Babalu to Wakefield:
Amusing Herald Fluff Piece
Sheesh, Rebecca, those
were some softball questions for old Oscar [“I Am Not a
Communist,” published July 26].
You know, [Miami
Herald reporter] Oscar [Corral] and others keep saying
that there’s this incredible diversity of opinion in Miami
vis-à-vis Cuba policy and politics, yet the only real way to
gauge the sentiments of a community, in this country, is
through the officials they elect to represent them.
Would that this massive
diversity of thought be true, I would think at least one
political mustang would have tossed his hat into the ring
and run for office on that platform. Obviously, that’s yet
to happen.
I also swear I nearly
swallowed my tongue from laughter when I read the Herald
being regarded as “a fortress for truth.” Oscar’s a good
writer, but his problem is the same problem most journalists
and reporters have — it’s impossible for him not to inject
his personal biases and opinions into his pieces, tailoring
the story to match same. JMHO [just my humble opinion].
Oh, and with regards to
his comments section, I believe, if you do some checking
through his archives — if all the comments haven’t been
pulled — there was much more hatred and bile spewed toward
me and other contributors at [my blog] Babalu than at Oscar.
It was a Val hatefest there for quite some time, to the
point where I had to contact Oscar and [then Herald
editor Tom] Fiedler and request that my name and address and
phone number — posted as a threat in the comments by one of
his commenters — be removed, for my own personal safety and
that of my family.
Best regards,
Val “Chihuahua” Prieto
Nipping at the heels of
the fortress of truth since 2003.
[Editor’s Note: Val
Prieto is editor of
www.babalublog.com.]
It Takes
a Bay: Why the Waterfront Plan Must Provide a Proper Retreat
From the Concrete
There is
one major idea I think people need to get their minds
around. I am not speaking from any background in urban
planning or any such degree. I am speaking from being a
public-space user and an observer in many cities that are
far higher on the scale of great public spaces than Miami in
both quantity and quality.
It is the
Coconut Grove Waterfront plan, not the Coconut Grove sports
park plan [“Time Out Miami,” published July 26]. Waterfront
is and should remain the emphasis: access to it for boaters
and all the rest of us who are not boaters. We need to
broaden our idea that a park can be a great park without
huge sports fields.
All of
Miami public waterfront is precious as there is so little of
it. So when people start to think about huge open play
fields and non-water-related or water-dependent
buildings, they really need to advocate for other places for
those facilities.
It takes a
bay to allow us to feel a bay breeze, smell the mangroves,
watch the sunrise over the water or enjoy a quiet retreat
from the concrete of Miami. Quiet is an important element as
our bay is the great quiet zone that one cannot find in
other parts of the city. You cannot achieve quiet in most
other city parks.
If our
waterfront parks were triple the size, then we might have
the luxury of putting in a playfield or two, but in all the
largest waterfront parks I have experienced, they just don’t
use waterfront space for large playfields. What I have seen
are facilities that cater to individual and small group
activities: places to inline skate, to skateboard, sand
for beach volleyball, biking, Frisbee throwing, pitch and
catch, kite flying.
And now I
will stick my head out: What about places to swim? Hello,
this is the Coconut Grove Waterfront. Is there something
wrong with an Olympic-size pool? I apologize for always
bringing up Australia, but I dare say every waterfront park
I saw in cities in Australia had one
or more pools. Let’s
celebrate water! An Olympic pool takes up
about the space of two tennis courts. Is it waterfront
dependent? No. Water related? Yes.
Maybe
Commissioner Marc Sarnoff could challenge Commissioner Joe
Sanchez to swim laps instead of play softball. How did that
match turn out?
Steve Hagen
Miami
When It Comes to
Convicted Organized Crime Operatives, Suicide is
Cost-Effective
Although not seething
with suspense, effusing drama and danger, or proposing
preposterous and unpredictable subterfuge, this story [“La
Familia,” published July 19] had one GREAT undertone — Señor
[Abraham] Rydz blew his brains out and spared us the cost of
sustaining him in prison. If only his cohorts would follow
his lead. Good riddance.
Dean Corso
Miami
Coral Rock House
Alert: Time for Preservationists to Break Out the Signs
For the last few years I
have been following the developments of the fight to save
the historic Coral Rock House located at 900 Collins Ave.,
which was one of the oldest and few remaining structures in
Miami Beach.
As a preservationist and
a devoted fan of the Coral Rock House, I was thoroughly
disgusted after reading the July 12 article in the
SunPost headlined “‘Knock It Down’” that the demolition
has already begun on this beloved historic home. What a
horrible tragedy we are losing such a unique historic
landmark and one that can never be replaced.
They just don’t build
houses like these anymore, and ones built of coral are
especially unique and are becoming fewer and far between.
Obviously the owners
Michael Stern and Ivor Rose have never cared about how
important the Coral Rock House is to Miami Beach’s history,
which began when the city was incorporated in 1915. The
Coral Rock House was built in 1916 and is only the second
structure still in existence from that era, the other being
the newly renovated 1915-era Browns Hotel on Second Street
and Ocean Drive. To me it seems so many of the property
owners here only buy the property with no regard for the
historic value. And you know how it is; money talks.
