¡Live from MIA!

Here are some images from Wednesday’s CMB meeting at the MBCC Flamingo room Hall C …

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Plans were presented form both sides – Portman and Tishman/SoBeACE, followed by an audience Q&A. It started at 7pm, ended at 10pm, peacefully and it seemed to go somewhat well. I think the residents were just a little weary of another large (city) funded project and the unwanted “Vegas” potential (goal?) in the vision of some of their plans. It was also good to hear so many locals relay their concern about the Jackie Gleason (currently run by LiveNation) and why it wansn’t incorporated in any of the plans (maybe as a plan-b?). Let hope they come around and begin to listen to what the majority (?) of the residents have to say. Oh, and it should be pretty clear that we enjoy Cirque Solieil (BIG $$$) when they visit/preform, but that doesn’t mean we need them on a year-round solo (profit) basis, we like our own version of variety here on Miami Beach.

… more in-depth story to follow later. (comparing note/angles with others that were there). Stay tuned!

Found another great image of ..

… The Great One! Hmmm, how to best preserve/save an historic Miami Beach building in honor of  the man who put this place (“SoBe”) on the map, back in the 60′s - how sweet it is … Jackie Gleason!

Please mark your “calendars“. Next community meeting (us/them) – 2/27/13 (Wednesday)

The full schedule of meetings, most of which start at 6 p.m., is as follows:

• Feb. 27: MBCC > Flamingo Ballroom 4, Hall C Entrance – “to identify guiding principles for the master plan based on community input.”

• Feb. 28: MBCC > Flamingo Ballroom 4, Hall C Entrance, city commission workshop.

• March 27: MBCC > Flamingo Ballroom 4, Hall C Entrance, city commission workshop and public meeting with 3D diagrams that will show scale.

May 13/May 15: Location not determined, city commission meeting to vet completed master plans and terms of proposed letters of interest. June 5: City commission chamber, commission meeting to select the final proposer.

*special thanx to South Florida Business Journal (blog) website.

SAVE: A Great venue with a long local history …

This venue helped (almost, single-handedly?) put “Miami Beach” on the map, once the “Great One” started broadcasting his television show LIVE from The Jackie Gleason Auditorium. Miami Beach was presented as the most desirable location on Earth – Hotels, Gala shows, perfect beaches, endless entertainment, Stars and a blessing of good weather! (With nary a mention of the rarely mentioned Hurricane Season, appearing in any tourist brochure). It features one of the lagest live stages (per/sq. ft on East Coast) in North America. Not to mention a desirable (and warm) start/finishes for any touring act. *Contact Miami Beach City Hall and ask about the best way to voice your support, in preserving the sole, local memorial to ‘Great One” Jackie Gleason! TODAY – Cheers!

Sat .Jan 19th – A great night on the beach – Doug Wimbish & Keith Le Blanc along with some of their friends, gave Miami Beach a real low-end (BASS), funky, slap on the … gl*d you could make it! I’m not sure how the City of MIami Beach and Mr. Wimbish hooked up? … but, I like it! (a lot!)

It’s needed something … (finally, imho) for this cursed, chilly and often mis-interpreted “Art Deco Weekend” – ¿q-me?  - Yep, the one part of the year when (we) locals are guaranteed to freeze (yep, below at least 60 degrees!) our tuchus off, along with the poor folks who had to pay $$ for a “Booth” on Ocean Dr.! (ouch) Arepa Queens, tube-socks and … oh, and vintage cars! In our annual quest to figure out this … Cultural/Historical Beach Event? On the plus side – It does have a following.

Anyways – GREAT crowd, complete mix of various visiting, fun folk. With beautiful sounds emanating from – Vinx, Will Calhoun (Living Colour), Adam Falcon and various other guests. Oh, and the awesome Tara Harrison on guest vocals.

TACK>>HEAD was on Miami Beach! … UN-BE-LIEVE-ABLE – yep, right here.

Saw ‘em in BOS at Spit (waay back, ’90+/-? Great Show. The Game is one of my all-time-favorite tracks. Did I mention I got Keith & Doug to sign my 12″/tack>>head (1984) “The Game”?! schweet!

Service continues tomorrow – Lummus Park!

*Art Basel style

- Wed., Dec. 5 – Art Basel/MIA 
(+ I’ll have updates from (maybe not, exactly) all the Fringe, Side-shows & “Collectives” in Miami.)

- Obey (10th & Collins Ave.) / Shepard Fairey

This is when all the “Collectors” (rich folk, with gobs-of -money.) start to kick it off. The pre-party’s (some events, like UNTITLED on the beach at 10th, kicked it off early – on Monday night.) allowing them to get a jump on any potential collector wanna-be’s (poor folk). This is when all the BIG sales (of major pieces) seem  to happen – you know, when they put the little round (red/orange/green) sticker on the lower right-hand corner, and the Miami Beach Convention Center acts as HQ for the upper crust/established galleries – the pilgrims of the Miami Art (Basel) scene – now in it’s 12th year (13?).

  - Black Cat (or Dog?) at Lords Hotel (11th & Collins Ave.) / Desi Santiago

  - Islands (way back in 1983!) / Christo