 degrees F for 30-35 minutes and then broiled for 3 minutes (keep an eye on it)</span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Apple%20pie/?action=view&current=outoftheoven.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Apple%20pie/outoftheoven.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">The pie is ready to eat immediately. However, I noticed that it is better a couple of hours later when the pie and fruit is set. When you wait for a while, the fruit is juicy but the juices will not run. </span><span style="color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 12pt;">Now is ready to eat! It is perfect with ice cream and whipped cream on top.</span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Apple%20pie/?action=view&current=readytoeat.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/Apple%20pie/readytoeat.jpg" width="400" /></a>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-48315926662792894272010-10-14T09:45:00.008-04:002011-01-18T22:09:45.493-05:00Being a Miami Hurricane<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Rushed by my boyfriend and friends from the MBA, last Saturday I ended up at Sunlife Stadium in </span><place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Miami</span></placename><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"> </span><placetype w:st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Gardens</span></placetype></place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">, FL. “What’s going on?”, I asked. “The Canes vs. The Noles” they replied. My boyfriend, who is desperately trying to brief me on American matters including football, told me our University’s team -the Miami Hurricanes- were playing against one of their biggest rivals: the Florida State University Seminoles. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">When we arrived at the stadium thousands of cars were parked outside. “What is this?” I asked. “This is tailgating”, they replied. Tailgating… tailgating… I’m trying to figure out this word on my own…like a tail on a gate? Like a gate on a tail? What is this jungle of cars, hot dogs, college students, beach chairs, TVs, beers, stuffed animals, plastic cups and plates, beer pong games, potato chips, music, tents, burgers, flags, ketchup, footballs, aluminum foil, bottle openers, grills and coolers? Seconds after one of my friends proceeded to present a formal definition for tailgating: “a</span></span><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">tailgate party</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"> is a social event held on and around the open tailgate of a vehicle and it involves consuming beverages and grilling food”. “Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh”. It sounded and looked weird to me but we kept walking as we entered the venue. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=IMG_1024.jpg" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/IMG_1024.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Inside the stadium people were walking in all directions. Rivers of mostly college students but also moms and dads and children too. They were all wearing orange or green or white UM T-shirts, the colors of which represent the fruit, leaves and blossoms of </span><state w:st="on"><place w:st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Florida</span></place></state><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"> trees. Occasionally I saw some red wine color and gold FSU T-shirts. Later on I learned it's called garnet, which means dark red or crimson combined with purple. We had to find our seats before kickoff –that’s when the game starts. Pipi break first, then beer in one hand, ticket in the other, we went looking for our seats right in the middle of student section. </span><city w:st="on"><place w:st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Orange</span></place></city><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"> was prevalent as the students decided in advance which color to wear. The stadium is huge. On the football field a guy with a duck costume jumps up and down. “It's Sebastian, the Ibis, our mascot” someone said when they noticed my "is-it-Halloween-yet?" face. Since I should probably know more about my school’s mascot, I googled it. The Ibis is a symbol of knowledge and it is also the last sign of wildlife to take shelter before a hurricane and the first to reappear after the storm. Beautiful, what a great idea for a mascot, I thought.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
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<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=IMG_1033.jpg" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/IMG_1033.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">The game started. My troubled expression said everything. My boyfriend tried to describe what was going on. An intensive lesson in Cantonese would have been clearer than his futile efforts to explain the game’s rules. After a while, I managed to follow the ball flipping between 22 guys wearing helmets, and huge shoulder pads. Ball flies and falls and players land on top of each other like a 10-layer club sandwich with extra butts, arms and legs. It’s all part of a rough game filled with testosterone, despite the flashy skin-tight pants. The game still manages to be a show with music, the fan-cam, cheerleaders and band appearances during half time.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span><br />
<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=IMG_1066.jpg" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/IMG_1066.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><city w:st="on"><place w:st="on"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Miami</span></span></place></city><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"> struggled the whole game and it was an FSU show. At the beginning of the fourth quarter the crowd was holding up four fingers. The sign indicated their belief that the game could be won in that crucial final period. Didn’t come out good and we were crushed in our own home. Our team lost 45-17 and my friends and BF were boiling mad. The name Hurricanes creates the idea of a team sweeping away opponents just like a devastating storm. Maybe it reflects our reputation as a weather-beaten community living constantly under the threat of destruction. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