Of the two owners of the
Coral Rock House, I think that Ivor Rose is the most
disgruntled about the house. His strong language and
comments in the article stated his displeasure for the
historic home and with no regards to the importance of Miami
Beach’s history. Michael Stern, the developer and co-owner
of the property, though not as disgruntled as Rose, still
seems to want nothing more than to see it all gone so he
could have his four-story apartment building with retail
shops. Well, for one thing, we need more apartment buildings
in South Beach like a hole in the head. And as far as retail
shops go, the Coral Rock House would have been a perfect
candidate for retail space.
The fact that the house
was deemed unsafe a few years ago is a ridiculous excuse to
find a way to earn a demolition permit. I have never been
inside of the Coral Rock House except for few peeks through
the windows, but from what I have observed the house
appeared to have been in good shape. For example, the Browns
Hotel was in more of a state of disrepair that the Coral
Rock House and look at it today! Beautifully restored and a
living symbol of Miami Beach's historic past.
I only wish for the sake
of what is left of the Coral Rock House that both sides can
meet an agreement in court as the remaining structure will
surely be lost if someone doesn’t act fast. But now it seems
that it is just about too late to save the house, and it is
just so heartbreaking that something could not have been
done sooner to save this remarkable structure, a historical
architectural gem.
South Beach is still one
of the most unique cities in the world with its wonderful
Art Deco architecture. In my mind there is no room for new
buildings in SoBe unless you want South Beach to become a
disgusting high-rise metropolis like nearby Sunny Isles
Beach has become. Right now South Beach is still unique and
doesn’t look like any town in the USA and should stay that
way!
And maybe we should still
have protest rallies with signs marching in front of doomed
historic properties that are threatened. Maybe we might get
somewhere in an effort to save more historic areas. When it
comes to protecting our historic properties, no means of
outcry and protest are too drastic!
Veronica Salisbury
Hollywood
Best Way to Plug Nikki
Beach — This Letter, That Is
Dear Editor:
After reading that Nikki Beach was listed as the editor’s
pick for the category “Best Source of Soft Core Pornography”
in your July 3 Best of 2007 issue, I counter there is
clearly much more to Miami’s hottest nightspot.
The Amazing Sundays party at Nikki Beach is the
longest-running Sunday party in Miami Beach. It’s a popular
day when locals and guests can enjoy the delicious Nikki
Beach brunch while lounging and dancing on the beach. Later
this summer Nikki Beach is planning the relaunch of Pearl
Restaurant with a totally new menu, featuring a traditional
seafood menu and bringing back the champagne and caviar bar.
They are planning a big relaunch party for the end of
August. In addition, their newly formed luxury hotel
division, Nikki Beach Hotels and Resorts, has just announced
the groundbreaking of a new hotel and beach club in Panama
and two new beach clubs have just opened in Portugal.
Jack and Lucia Penrod are longtime business members and
residents of Miami Beach, and in the past 10 years since
Nikki Beach has opened, the brand has expanded globally with
entertainment venues worldwide as well as a clothing line,
furniture line, music company, VIP memberships, a magazine
and an Internet news company. Now with several hotel
projects in development across the world (even in Africa),
sky’s the limit for this Miami-based company. Nikki Beach is
known for its unique chic style with celebs, trendsetters
and jetsetters from all over the world. We should be proud
to have one of the world’s hottest entertainment venues
right here in our back yard, growing bigger and stronger.
Elliott Stares
TARA, Ink.
[Editor’s Note: TARA,
Ink. is a marketing and public relations firm.]
Just Say No to Crack …
Butt Crack, That Is
Mothers, fathers,
grandparents, guardians and spiritual leaders — I’m
concerned about the present dress styles of some of our
youth and young adults in our community. I am aware that
they are going through changes — but — present “butt-crack”
exposing habits will soon become a future detriment.
The males are wearing
their pants across their buttocks — showing their
undergarments and some of our females are following suit —
showing their undergarments — as well. I guess on one hand
it’s good to know they have on clean underwear, at least
most of them. But, really, this trend is unacceptable,
offensive to most thinking adults.
Parents, guardians,
spiritual leaders speak up — “If thy right eye offend thee —
pluck it out.” I am not suggesting that we pluck out our
children. I am asking you to speak up. Tell them that that
mode of dress is unacceptable and don’t tolerate it in your
presence. The hanging pants are just a sign and symptom of
worse things to come.
With all that’s already
arrayed against young black people — especially black males
— how can we allow them to place another millstone around
their neck? It’s about survival. Not ours, but our young
people’s. There are too many of our young citizens hanging
around storefronts, corners, parks, etc.
Somehow they have
developed a carefree philosophy that working is a no-no!
Fast money through drug sales is more immediate.
Oh, when pressed, we hear
the constant cry: "There are no jobs for us.” If that is the
cry at 17 years old, just think what the cry will be at 23
when they’ve fathered three children, earned a petty arrest
record and have no marketable skills.
I see it every day: Our
sons who take to drug sales and petty crimes because they
have about as good of a chance at getting a good job as
their pants have of staying up in a Miami windstorm.
There are training
programs in our community, but there are few takers. If you
are unemployed and you want training in a salable skill,
visit the UEC office at 3670 Grand Ave.
Adults, when you see them
on the street tell them to pull their pants up, invest in a
belt and go by the UEC. They’ll thank you later when they
draw their first honest high-wage paycheck and you’ll feel
good now — knowing that they won’t be one of the
“crack-heads” who steals your lawn furniture in the future.
Dr. David White
President Emeritus
Coconut Grove Village
West
Homeowners & Tenants
Association