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<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=IMG_1059.jpg" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/IMG_1059.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;">Nonetheless, I had fun at the stadium. I learned to sing against the Noles, I ate cotton candy and took funny pictures of a guy sitting above the student section who looked just like Bernie Madoff. “Give me my money back!!!” I yelled at him while leaving. Although I will always be faithful to my beloved futbol –or soccer-, I’m planning on buying a book about American football and returning to the stadium because…… it’s all about the U!</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><br />
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<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=IMG_1038.jpg" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #38761d;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/IMG_1038.jpg" width="400" /></span></a>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-42260145094518662042010-10-05T13:20:00.007-04:002010-10-26T23:33:36.928-04:00Morning hunger<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=DSC00543.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="The Daily" border="0" height="240" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/DSC00543.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;"></span></div><span style="color: black;"><u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Your case</span></u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">: Fridge: empty. Stomach: roaring. Chef qualities: nonexistent. Looking for some good breakfast? Go to <b>The Daily Creative Food Company</b>. </span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black;"><u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Where</span></u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span style="color: #cc0000;">:</span> It is located in 2001 Biscayne Boulevard, between Midtown and Downtown Miami.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black;"><u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Cost</span></u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span style="color: #cc0000;">:</span> Drinks (coffee, juices and smoothies) under $5. Omelets around $10.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black;"><u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Website</span></u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span style="color: #cc0000;">:</span> <a href="http://www.thedailycreativefoodco.com/index.htm">http://www.thedailycreativefoodco.com/index.htm</a></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black;"><u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">What to eat</span></u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span style="color: #cc0000;">:</span> Breakfast is served until 11 am (weekdays) and until 1pm Sat and Sun. Craving bagels? Grab a warm cinnamon raisin bagel with cream cheese and butter. Caffeine dependency? Get the Café con Leche with a guava pastelito. Want a healthy option? Go for the ironman wrap with egg whites, spinach, turkey and tomatoes in a wheat wrap. Strong appetite? Get the Mexican huevos rancheros. My favorite: orange juice and French toast stuffed with bananas and cinnamon.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black;"><u><span style="color: #cc0000; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Ambience</span></u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span style="color: #cc0000;">:</span> busy, young, fast.</span></span></div></div>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-2791553897055590172010-09-30T10:46:00.010-04:002011-01-21T16:27:08.168-05:00I am... in Miami<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: center; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I am my weekly routines inherited from the American system of methodically planning everything while forgetting the Hispanic understanding of life abruptly happening…caramba!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black;"></span></div><div><span style="color: black;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I am yoga class every Monday at the park facing the sea, breathing in and out… “gosh I’m so old… where did my flexibility go?” </span><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/I%20am%20in%20Miami/?action=view&current=mondayyoga.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"><img alt="monay yoga" border="0" height="295" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/I%20am%20in%20Miami/mondayyoga.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.freeyogafoundation.org/"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">www.freeyogafoundation.org</span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I am Tuesday night at home, blogging, googgling, youtubing, facebooking and stalking people online.</span><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/I%20am%20in%20Miami/?action=view&current=tuesday.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="tuesday" border="0" height="263" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/I%20am%20in%20Miami/tuesday.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Photo courtesy of Universal Pictures and Dreamworks LLC</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black;"><br />
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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I am Wednesday’s writing workshop, facing my insecurities, letting the pen write without control and getting writer’s high.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/I%20am%20in%20Miami/?action=view&current=wednesdayworkshop.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="wednesday" border="0" height="295" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/I%20am%20in%20Miami/wednesdayworkshop.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flcenterlitarts.com/new/pages/class/fall_10/akelsey.htm"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">http://www.flcenterlitarts.com/new/pages/class/fall_10/akelsey.htm</span></a><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I am Thursday’s run club, abandoning my loner nature and pacing myself with others, pounding the boardwalk mile to mile because it feels like freedom.</span><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/I%20am%20in%20Miami/?action=view&current=thursdayRunningclub.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="thursday" border="0" height="295" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/I%20am%20in%20Miami/thursdayRunningclub.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><span style="color: black;"> </span> <br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;"></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><cite><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: x-small; font-style: normal;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/NikeRunclub">www.facebook.com/NikeRunclub</a></span></cite></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><cite><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial; font-style: normal;"></span></cite></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I am Friday’s date night, enjoying <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Miami</place></city> with my southern gringo who puts a smile on my face…oh yesssss!</span><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=miami.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="Photobucket" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/miami.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: xx-small;">Photo courtesy of FIU</span></div><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span><br />
<div><span style="color: black;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I am Saturday’s MBA class maximizing information, knowledge and networking during nine hours when my attention span is less than forty-five minutes.</span><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/I%20am%20in%20Miami/?action=view&current=saturdaymba.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="saturday" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/I%20am%20in%20Miami/saturdaymba.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.bus.miami.edu/graduate-programs/executive-mba/executive-mba/index.html"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">http://www.bus.miami.edu/graduate-programs/executive-mba/executive-mba/index.html</span></a><span style="color: black;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I am Sunday’s calmness ahead of the work week. Here I am, planning so much I am an American with a little tweak!</span></div><a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/I%20am%20in%20Miami/?action=view&current=sundayrelaxing.jpg" target="_blank"><span style="color: black;"><img alt="sunday" border="0" height="300" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/I%20am%20in%20Miami/sundayrelaxing.jpg" width="400" /></span></a><br />
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</div>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4669013180946444303.post-12137938261702096482010-09-22T16:41:00.007-04:002011-01-18T22:10:48.233-05:00I want to go out with my girlfriends<a href="http://s398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/?action=view&current=4602176279_e674775b0e.jpg" target="_blank"><img alt="sugarcane" border="0" height="241" src="http://i398.photobucket.com/albums/pp67/Ranacaro1/4602176279_e674775b0e.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 8pt;">(picture, courtesy of Sugarcane)</span></b><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><span style="color: black;"><u>Your case</u>: It’s a weekday; you want to go out with your girlfriends to share a meal, gossip, laughs and cocktails. You are looking for a trendy place. If this is your case, go to <b>Sugarcane Raw Bar Grill</b>. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black;"><u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Where</span></u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">: It is located in Midtwon Miami, an area that is developing fast and where new restaurants are opening.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black;"><u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Cost</span></u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">: most dishes are around $15, however, make sure you are not extremely hungry because the dishes are tiny and are made to order all at once and to share.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black;"><u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Website</span></u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">: <a href="http://www.sugarcanerawbargrill.com/">http://www.sugarcanerawbargrill.com/</a> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black;"><u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">What to eat</span></u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">: From the tapas menu, you can’t miss the dates stuffed with manchego cheese and wrapped in bacon. Try the goat cheese croquettes with membrillo marmalade. From the robata grill, the thin crust flatbread with cured tuna. The crudos are tasty. If you are craving sushi, go for the crunchy tuna...spicy! Do not leave the restaurant without having a dessert. Get the rhubarb cobbler with goat cheese ice cream; its yummy and better than the torrejas and the strawberry cheesecake parfait. Sugarcane has an extensive list of wines and cocktails and both sangrias (red and white wine) are winners.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"><span style="color: black;"><u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Ambience</span></u><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">: crowded, loud, vibrant, young</span></span></div>Lucahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09995872628639895371noreply@blogger.com2